Michael L. Walden

 Causes and challenges of North Carolina’s revenue surge

A year ago, in the midst of the pandemic, all hands were wringing about shortages – shortages of food, everyday essentials, salaries, and government revenues. State budget experts were expecting revenue shortfalls of between 5% and 10%. Massive layoffs of state workers were possible, even possibly reaching into the ranks of university professors. Now, a...

What economic lessons can the pandemic teach us?

The Covid-19 pandemic may be the biggest story of our lifetimes, impacting us for decades. In a new book titled “Economics in One Virus,” author Ryan Bourne shows how the circumstances, debates, and policies related to dealing with the pandemic and its accompanying recession can be used as a “teachable moment” to highlight important economic...