If the final decades of the 20th century were marked by a burst of techno-capitalist optimism, the first decades of the 21st century have often felt like a step-by-step descent into despair. Everyone, it seems, feels grim about the present and worse about the future.
Read moreDemocrats and Republicans Agree That America Is Always Right
Domestically, Americans are sharply divided, with the balance of power nationally almost exactly split between Democrats and Republicans. When it comes to foreign policy, Americans and their political parties are much more aligned. In theory, that should be a good thing. In reality, it is not.
Read moreThere Is a Painless Way to Fix Inflation
When The Fed sharply increased its target interest rate by three-quarters of a percent, Chairman Jerome Powell remarked, “I wish there were a painless way…There isn’t.” Actually, there is a painless way: stop raising rates.
Read moreThe Other Scandal Revealed at Mar-a-Lago
Regardless of whether the former president is ultimately indicted, the case points to a problem that’s bigger than Trump: The U.S. government has become addicted to shrouding its actions behind a veil of secrecy, especially when it comes to national security.
Read moreRussia or China? The U.S. Has a Choice to Make.
China has “both the intent to reshape the international order” and the power to do so, he said. The United States will seek to rally coalitions of other nations to meet Beijing’s challenge.
Read moreInflation May Already Have Peaked. Overreacting Brings Its Own Risks
Billionaires Have Always Owned the Media. Musk Is No Great Threat
The explosive announcement that Elon Musk is buying Twitter and taking it private has generated a slew of commentary. The most common refrain has been that we are at “peak billionaire” and that Musk’s acquisition reflects a disturbing acceleration of not just inequality but of the ability of the very rich to dictate the rules of democracy itself.
Read moreWhy You Probably Don't Need to Worry About 1970s-Style Stagflation
The Seventies were famous for many things: wide-lapels, disco music, Watergate, the middle-class abandonment of cities for suburbs, and of course, stagflation, that toxic blend of soaring prices and stagnant economic growth. Is history repeating itself?
Read moreHow to Make Sense of the Stock Market's Turbulent Year So Far
Here we go again. From late March 2020 till almost the end of last year, stock markets had been on an extraordinary tear. When the pandemic exploded, market plunged close to 30% in a matter of weeks. What the markets giveth, they taketh away.
Read more