Tweet [1]
Ben Shapiro rightly criticizes Trump’s “Buy American” scheme [2]. (Note also the inexcusable economic ignorance of Trump’s Chief of Staff, Reince Priebus.) (HT Warren Smith)
And here’s Kevin Williamson on the same [3]. A slice:
Trump, who is surrounded by people who fancy themselves “nationalists” (in the cause of what nation, it is not entirely clear), is wading deep into an ancient puddle of stupidity most recently explored by Barack Obama (remember his “nationalist” moment, which lasted for about a month in 2011?) and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the woman who (accidentally) did more than anyone other than Kellyanne Conway and Hillary Rodham Clinton to put Trump in the White House. To call it “economic nationalism” would be too grand: It is merely a very narrow form of special-interest politics consisting of backdoor handouts to favored corporate interests.
Scott Sumner analyzes the “national defense” argument for trade restrictions [4].
Chelsea Follett writes about women and economic freedom [6].
I’m proud of my alma mater Auburn University [7].
Tom Firey remembers Jimmy Carter’s “moral equivalence of war” speech [8].
Jason Sorens asks: Who, exactly, is protected by occupational-licensing diktats? [9]
Here’s Bob Higgs on the reality of marijuana “legalization. [10]”
Mark Perry uncovers 18 spectacularly mistaken predictions about the environment [11].