Bob Murphy

Author Archive

The Smoking Gruber Gun?

I had seen people in print refer to this, but it helps to watch the actual video. Many of my libertarian brethren (and sistren) think this is obviously Gruber saying the feds intended for the subsidy carrots to induce the states to set up their exchanges for the ACA. However, the one thing that troubles […]

Potpourri

==> Corie Stephens argues that feds honestly had no idea the states wouldn’t just roll over and enact ObamaCare exchanges. I would love to see your links to the best articles making the other side’s case, i.e. claiming that it was a typo. ==> If the claims in this post are right, the alleged “97% […]

Krugman on 2013, Compared to 1937

This is a long post, but you need to get a cup of coffee and read it slowly. In particular, if we accept Krugman’s excuses for his botched 2013 calls, then he loses the Keynesian story about 1937.

Correction on Weitzman’s Position on Geoengineering

I realized after it posted that in my IER post on Nordhaus’ book review of Weitzman (and his co-author), I misunderstood one of Nordhaus’ passages. I thought Nordhaus was saying that Weitzman (and co-author) wondered whether humans should even be learning more about geoengineering because of its risks, but I learned elsewhere that Weitzman is […]

Tom Woods and I Discuss Robert Reich

Here. We take apart his video calling for a $15/hour minimum wage.

Using Nordhaus’ Book Review to Outline Flaws in U.S. Carbon Tax Narrative

The more I study climate change economics, the more astounded I become at the chasm between reality and what has been sold to the American public. I give another example in my IER analysis of a recent book review by William Nordhaus. Here’s an excerpt: What is fascinating is that if you go to the […]

Criticizing Robert Reich’s Video for a $15 Minimum Wage

At Mises CA. An excerpt: Reich then goes on to argue that if the minimum wage in 1968 had kept pace with the growth in the “average productivity” of American workers, then today it would be more than $21/hour. Although Reich doesn’t come right out and say it, he sure implies that the workers on […]

Callahan on Identity Politics

I’ve been zinging him lately on other matters, so I wanted to shine a favorable light on Gene Callahan’s posts on the (very touchy) subject of identity politics. For example, in this post Gene writes: The Incoherence of the Dolezal/Jenner Distinction I am interested in the sharp distinction being made between these two cases as […]