Economics

A Brief History of Russia Meddling in Other People’s Elections 0
- Economics
- August 8, 2018
U.S. Special counsel Robert Mueller on Feb. 16 indicted Russian individuals and entities for interference in the U.S. presidential election. This is not a one-off act of Russian interference. In the previous nine years, Russia has invaded its neighbor Georgia, annexed the Ukrainian province of Crimea and supported rebels in Eastern Ukraine. As a historian
READ MORE
The Worst Emperor of Ancient Rome: Caligula 0
- Economics
- August 8, 2018
During the question-and-answer period after a lecture on ancient Rome, an audience member asked me, “Who would you rank as the Empire’s worst Emperor?” That was a tough one. I deplore concentrated power so I really don’t like any of them. Of the grand total of 178 emperors—81 in the Western Empire and 97 in
READ MORE
Why California Cities Are Becoming Unlivable 0
- Economics
- August 7, 2018
In July, the mayor of San Francisco frankly stated that poverty in the city is so bad, that “there is more feces on the sidewalks than I’ve ever seen.” And it’s not just her – the local NBC investigative unit found a “dangerous mix of drug needles, garbage, and feces throughout downtown San Francisco.” While
READ MORE

Why Straw Bans Don’t Help the Environment and Needlessly Restrict Freedom 0
- Economics
- August 6, 2018
Of all the consumer products one might have expected to become a flashpoint for political controversy, the humble plastic drinking straw is an unlikely contender. Leap into the headlines it has, though, with communities like Seattle and San Francisco recently enacting bans on disposable straws. The city council of Santa Barbara, California, initially voted for a ban
READ MORE
The Top 1% Have 40% of America’s Wealth: Is This a Problem?0
- Economics
- August 3, 2018
A 2017 study found that 66 percent of Democrats view economic inequality as a “very big” problem, and 93 percent believe it to be at least a “moderately big” problem. And it’s not just the public – politicians like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have frequently argued that the wealthy elite of society represent a
READ MORE
Was Jesus a Socialist? A Conversation With Theologian David Bentley Hart and Economist Jerry Bowyer 0
- Economics
- August 3, 2018
Was Jesus a socialist? Was he revolting against wealth and money itself? Or was he actually challenging people who use the violence of the state to prosper? I have my own working framework for how to apply Jesus’s role model in politics and economics. Nevertheless, I recently spoke with fellow-travelers theologian David Bentley Hart (below)
READ MORE