by Maryann O. Keating, Ph.D. President Biden, Ex-President Trump and their advisors view international trade as a nationalsecurity threat. They indicate that unfettered international trade has hollowed out the U.S.industrial base, harmed American workers and allowed China to dominate importantindustries. History repeats itself. In a 1791 Report on Manufacturers, Alexander Hamilton argued for anational economic policy fostering domestic industry. Later, Henry Clay advocated a protectivetariff as the centerpiece of what he called “the American System.” Presently, Oren…

Globalism for All “You can predict the actions of a large government, corporation or institution by imagining it being run by a cabal of its enemies.” — unknown A MANTRA HERE, and thank you for having indulged it all these years, is that we are against higher taxes not only because we can’t afford them but because they allow government to grow so big that the average man can’t figure out what it is up to. There now…

‘Winning’ Is only for Losers YOU REALIZE, DON’T YOU, that this Sunday’s Indy 500 won’t be an actual race? It will be more of an exercise — a spectacle, if you will — in adeptness at fudging rules and regulations to one’s advantage, that and quickness in changing tires and refueling. That’s because there is nary a nut or bolt that isn’t officially specified. The identical 2.2-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engines are designed for fairness not victory. As are the requirements…

A Mayoral Statement: Governing by Semaphore AN ECONOMIST FRIEND has introduced me to the contract theory of “Signaling.” Very useful. You are going to need it the next time you hear an important official pronouncement. The most well-known model involves job applicants signaling their ability level to potential employers. They might do this by presenting education credentials or simply dressing well for the interview, any attribute that might be prized by an employer. The concept is applicable in situations…

by Richard Moss, M.D. The Evansville Regional Economic Partnership (E-REP), is an organization that “promotes regional economic development and vitality.” It encompasses four counties, including Vanderburgh, Posey, Warrick and Gibson, and seeks to “drive the region’s economic growth, attract a high-wage and high-skilled workforce and elevate quality of life.” Encompassing the “Evansville Region,” it “thinks regionally – and acts regionally.” Its essential missions include “business growth and retention, attraction of a highly skilled workforce, community development,…

A Forgotten Man and a Forgotten History “We learn from history that we do not learn from history.” — Hegel I AM NOT A BIG SOCIAL MEDIA GUY (too old), but last week I ran across a Twitter thread that is the most succinct description of Arnold Toynbee’s great “A Study of History.” The thread was posted by Thinking West, a group that promotes the study of the western canon, classical approaches to education and commentary on history, philosophy, culture,…

Political Advertising Costs but Doesn’t Pay RUMINATING OVER THE RESULTS of the gubernatorial primary, it is encouraging that the electorate rejected the lavishly funded campaigns of the three economic-development wizards, Brad Chambers, Eric Doden and Susan Crouch. Not, of course, that they dwelled on “economic development” per se, its reputation having been tarnished by a series of scams and failed projects. Rather, they campaigned on the vague promise that government, specifically in the form of an…

by Mark Franke I had been brooding about this for some time now and, in a particularly dark moment, determined to never vote again. It may have been the better side of my nature that eventually overcame my psychological sturm und drang or it simply may have been intellect over emotion that resolved me. I am not normally a negative or pessimistic person but my attitude could not withstand a barrage of negative advertising, the total lack…

Crime: What Goes Around, Comes Around OMISSION, THE DOG THAT DOESN’T BARK, is a powerful indicator in public policy. And so it was for a recent shooting in the food court of my city’s premier mall, once the largest and most popular in the state. Officialdom uttered not so much as a whimper. The shooting was not statistically significant. Still, it was the third at the mall in recent months, including a murder. There was more than one…

Eric Holcomb to the IU Ramparts “Universities spent years saying that activism is not just welcome but encouraged on their campuses. Students took them at their word.” — Tyler Austin Harper in the this month’s Atlantic WAS THERE A BETTER WAY to handle the pro-Palestinian protests at Indiana University? Yes, but not for the reason you might think. Carrying images of beheaded babies and slaughtered families, the Palestinian “cause” was historically dubious from the start and now is the…