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How the State Will Die
Google bought YouTube in 2006 at the height of the infringement hysteria. The new owners got busy trying to get the platform up to …
Painting by the Numbers
Times are tough on Main Street. Still, cheap money flows to the top 1%, wherever they live. For example, the fall season for the …
The Christmas Story’s Hidden Capitalism
People talk like capitalism is some strange foreign invader, a mechanical system that was imposed on the world a couple hundred years ago, fueled …
Government, the Thief
How secure are property rights if the police can take your stuff and keep it, citing no particular reason at all? Not very secure. …
The Holy Hangman Still Kills
Half of Americans think that government is their benefactor. The other half think it is a sworn enemy. Depending on the day and the …
Why the Rich Immolate Themselves
In the Gilded Age of the late 19th century, the American rich walked tall. They dressed the part. Top hats, canes, tails, spats, you …
The Everyday Absurdities of the TSA
‘Tis the season to be jolly. But then there’s the TSA. No government agency inspires “Bah Humbug” like the Transportation Safety Administration. For those …
The Homogenization of the Car
The antique car, specially ordered for the occasion, was waiting for the bride and groom to take them to the party after the wedding. …
Will Your Office Pool Get You Arrested?
I’m not a bettin’ man, probably because I’ve lost every time I’ve tried it. Still, I benefit from those who do. We all do. …
2008? That’s Ancient History, Right?
Memories are short, and 2008 is ancient history. Consumers can’t suppress their urge to consume. Lenders can’t suppress their urge to lend. We’ve learned …
Lincoln Uncensored
To be sure, this was a mind-bending experience. I watched Steven Spielberg’s movie Lincoln on the same weekend that I read Joseph Fallon’s Lincoln …
Which E-book Reader Should You Buy?
We are still in the early stages of a literature revolution, a migration from physical to digital, and it is tremendously exciting to see …
Protectionism is a Rip-Off
Winter is upon us, and that means digging out of our closets a whole variety of different kinds of shoes. There are insulated hiking …
Mellon vs. Geithner
Most of America has suffered since the crash of 2007. Property values plummeted, unemployment soared and remained stubbornly high, the use of food stamps …
The Skill Set of the Young and Smart
The unemployment rate for 19-24 year olds hasn’t moved much since 2008, and the reality of the tight job market has fully dawned on …
The House Is Still a Dump
“Half of the nation’s 40 biggest publicly traded corporate spenders have announced plans to curtail capital expenditures this year or next.” This is The …
I, Twinkie
Oh how everyone (of a certain class and income) makes fun of the Twinkie, the ultimate symbol of modern food decadence and phoniness. I …
A Day in the Beast’s Belly
The Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress is the least governmentlike building among all the tax-funded monstrosities in the nation’s capital. It …
Clothing for All: The Slow, but Relentless Revolution
I was out shopping for a new winter coat, hopping from store to store looking for a good deal. To my astonishment, it was …
What Bankers Do and Don’t Know
Or do and don’t do as the case may be. My talk from the Property and Freedom Society conference in Bodrum, Turkey.
Currencies of the Future
Many people complain about government control of currency, but only a few do something about it. I’m not talking about movements to “audit the …
Are These the End Times?
[Editorial note: Doug French is co-author of this piece today] Why all the long faces? The election results seem to have sent many people …
Why You Should Remember the Fifth of November
As soon as the noose settled around his neck, Guy Fawkes broke free from the hangman and jumped off the scaffolding — guaranteeing a …
This Way to the Slaughterhouse
Madison, Wis., was in lockdown mode last night, a day before the visit by the president of the United States. It is Obama’s last …