by Richard W. Rahn | May 16, 2023
If you are reading a news article about someone being charged with armed robbery, a visual image of a fellow with a gun holding up a store or bank probably comes to mind. But if the article says someone has been arrested on a money laundering charge, no particular...
by Richard W. Rahn | May 9, 2023
TEASPOONS OR POWER SHOVELS? Why are we substituting labor for capital? The Department of Labor reported last week that “labor productivity decreased 0.9 percent” in the first quarter of 2023. “The 0.9 percent productivity decline is the first time the four-quarter...
by Richard W. Rahn | May 2, 2023
Assume that the U.S. government announces it is going to issue enough money in the next three days to pay off the federal debt of $31 trillion. Yes, the debt would disappear, but the dollar would lose almost its entire value. What do you think most people would do if...
by Richard W. Rahn | Apr 25, 2023
Assume you have been a high-ranking government official and are called to testify before Congress. You have knowledge of unethical or worse behavior by some of your former colleagues, most of whom are still friends. If you reveal what you know, this could result in...
by Richard W. Rahn | Apr 18, 2023
What do you think the worst tax is? The capital gains tax is a good candidate. Capital gains are considered income by the IRS, even though they merely reflect a change in the price level — and most capital gains taxes are a tax on inflation. Inflation is caused by...
