Blog
Analysis, commentary, and observations on US public policy.
Big Problems Require Big Consensus
“Presidents come and go; Exxon doesn’t come and go.”
That was Lee Raymond, the longtime CEO of ExxonMobil. Many years ago, he told me that the company didn’t concern itself much with the Washington cycle, which ran two to four years. The wells they were drilling that day would still be pumping 50 years from now. They thought in half-centuries, not election cycles.
Senator Durbin Asked the Right Question
And it is the question all Americans should be asking about the defense budget.
The Signal and the Noise
How do we process the daily attacks on our democratic institutions without becoming either numb, hysterical, or just depressed?
Affordability: Democrats' Best Chance and Biggest Blind Spot
More government spending on social programs won't work. A pro-growth strategy for housing, healthcare, and food will.
You’re Politically Independent, and You Are Unrepresented
As the Republican and Democratic parties grow even further apart, the independent middle has continued to grow larger. And yet, we are still being ignored.
Kevin Warsh Is No RFK Jr.
Nor is he Pam Bondi, Kash Patel, or Pete Hegseth. The question is: Can the Democrats tell the difference?
Trump is Right About Powell, but for the Wrong Reason
Powell has been a failure. But not for the reasons Trump gives, and not for the reasons most Americans have been told.
Republicans and the Deficit: The Credibility Gap
As a fiscal conservative, I have spent most of my adult life voting Republican, believing—as Republicans historically claimed—that government should be smaller, leaner, and live within its means.
That brand is now bankrupt.
The Big, Beautiful Republican Hypocrisy
I believe that, like a responsible adult, government should spend no more than it earns and should not borrow from our children to pay for current consumption. By definition, this makes me a fiscal conservative.
Kilmar Abrego Garcia is Not the Issue
The Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which guarantees due process to all persons, is the issue.
Where Have All the Free Marketers Gone?
There was a time when the Republican Party could be counted on to defend the free market. Sadly, not anymore.
November 5th: A Choice We Should Not Have to Make
November 5th will be the third time that I don't have a choice based purely on policy. This year, I will again have to make a choice based on my ethics, because ethics must always take priority over policy. That is why I say this is a choice that we should not have to make. Ethics should be assumed.
Trump’s non-Reagan, Anti-immigration Agenda
Before you buy-in to Trump’s anti-immigration agenda, perhaps you might consider a few things.
"What would you have done differently from President Biden?"
Watching Vice President Harris struggle with what seems like an easy question is painful and I find myself wondering, "what am I missing?" It must be more complicated than it looks.
But, what would be wrong with this?
The Question of Inflation
There is a lot of disinformation swirling about the cause of inflation. One of the most perplexing aspects of this to me is that of all common targets for blame (government spending, supply chain problems, business monopolies), one, and in my view the most important one, is left out: Federal Reserve policy.
The Question of Tariffs
Tariffs are a big topic of discussion this election year with many conflicting assertions made about they work and who pays them. I did a little research to see if I could find the facts amongst the noise. Read on for what I learned.
Climate Change Is Not Waiting for the COVID-19 Vaccine
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)
The Peculiarity of Choosing a President in 2020
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.
Inspired By Grassroots Change
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.
Is It Right? National Debt as a Moral Issue
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)