As I watch the debate over tariffs, I can’t help but feel the two sides are not speaking the same language. They are talking apples and oranges. One side is concerned only about money while the other side deals with … Continue reading
The Apples-and-Oranges Debate over Tariffs
March 14, 2018 | John Horvat II
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Three Reasons Why Bitcoin Is Not Money
January 26, 2018 | John Horvat II 
With the dramatic rise of bitcoin, many are talking about this crypto-currency as the new money of the future. Such a simplification is understandable, since the matter of money is complex. Not all that glitters is gold. Likewise, what appears … Continue reading
Why the End of Malls Will Not Make Shopping Any Better
January 6, 2018 | John Horvat II 
As the Christmas season ends, there is a general agreement that the age of malls is coming to a close. Retail sales are no longer dominated by the vast complexes of physical shops anchored by big-box stores once found all … Continue reading
Looking at Laudato Si’ in Theory and Practice
November 16, 2017 | John Horvat II 
Ronald Reagan once said that an economist is someone who sees something happen in practice and wonders if it could work in theory. The new book, Pope Francis and the Caring Society, appears like a team of economists forced to … Continue reading
Getting the Middle Ages Right: Economist States the English Worker Never Had it Better
July 26, 2017 | John Horvat II 
In the quest for a golden age for workers, few would look beyond free markets in modern times. This position is backed up by economists using the materialistic tools of their trade. Modern statistics, wages, and living standards all point … Continue reading
Why Regulation Does Not Always Work
February 17, 2017 | John Horvat II 
It is astonishing to see how so many people think unbalanced markets can be regulated into order. They think that stopping abuses with straitjacket regulations will solve all problems. In the case of frenzied markets, this usually addresses the effects … Continue reading
Three Reasons Why Self-Service Can Harm an Economy and Human Relationships
January 25, 2017 | John Horvat II 
Self-service is often presented as the best of all buying options because it allows individuals to get the exact product they want quickly without interference from others. This increasingly means interfacing with some kind of efficient machine. People think that … Continue reading
Who Is Framing the Narrative in the Political Debate?
March 8, 2016 | John Horvat II 
Everyone acknowledges that this is not an ordinary election cycle. Almost as confusing as the campaign events are the explanations of those trying to explain why so many bizarre things are happening. Everyone has a take on the political carnival. … Continue reading
The Ideal Presidential Candidate Who Is Not Running
February 22, 2016 | John Horvat II 
Perhaps it is best to start by saying there is no ideal presidential candidate now running in the race in either party. None of them has all the qualities that are presently needed, although some candidates may have a few … Continue reading
When Government Does Good Things Poorly
February 18, 2016 | John Horvat II 
It is no secret that middle-class Americans are angry at the government and the general state of things. The so-called anti-establishment candidates appear to be channeling that rage to their camps. It is a raw undefined rage that is based … Continue reading
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