After Boris Johnson suffered serial defeats in Parliament this week over, first, his plan to take the UK out of the EU with a “no-deal” Brexit on October 31, and then over his attempt to call a general election, what possible courses of action remain […]
Author: Erik Sass
Maybe Trump doesn’t want a China trade deal, period
Conventional wisdom among economists and free traders holds that Donald Trump’s trade war with China, while perhaps justified on the grounds of numerous Chinese transgressions, has nonetheless been pursued in a muddled fashion, with no clear goal or exit strategy. But this discounts the possibility that […]
We need more globalization, not less
After years when it was presented as an inevitable trend, globalization now seems to be everyone’s favorite political whipping boy, blamed for everything from rising inequality and unchecked immigration to global warming and fake news. But ending or even reversing globalization by erecting trade barriers would have a […]
Does Johnson even want a Brexit deal?
There is growing feeling among European leaders that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, despite his numerous protestations to the contrary, doesn’t actually want to strike a Brexit deal with Europe, or is at least incapable of doing so, according to Bloomberg. The report is […]
Athletes lead mainstreaming of cannabis products
Never mind what doctors say, go with the jocks: celebrity endorsements are the next big thing for cannabis-related products, and pro athletes are leading the way, notes the Guardian. In fact some are even getting into the cannabiz themselves, lending their names to products intended […]
How big will America’s biggest greenhouse be? GIGANTIC
The future of farming may very well be indoors, judging by the news that a two-year-old startup, AppHarvest, plans to build a behemoth 2.8 million-square-foot greenhouse in Morehead, Kentucky for mass cultivation year-round. According to the New York Times, AppHarvest plans to use the greenhouse, which will be one of the […]
Argentina can’t shake decades of misgovernment
The election of Mauricio Macri as Argentine president in 2015 was widely viewed as an encouraging development for Argentina and South America generally, as he promised to restore fiscal responsibility, rein in government spending and revive the country’s economic fortunes. But Macri’s administration has encountered […]
British politics spinning out of control even more, somehow
Combine an unwritten constitution, an apparently insoluble political problem and an unelected prime minister and what do you get? An unholy mess in the cradle of modern democracy, that’s what! Long regarded as the sensible sister, the UK is facing a political impasse over Brexit […]
Labour’s proposed share transfer is a stealth tax with £300B price tag
It’s not news that the Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn, an unreconstructed Trotskyite, is far more radically left-leaning than under any of his predecessors — but what’s not as well understood is the actual financial impact of the sweeping reinvention of the British […]
China trade war costs average U.S. family $460
Trade wars like America’s current dispute with China carry significant costs for ordinary people on both sides of the conflict, as tariffs drive up prices of imports and with them the cost of living. But precisely how much is the trade tussle with China costing […]