I again observe that one of the great benefits of living here is meeting a remarkable array of talented and interesting people. For example, this winter I’ve met three individuals who have recently worked in Antarctica. More recently, when skiing in the Big Sky area, Ramona and I met a surgeon who is a pioneer […]
Read MoreThe prospect of going south for a week in mid February seems a treat for those of us living in Montana. Hence, I was pleased to accept invitations to speak at NCCU and Duke Universities. It had been -30ºF with much snow, nothing unusual, before we left. We have seen much colder. We looked […]
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Americans are a notoriously mobile people. Families relocate to new places with remarkable frequency. Traditionally, moves are motivated by better employment opportunities. Going to the Bakken oil patch is an obvious example. No one goes there to enhance immediate quality of life. Money is the motivator. Salary and wages surely are not the only consideration […]
Read MoreI find economics fun and useful. Fundamentally, it is not about money. Rather, economics is a mode of thinking focused on two things, information and incentives. Unless deliberately randomized, as in a fair lottery or coin flip, most decisions are based on information and incentives. It’s no accident that’s the way the world works. […]
Read MoreThis is the season of “Peace on Earth, Good Will to Men”. Although data indicates the world actually is becoming more peaceful, peace and good will remain exceedingly difficult goals to achieve. However, the Christmas season is an excellent time to recognize those who try: Success is contagious. This week’s FREE Insights […]
Read MoreEconomists’ Favorite Bible Verse – An intro to today’s FREE Insight from the Chairman If political economists were to pick a favorite Bible verse I suggest it would be Proverbs 4:7. King James Version reads: “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.” Alas too many people neglect […]
Read MoreA Pleasant Surprise – Intro by John Baden, Chairman, FREE The Christmas season is surely a time to share good things. Here’s a letter to the Bozeman Chronicle posted on Monday, December 9th. It is one I enjoyed and from which I learned. One of the pleasures was to discover the clear thinking of […]
Read MoreBoth progressives and conservatives fundamentally misunderstand our most important founding document. This coming week, Harvard University Press will publish my new book, The Classical Liberal Constitution: The Uncertain Quest for Limited Government. This 700-page volume took me over seven years to complete, and it offers a distinctive third approach to constitutional law that helps explain […]
Read MoreLet’s count our blessings, not only because tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day. (Also Chanukah so this suggests interesting menus.) Ramona and I have just returned from trips to big cities, Boston, New York, and Chicago. We were treated well indeed and greatly enjoyed seeing friends and relatives. Still, I felt blessed to return to Montana. […]
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Monday, Oct. 7, will mark the 100th anniversary of the opening of Henry Ford’s moving assembly line for producing the Model T. This innovative production system allowed Ford to double worker pay while cutting the price of his cars in half, making it possible, for the first time, for auto workers to buy the cars […]
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