Topic: Milton Friedman

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Stefan Karlsson
The battle of the Pauls: Ron Paul talks economic theory

Ron Paul and economist Paul Krugman debated fiscal theory on Bloomberg TV. Who won?
Donald Marron
Memories are a durable investment

Skip the new high heels. You'll get more lasting enjoyment out of going bungee jumping, driving hours to try a new restaurant, or getting lost on vacation.
The Circle Bastiat
What Bernanke gets wrong about the gold standard

The redistribution created by the Fed’s monetary pumping actually weakens the economy over time as real savings is squandered on malinvestments. With gold as money, real production and savings is stimulated.  Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke doesn't understand that.
Tax VOX
Rick Santorum's tax plan explained

 Rick Santorum's tax agenda would lower rates for individuals and corporations, substantially cut taxes on capital, and increase the personal exemption for dependent children. Like those of his GOP rivals, Rick Santorum's plan would likely add trillions to the federal deficit.
New Year's resolution: Seek the other side in political commentary

Thirty years ago, I got into the habit of consulting a political commentator with whom I might disagree, starting with William F. Buckley Jr. While only others can say if it’s made me a better citizen, I do know that it's been a great deal of fun, not to mention enlightening.
The New Economy
Is the curtain falling on the eurozone?

The eurozone will be a different place from what it is today, even if EU leaders take the serious steps necessary to tackle the eurozone's debt problem.
Decoder Wire
Rick Perry joins flat tax parade – a hot idea fresh from the 1860s

Rick Perry follows Herman Cain in proposing a flat tax. Ron Paul has endorsed the idea before, too. But the hot new idea among GOP presidential candidates is as old as the Civil War.
The Vote
How flat will Rick Perry's flat tax be?

Rick Perry is going to propose a flat tax plan soon. He’s said it’s going to be 'flatter and fairer' than Herman Cain’s signature '9-9-9' proposal, which has been hammered by his rivals.
The New Economy
Corporate responsibility is a conservative cause

Many conservatives believe corporate responsibility is a liberal idea. But the roots of corporate responsibility stretch back to ancient, biblical truths.
Can governments change the economy? American economists share Nobel.

American economists Thomas Sargent of New York University and Christopher Sims of Princeton were awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics for developing analytical methods used by governments today.
On the Economy
Spending through the tax code

Those who pledge not to raise taxes yet are comfortable with spending cuts make an artificial distinction between spending and tax cuts which look and smell no different from spending.
Rupert Murdoch: Is a pie in the face a legitimate political statement?

Rupert Murdoch is the latest in a long line of prominent figures who have had a pie thrown at them. Is pie-ing the best way to confront the powerful?
The Adam Smith Institute Blog
Governments shouldn't borrow. Period.

If governments weren't ever allowed to borrow, they wouldn't accumulate massive debt for future generations
The New Economy
Portugal: strike three for the eurozone?

An EU bailout of Portugal now seems inevitable.But at some point, EU taxpayers are likely to tire of bailing out nations like Portugal, which seem unwilling to curb their spendthrift ways.
Before NPR scandal, a warning about 'elite' liberals: compassion turns to coercion

Long before the NPR scandal underscored liberal condescension toward conservatives, Lionel Trilling saw the hidden hope of power that lies in the heart of those who seek to improve society. President Obama has renewed this progressive impulse, limiting our freedom and prosperity.
Tax VOX
What it will take to balance the budget

Striking a balance between spending and revenue in Washington will be no easy task.
Green Economics
Green energy vs. the dirty status quo

Can green energy find its own market without the government's help?
Paper Economy
Another recession? Here's what indicators really say.

Two leading indicators point to continued growth, not recession.
ThinkMarkets
The Fed has no clothes?

In a recent speech, Charles Plosser, president of the Philadelphia Federal Reserve, criticized current Fed policy and the response to the financial crisis.
The Adam Smith Institute Blog
Future shock: inflation. But maybe not quite yet.

Flooding economies with money hasn't boosted inflation much – yet. But nations have trouble turning off the spigot.
Don't understand the economy? It's not your fault.

Even economists don't fully understand the complicated global economy..
ThinkMarkets
Time to revisit Social Security reform?

The next chair of the House Budget Committee, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.), has proposed partially privatizing Social Security. Why not go farther, and institute a reverse income tax?
Stefan Karlsson
Secondary deflation and the wisdom of Fed intervention

There's a strong case to be made for battling secondary deflation – the fall in prices that can occur when people try to liquidate too much debt.
The Simple Dollar
Book review: The Little Book of Economics

Every Sunday, The Simple Dollar reviews a personal finance book or other book of interest.
Paper Economy
How to predict a recession (or a double-dip)

Economists use two indicators to predict a recession; together, they have an almost perfect predictive track record. What are they telling us now?