Independent Ideas for Independent Thinkers

While the world waits for a vaccine to give us relief from the pandemic, global warming and the climatic consequences are accelerating. This rapid pace of change required that our research on the subject, first completed only in 2018, be fundamentally rewritten. Here is a brief summary of what we learned.

(882 words, four-minute read)

Harry Truman said that “there is nothing new in the world except the history that you do not know.” With that in mind, I am reluctant to suggest that the 2020 election will be different from any other. Nonetheless, at least three things will make the contest both unusual and a challenge to analyze in an unemotional, nonpartisan way.

In a world clouded by COVID-19, polarized politics, and a dysfunctional federal government, it is easy to become discouraged. As is usually the case, however, there are still many intrepid Americans who believe that our institutions can be improved and that we as individuals can make a difference. One of those is Kevin Bowe.

On April 7, in “This Bubble Too Shall Burst,” I shared my view, based on traditional economic thinking, that the mounting US debt is likely to become a serious economic problem for our children. What I didn’t do was address whether or not such borrowing is moral. Yes, I mean moral.

(728 words, three-minute read)

When the 2020 presidential debate begins, President Trump will renew his campaign against illegal immigration. When he does, both sides will obscure the real issues by retreating to their familiar, polarized themes. How might independent thinkers navigate this unproductive debate?

(627 words, three-minute read)

College education in America has become unaffordable for too many and a poor investment for many more. Candidate Biden is proposing to expand tuition subsidies and forgive some student debt. Is there a way to address the problem without more spending?