Opinion
NC should lead on sound money by passing HB 836
Citizens of North Carolina and elsewhere should have the freedom to choose how they store their wealth, and taxation on precious metals restricts this choice.
Opinion
3 fun facts on gold, sound-money in NC history
North Carolina is known for many wonderful things — being “First in Flight,” Carolina BBQ, Biltmore Estate (the largest private residence in the US), being the home of NASCAR, and much more. But did you know North Carolina has a strong history of gold and sound money? Here are three fun facts about North Carolina...
Opinion
NC should be first in financial freedom
Listen to talk radio long enough, or watch cable news for a segment or two, and you’re bound to hear an advertisement for physical gold. These commercials are probably playing in your head right now, complete with a recognizable (albeit past prime) actor or media personality, telling you that gold is a “safe haven asset”...
Opinion
Forbes says inflation woes should surprise no one
Count Steve Forbes among those who are unsurprised about today’s high inflation rate. “The surprise was how long it took to come,” said Forbes, chairman and editor-in-chief of Forbes Media and a two-time Republican presidential candidate. “The Federal Reserve was debasing the dollar or undermining its value before the COVID crisis. It went on a...
Opinion
Authors: Toxic Mix of Government Intervention Perverts Free Market
Kevin Dowd offers a classical liberal perspective on macroeconomic policy and specifically central bank policy. Having written extensively on free banking, he concludes that a thorough decentralization of the banking business is essential to enduring macroeconomic stability. Martin Hutchinson is a seasoned investment banker turned financial journalist. His first-hand, nuts-and-bolts knowledge of modern financial markets undergirds his broader perspective. Together, Dowd and Hutchinson provide an enlightening account of the long-run trends and shortsighted policy actions that culminated in the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.
Opinion
Dispelling Smoot-Hawley’s Myths
“But although Smoot-Hawley was not entirely responsible for the massive outbreak of protectionism in the early 1930s,” concludes Irwin, “it certainly contributed to the climate in which such policies flourished.” A few passages read like an academic journal. On the other hand, 17 editorial cartoons throughout the book educate and entertain. By reading Irwin’s enlightening account, one may learn a lot about history, economics, and the grisly process of making legislation.
Opinion
Goyette: Pro-Regulation Arguments Luring Economy to the Rocks
If you want a good, easy-to-read explanation of gold, fractional-reserve banking, the Federal Reserve and the nasty side-effects of the politicization of money, this book is excellent. And if you already understand all of that and desire good advice on how to protect your wealth when the government means to expropriate people to the fullest, it provides that, too.
Opinion
Command or Competition?
The most familiar story of the need for extensive bank regulation depicts pre-Federal Reserve banking in the U.S. as chaotic, rife with uncertainty and bank failure. But that's not the story that a more complete history offers. In the regulation vs. deregulation debate, there are important instances of well-functioning free enterprise banking and market discipline. In the U.S., the best example is the Suffolk Clearinghouse system.
Opinion
Backward glances—the Command or Competition question
In today's anxious financial environment, when we look to the government and the Federal Reserve to step into the economy with interest rate adjustments and extra cash reserves at every downturn, it's a little appreciated fact that there was an important pre-Federal Reserve banking era in the United States. Even today, that era has insights to offer into American monetary and banking policy, and U.S. economic health.
Opinion
Buying a Car Under A Commodity Standard
An interesting little item concerning "the" gold standard came up recently in Locke-land. One of our very, very astute Locke-ers objected to an encyclopedia entry that defined the gold standard as a government-established relationship between a dollar and quantity (weight) of commodity gold. Good call.
Opinion
No. 130: Pieces of Eight: Monetary Policy and U.S. Constitution
Edwin Vieira, Jr.'s Pieces of Eight is an indispensable work for anyone who believes in upholding the U.S. Constitution.
