Ryan McMaken

As Faith in the Regime Wanes, So Does Military Recruitment

by Ryan McMaken | Aug 25, 2022 | Featured Articles, Foreign Policy, Politics

The U.S. Army reports it is having some serious problems when it comes to recruiting new soldiers. Last month, according to the AP: “Army officials…said the service will fall about 10,000 soldiers short of its planned end strength for this fiscal year, and prospects for next year are grimmer.” The army is not alone in missing recruitment goals: Senior Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps leaders have said they are hopeful they will meet or just slightly miss their recruiting goals for this year. But they said they will have to dip into their pool of delayed entry applicants, which will put them...

‘Coup’ Means Whatever the Regime Wants It to Mean

by Ryan McMaken | Aug 10, 2022 | Featured Articles, Foreign Policy, Politics

In the immediate aftermath of the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, many pundits and politicians were eager to describe the events of that day a s a coup d'etat in which the nation was "this close" to having some sort of junta void the 2020 election and take power in Washington. The headlines at the time were unambiguous in their assertions that the riot was a coup or attempted coup. For example, the riot was “A Very American Coup” according to a headline at the New Republic. “This Is a Coup” insists a writer at Foreign Policy. The Atlantic presented photos purported to be “Scenes from an...

After a National Divorce, Where Does the Debt Go?

by Ryan McMaken | Aug 4, 2022 | Economics, Featured Articles

The topic of secession has become increasing more common in recent years as various regions and minority populations (e.g., California and Texas) has openly suggested breaking away from the United States. The idea is forwarded with varying levels of seriousness, but the fact that talk of secession is increasingly done openly and repeatedly suggests increasing strength for what the political scientists call "centrifugal" forces. That is, cultural and political trends increasingly point toward growing separation and away from increased union. But even those willing to entertain the idea of...

Inflation Hits 40-Year High at 9.1%

by Ryan McMaken | Jul 14, 2022 | Economics, Featured Articles

The U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics released new Consumer Price Index inflation estimates this morning, and the official numbers for June 2022 show that price inflation has risen to 9.1 percent year over year. That's the biggest number since November 1981, when the price growth measure hit 9.6 percent year over year. The month-over-month measure surged as well, with the CPI measure hitting 1.4 percent. That's the highest month-over-month growth since March 1980, when the measure hit 1.5 percent. June marks the fifteenth month in a row during which CPI inflation has been more than double the...

Decentralization Means Different Strokes for Different Folks

by Ryan McMaken | Jul 5, 2022 | Featured Articles

Most commentary on the Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization—which overturns Roe v. Wade—has focused on the decision's effect on the legality of abortion in various states. That's an important issue. It may be, however, that the Dobbs decision's effect on political decentralization in the United States is a far bigger deal. After all, the ruling isn't so much about abortion as it is about the federal government's role in abortion. State governments are free to make abortion 100 percent legal within their own borders. Some states have already done so. The...

The Fed’s Rate Hike Is a Shot in the Dark

by Ryan McMaken | Jun 16, 2022 | Economics, Featured Articles

The Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) today announced an increase of 75 basis points to the target federal funds rate, raising the rate to 1.75% from 1%. June’s meeting today was the third meeting this year at which the FOMC has raised rates. Coming into the March meeting this year, however, the FOMC had not raised the target rate since March of 2020, even though price inflation began to accelerate during the second half of 2021. Today’s 75-basis-point increase is the largest increase since late 1994 when the FOMC raised the target rate from 4.75% to 5.5%. Notably,...

Despite Social Media Narratives, School Shootings Remain Incredibly Rare

by Ryan McMaken | May 26, 2022 | Featured Articles

In response to the Robb Elementary School shooting in Texas this week, one now sees repeated claims that school shootings are somehow “normal” or common in the United States. For example, social media at this moment is teeming with users—assuming they’re not bots—posting about how they’re absolutely terrified if the idea of allowing their children to attend school. Yesterday, in a now-deleted post, Elizabeth Bruenig—notable for writing on the topic of Millennials having babies—declared that one reason Millennials don’t have babies is because they believe their children are likely to be...

Trade Restrictions Are Depriving Our Infants of Formula

by Ryan McMaken | May 16, 2022 | Economics, Featured Articles

For parents who rely on baby formula—whether by choice or due to medical necessity—the nationwide baby formula shortage has become increasingly difficult to ignore. According to the Wall Street Journal, Walgreens, Target, CVS, and Kroger have all begun rationing supplies of formula. Covid lockdowns, combined with a product recall by formula manufacturer Abbott Nutrition has created a very real shortage in a product that is key for proper nutrition in many children. With the shortage has come the usual half-baked bromides about "evil corporations" and how baby formula companies are supposedly...