Peter's Blog

Why the Establishment’s Fear of Trump’s Fed Moves Is About Optics, Not Economics

President Trump’s highly publicized feud with Fed Governor Lisa Cook has recently frightened establishment finance types. With all the pearl-clutching surrounding the Fed’s independence, it’s easy to forget that everything the Fed already does is politically motivated. The following article was originally published by the Mises Institute. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those […]

The Myth of the “Elastic” Currency: Why the Economy Never Needed It

One of the most pernicious myths about central banking is its necessity to expand and contract the money supply to facilitate the “needs of trade.” But, as the Austrian School of Economics demonstrates, a static money supply is perfectly fine for trade, and it doesn’t entail the destructive inflation that comes with central bankers. The […]

Fed Ignores Rising Inflation as August Prices Climb

Another month goes by, and the Fed’s 2% inflation target remains a distant paradise. Even though inflation has actually increased by some metrics, the Fed has nonetheless fired up the money printers, revealing it cares more about political ends than keeping prices stable. The following article was originally published by the Mises Institute. The opinions […]

With Its Latest Rate Cut, the Fed Serves Wall Street and the Regime

Last week, the Fed cut interest rates by 25 basis points, the first cut since December. While it claims to be responding to economic conditions, the Fed is really just catering to political and financial elites, who’ve been pressuring the central bank for months. The following article was originally published by the Mises Institute. The […]

Inflation: The Hidden Embezzlement

Critics of inflationary policy are correct to describe inflation as a subtle tax, with the heaviest burden falling on the poor. While inflation is indeed a regressive tax, it’s also helpful to view and describe money printers just as we would counterfeiters or embezzlers. The following article was originally published by the Mises Institute. The […]

When Government Owns the Means of Production

With the Trump administration taking a stake in private companies like Intel, many are hailing the “treat the state like a business” approach to governing. But, just like any intervention, public ownership of the means of production is bound to create perverse incentives and lead to wasteful economic activity. The following article was originally published […]

The Death of Profit and Loss

One key feature of market economies is the “profit and loss test,” whereby successful companies are rewarded for creating value and wasteful companies go bankrupt. But, when the state gets involved, losses can be rewarded, and the financial system can obscure true market signals. The following article was originally published by the Mises Institute. The […]

June Job Loss Signals Trouble Ahead

With another round of jobs data released last week, another revision to June’s numbers reveal two startling truths. First, jobs actually decreased in June, contrary to the initial estimates. Second, and arguably worse, the Trump administration’s cover-up of these numbers is as bad as critics thought. The following article was originally published by the Mises […]

Money Supply Stalls Amid Weak Jobs and Rising Delinquencies

With recent economic data pointing to an uncertain economic future, M2, a primary measure of the money supply, shows a flattening in the supply of money. But, as more precise measures of money show us, this trend may indicate a latent recession in the dollar-fueled economy. The following article was originally published by the Mises […]

Why Government Isn’t Like Other Institutions

Many on the left and right speak about the government as if it’s equivalent to a business. This rhetoric, deployed to justify the seizure of productive capital or make the state “more efficient,” obscures the fact that business and government are fundamentally different. The following article was originally published by the Mises Institute. The opinions […]