Many of us are familiar with the phenomenon of “dorm room philosophy” and its derivative field, “dorm room economics.” Often, it is rooted in the clunky prose of Ayn Rand and the simple, common-sense decrees of Austrian economics, along with the limited life experience common to all young people — particularly young men. Rand’s “objectivism” […]

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US household debt hit a record $16.15 trillion in the second quarter of 2022. Mortgage debt accounts for 75% of the total; college debt another 10%. The rest is mainly motor vehicle and credit card debt. Rising household debt over the past two years is worrisome, and will become a greater problem as interest rates […]

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The central bank of the U.S. Federal Reserve (or Fed for short) has been hiking interest rates this year to try to bring down inflation. Before addressing the economic consequences of this, a few words about central banks seems in order. Regular retail and consumer banks do their own banking at central banks—making deposits and […]

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Listen to “Paranoia on Parade”, a 3-part audio podcast with commentary from author Dave Troy, Jack Bryan, director of the 2018 film “Active Measures,” and Hamilton Fish, Editor of The Washington Spectator (links below). (Complete Bibliography and Endnotes for Paranoia on Parade can be found in this post following the conclusion of the article.) “We […]

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In an iconic scene from the film Norma Rae, Sally Field—playing the eponymous title character—writes “UNION” on a piece of cardboard and holds it aloft in the plant that employed her. She has just been fired for copying a flyer to use as evidence of illegal actions to thwart unionization. Following a movie-appropriate period of […]

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