Bob Murphy

Author Archive

Potpourri

* While you were asleep, banks’ excess reserves smashed through $1 trillion. They’re around $1,100 billion at this point. * “Six Files the US Government Keeps On You, and How to Obtain a Copy.” (Here.) * I’m guessing Dick Clark’s law school prof doesn’t get too many papers like this. * Darren C. said this […]

Personal Financial Advice

You know how every once in a while MTV actually plays a music video? Well I thought it appropriate that I dispense some free financial advice to guide you through these choppy waters, which is what I originally started the blog for. A reader asks: I’m curious what flavor of personal finance advice you give […]

I’m Guessing Gary North Won’t Give Us a Blurb…

…on Carlos Lara and my forthcoming book marrying Austrian economics and Nelson Nash’s infinite banking concept. North exploded on the topic: Whole life insurance is bought by economically ignorant people. The industry profits from buyers’ ignorance. It charges huge commissions, which are paid to salesmen. This is why corrupt salesmen over time cease to listen […]

Obama’s Blatant Contradiction?

We’ve all read considered the irony of a guy getting the Nobel Peace Prize as he escalates the occupation of Afghanistan. OK fine, but someone could argue plausibly that sometimes you need to fight a small war now to avoid a bigger war down the road. I disagree, but fair enough. Yet I don’t think […]

I Challenge Krugman on His Home Court

[UPDATE below.] In this quick blog post Krugman wrote: There are a lot of good things you can say about international trade. But it does not, repeat not, do anything to alleviate a shortage of overall demand. Yes, if you liberalize trade countries will export more. But they will also import more. If you’re worried […]

I Just Emailed With Something Worse Than Banana Fungus…

…or so Paul Krugman would have you believe. On an unrelated business matter, I have been corresponding with someone (who wishes to remain anonymous) who told me the following in an email today: Last night, my friend and I attempted to persuade Paul Krugman to debate the Austrians at his presentation on “Are We Getting […]

Gordon Brown and Nicolas Sarkozy Do Their Part for Global Government

I don’t know why even some libertarians (and no I’m not even referring to the recent spat) find it so taboo to occasionally remind people that an elite group is quite literally trying to take over the world. At Copenhagen we’ve got world leaders working on a global agreement to harmonize the intense regulation of […]

Blog Comment of the Week

It comes from yours truly, but hey I am not going to disqualify myself in some faux attempt to avoid narcissism. David Henderson was promoting my EconLib piece on geo-engineering, and “H” (I think he’s Q’s brother) said: “Why should I take seriously the opinions of people who don’t even believe that climate change is […]