Watts: ‘Birthright Capitalism’ Beats Socialism
by Tyler Watts, Ph.D. We free-market economists tend to pooh-pooh complaints about income and wealth inequality. When “democratic socialist” or even populist right-wing demagogues complain about stagnant or declining middle-class incomes, we point out all sorts of empirical flaws in the data they use: “They don’t include government transfer payments in income measures.” True. “They Read the full article…
The Outstater
Incoming! Media Bias! OK, WE GET IT. The corporate media does not like the application of military power by a Republican president. But like it or not, the destruction of bridges, power supplies and manufacturing plants is what armed forces do when an enemy refuses to surrender. It has been so since the application of gun powder. Before Read the full article…
Schansberg: Capital Gains and Inflation
by Eric Schansberg, Ph.D. Ahh, it’s that time of the year again: the weather is (usually) warming; the flowers are blooming; and income tax forms are due. Everyone knows about the IRS and their W-2’s — whether they fill out their taxes by hand, use software, or pay a professional. State and local taxes hit Read the full article…
Franke: Baseball 2026
by Mark Frank At risk of irritating my wife . . . again . . . it is time for my annual baseball column. Major League Baseball is well underway and the TinCaps have opened their home season. I have moved my “baseball” TV out of winter storage to the back porch where my baseball Read the full article…
The Outstater
Politics From the Pews POLITICS IS SOMETHING we don’t talk about in my church — “verboten” my Lutheran grandmother would say. That has never made sense to me. I understand why a pastor may not want to politicize from the pulpit, but Christianity is so entwined with Western Civilization that it would seem a good idea to Read the full article…
Franke: Consent of the Governed
Consent of the Governed “The United States Government faces growing difficulty in fulfilling its purpose because at least some of its powers are no longer derived from the consent of the governed.” This was the topic taken on by my Socratic discussion group in March and it proved a difficult one. We never completely resolved Read the full article…
