Just like Alaskans have many words for snow, Bedford Industries has a lot of names for twist ties. There are spooled ties and poly twists, clip bands and double wire tin-ties. And that was only the be…
Past Tariffs and Future Shortages
Medical product shortages were the unintended consequence of the tariffs that were supposed to diminish our trade with China.…
Why Tariff Revenue Is Peanuts
A look at tariff revenue through the lens of a peanut farmer can reveal some unexpected facts about its size and who pays it.…
The Package That Amazon Returned
Now that Amazon’s HQ2 will not be in Long Island City, New York, we can ask if the multi-billion dollar incentive package was worth the tradeoffs.…
A Trade Story With a Happy Ending
Looking at airplane manufacturing through Bombardier’s new billion dollar order from Delta, we can see why a multinational supply chain can lower tariffs.…
A Banana, a Billionaire, and a Tesla Tax Follow-Up
Our banana, $450 million painting, and Tesla tax stories were just so interesting that they deserved fascinating follow-ups.…
Why China Wants To Be Called a Market Economy
A year ago, China filed a formal complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO). Targeting the European Union and the United States, China’s goal was to have its economy called a market. The …
Why Flood Insurance Creates Unintended Consequences
Flooding 34 times in 32 years, a $69,000 home in Mississippi received close to $663,000 in payouts. Similarly, for 16 floods in 18 years the owners of a Houston home valued at $115,000 got $800,000. T…
The Cost of Free Electricity
Government subsidies can have unintended consequences because of the incentive to use more of a good or a service than the market has allocated.…
Weekly Roundup: From Traffic Congestion to Job Evaluation
Our everyday economics includes central planning, unintended consequences, comparative advantage, transportation infrastructure, cost & developing nations.…