Peter's Blog

“Heating Up” in the Arctic?

In the same week that Biden said he would not seek reelection, Russian and Chinese bombers were escorted out of the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). Russia and China acting so boldly near American soil is an unprecedented move that signals the rising tensions of recent years.

Demagogue Elizabeth Warren Flunks Econ 101:

Last week, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren appeared on CNBC to defend Vice President Harris’ recent proposal to implement price controls. What followed was a predictable progressive screed full of economic fallacies and finger-pointing. Here we’ll take apart two of her claims. In the first, she engages in question-begging about the effects of price gouging laws. […]

How Patent Abuse Fuels America’s Drug Pricing Problem

The United States patent system, originally designed to foster innovation and protect inventors, has become a battleground where pharmaceutical companies wage war against competition and affordability. While patents play an important role in incentivizing research and development, the current system has been manipulated to extend monopolies far beyond their intended duration, resulting in skyrocketing drug […]

UBS: Taylor Swift Could Derail the Global Battle Against Inflation

Just when you thought the headlines couldn’t seem more absurd, Swiss banking giant UBS has issued a warning that in the global battle against inflation, the worst enemy of central banks could be none other than pop star Taylor Swift.

Table for 1: The Solo Service Economy

A last measure of desperation and relational duress in the 1980s is today a common sight. Film and TV from an era even as recent as the early 2000s now seems both frighteningly prophetic and offensive. The species of the solo diner has recently grown in both number and severity, particularly in the last 4 […]

The “Biden Brand” Is Unconstitutional, Alleges House GOP Report

President Joe Biden committed “impeachable offenses” while in office, according to a hot-off-the-press report from the House GOP.

This Firm is Among the Most Shorted Stocks on Wall Street

In 2023, an investment bank called B. Riley Financial was one of the most shorted stocks on all of Wall Street. The firm enjoyed the unique position of being one of the most profitable shorts of 2023. Now more than halfway through 2024, B. Riley remains one of the top short trades on the open […]

License to Kill: How Occupational Licensing Stifles the Economy

Imagine a world where you need government permission to braid hair, paint walls, or even arrange flowers. This isn’t a dystopian novel—it’s the reality for millions of American workers trapped by excessive occupational licensing laws.

Populist “Kamalanomics” Will Make Inflation Even Worse

Unveiling her set of “populist” economic actions for her first 100 days in office, Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris has promised a slew of government interventions to ease economic pain for Americans. But, like all economic interventions, they’ll make the problem even worse, cutting out the free market’s natural balancing mechanisms in favor of central […]

CRE Doom Loop: Rate Cuts Can’t Fill Office Buildings

With the expectation of an interest rate cut soon, commercial real estate stocks are up. But while lower interest rates might kick the can down the road, they can’t fill empty office buildings — so they won’t end the post-COVID CRE doom loop that could trigger a banking meltdown.