Peter's Blog

The Incentives Behind Our Perpetual Debt

It is no secret that the US Federal Government has great difficulty getting out of and staying out of debt. Whether the State even possesses the power or willpower to get out of debt is not even asked, as Keynesian principles have lionized debt and removed the historical stigma. Things that would not be seen […]

BLS: Payrolls Crater in Latest Jobs Report

The U.S. labor market took an unexpected step backward in February, shedding 92,000 non-farm payroll jobs after a modest 126,000 gain in January, according to Friday’s Employment Situation release. Headline unemployment barely budged at 4.4 percent, yet 7.6 million Americans remain officially out of work and an increasing share of them are looking for jobs […]

CB Consumer Confidence: Americans Still Eye Price Pressures

U.S. consumers perked up a bit in February, but the mood is hardly euphoric. The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index rose 2.2 points to 91.2, recouping only a slice of January’s slide. Households feel slightly less threatened by recession, yet they remain uneasy about paychecks, persistent inflation, and a job market that looks sturdy on […]

Waller Calls March Rate Move a “Coin Flip” as Jobs Data Diverge 

Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller told the National Association for Business Economics on February 23rd that the March 17th–18th Federal Open Market Committee decision is “close to a coin flip.” After three straight 25-basis-point cuts since September, the Fed paused in January—over Waller’s dissent—and left its policy rate near 4.75 percent. He argued that “the […]

The Trust Paradox

Trust in all forms of government has greatly dropped in the US and nationally, but it might actually be a much-needed reflection of reality rather than a sad decline of the state of our civilization. Trust makes all actions of the one trusted possible with far less energy and resources. Garnering support becomes much easier […]

Rate Cut Crisis Barely Dodged With New Jobs Numbers

Just a few days ago, it seemed that the US was on the verge of a recession. While the long-term trajectory is still one that is far too tenuous to rely on, the recent jobs report seems to suggest that the US is not headed for immediate recession. Although the status of the US in […]

A Price Based Case for Privatization

While the government typically enters into various industries with the goal of bettering outcomes for citizens, the industries they enter often become damaged in ways they never predict. People often resent the higher level of government control theoretically, but even from a consumer welfare perspective most government industry entries leave much to be desired. While […]

Foreign Intervention Never Plays Out Like They Say It Will

While foreign intervention has continued to be employed liberally, even as the public has less interest in it, politicians continue to justify it through several tired excuses. They might even gain popularity by throwing aside their pretensions at justice and stating the real reason for their conquest, but the reasons they give unknowingly show a […]

Schiff w/ Horowitz: Gold Is Being Targeted

Last week, in his second recent interview with Daniel Horowitz, Peter lays out a broad critique of today’s economic policy and market behavior. He centers the conversation on what he sees as a coordinated attempt to suppress precious metals, then ties that theme to the bigger-picture issues of stagflation, dollar debasement, tariffs, shifting debt strategy, […]

Welfare Must Be Cut for the Good of the Poor

The US government is frequently criticized for not reaching the EU’s levels of unhindered handouts and socialization of industries. Proponents of government control for the common good hold two contradictory principles at the same time without even recognizing the tension. They first believe that the highest role of any government is to promote the welfare […]