By Foday Turay, American Consumer Institute According to the GoodRx Research Team, 832 brand drugs have increased by an average of 4.5% since December 31, 2020. Americans pay around $1,200 for prescription drugs a year. The continuing rise of prescription drug prices has a significant impact on many Americans, especially during a global […]
Author: Erik Sass
Visionary Milton Friedman and the Chinese Economy
By Rainer Zitelmann In October 1976 it was announced that the Nobel Prize in economics for that year would be awarded to the American economist Milton Friedman. Almost exactly a month before that announcement, Mao Zedong had passed away. Just four years after his death, Friedman visited China for the first time. […]
Uber, Lyft Prices and Wait Times Are Surging—Here’s Why
By Brad Polumbo, Foundation for Economic Education Millions of Americans, myself included, have come to rely on ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft for convenient and affordable transportation. But in recent months, we’ve seen skyrocketing prices and long wait times just to get a ride. As it turns out, the government is […]
Wales’ proposed universal basic income threatens to do more harm than good
by Tom Ryan In May the first minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford announced that he is trialling a ‘Universal Basic Income’ (UBI) in Wales, a policy of direct and unconditional cash transfers. This fashionable policy has been tried around the world by governments and private organisations, but hasn’t much to show for it so […]
Economy Continues to Soar, Though Inflation Looms
By Robert Genetski Today’s employment report for May confirms that the economy continues to soar. Average hourly earnings rose at a 10 percent annual rate from the first quarter, a further indication of upcoming inflation. The Week That Was Economic news this past week continue to show business activity soaring in May. […]
Steel Tariffs and Why We Can’t End Failed Government Programs
By David Boaz, Cato Institute Catherine Rampell of the Washington Post wonders why President Biden has not repealed President Trump’s costly tariffs on imported steel and aluminum from “our close economic and military allies, including the European Union, Canada and Japan.” If both the United States and our allies recognize the damage these trade […]
Inventor Turns Rice and Wheat into Unlikely Sources for Vitamin D
By IP Progress WHO: Chintala Venkat Reddy, a farmer from Hyderabad, Telangana. THE CHALLENGE: Vitamin D—also known as the “sunshine vitamin”—plays a vital role in keeping our bodies healthy by promoting bone strength and supporting cardiovascular health. Adequate vitamin D levels are also crucial for a strong immune system. Although our bodies […]
Instead of Fighting, We Trade
By Manuel Molano, IMCO Commerce, from time immemorial, has been the alternative to violence. Maybe before we were human, in the animal world cooperation is called symbiosis and is the alternative to predation. Trading we cooperate. The reason we trade is because we want to buy things that we do not […]
Zooming to class? Experimental study provides evidence on college students’ online learning during COVID-19
By The Institute of Labor Economics During the COVID-19 pandemic, many schools and universities had to pivot to online learning. However, there is little research on the causal effects of online learning compared to in-person instruction because most colleges and school districts choose to go either all in-person or online, or a hybrid for […]
Roll out Renewables before Biden’s Blackouts Roll in
ByOliver McPherson-Smith. American Consumer Institute Commuters in California will be familiar with radio ads that ask them to ration electricity when they get home from work. The campaign begs consumers to power down between 4 pm and 9 pm, when renewable energy generation dips and utilities struggle to power the grid. […]