Loot and Lobby

Automatic citizenship for the children of foreign nationals on US soil will only further politicize immigration and increase calls for more limits on migrants in the US. Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL

Mises Editor-in-Chief Ryan McMaken explains how the new Fed chairman faces a political problem with rising prices and the fact the Fed keeps fueling the inflation fire. Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL

Ryan McMaken points out that the American "great experiment" failed many decades ago. In fact, the current republic we call "the United States" is clearly a completely different republic than the one founded back in the late eighteenth century. The founding fathers wouldn't recognize it at all. Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL

Even the federal government's official data shows that price growth is well above the Federal Reserve's two-percent target. In fact, price inflation is now at multi-year highs, and there is good reason to think this will continue. Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL

Ryan McMaken looks at the latest jobs numbers form the federal government and why so many workers and families appear to think the economy is in trouble. Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL

When it comes to foreign policy, what matters are powerful interest groups. The ordinary voters who pay all the bills don't matter. The interest groups pushing for pro-Israel wars in the Middle East are especially powerful. Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL

If NATO members aren't even safe from other NATO members then what value is the alliance? There is one good thing that could come out of a Greenland war: it would probably destroy NATO. Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL

The US seeks another puppet regime in South America, and all this talk about democracy, human rights, and noble causes is just cover for the exercise of raw power. But that doesn't stop Trump supporters from pretending it's all about freedom. Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL

The US regime is gearing up for another war. Get ready for another regime-change disaster like we got in Afghanistan, Libya, and Syria.  Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL

As the economy worsens, expect to see more articles from legacy media about how saving money is actually bad for the economy. It's an old Keynesian myth. Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL

“Hate speech” does not exist. At all. That’s a concept the Left invented to justify state-enforced censorship of speech the Left doesn't like. Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL

Senator Tim Kaine’s definition of “rights” as things created by government and human law is extremely dangerous because a government that creates rights can also abolish them.  Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL

A new July report shows Trump and the GOP Congress have joined forces to drive up federal spending to the highest levels since covid. The federal debt also just passed $37 trillion. Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL

There are many reasons for disliking the Federal Reserve.  However, many critics of the Fed attack the Fed for the wrong reasons. Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL

This week, interest rates spiked as Trump's spending problem convinced investors they want higher yields for trillions of new federal debt. Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL

If a politician claims that he cares about the national debt, but then won't make big cuts to current federal spending, he's either a liar or a fool.  Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL

Trump has tried to claim that he favors "Main Street over Wall Street." Unfortunately, by pushing aggressive low-interest-rate monetary policy, Trump has put himself squarely in the camp of “Wall Street over Main Street.” Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL

Two reasons why Trump won't/can't get rid of the IRS: 1. It's political suicide to get rid of payroll taxes. 2. Tariff revenue isn't nearly enough to fund the federal government at the levels the welfare/spending-addicted voters demand. Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL

Does the US government need a gold reserve? No, it doesn't. The government's gold is basically an emergency slush fund for elites to use to preserve their political power. Citation: "What share for gold? On the interaction of gold and foreign exchange reserve returns" by Omar Zulaica, BIS Working Papers, No. 906: bis.org/publ/work906.pdf Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL

Should we audit the US gold hoard? First, let's take a look at what the official numbers say about how big the US gold reserve is, where it is located, and how much it is worth in US dollars. Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL

Activists in Illinois and Indiana are talking about changing the state borders so separatist Illinois counties can join Indiana. As you'd expect, many politicians hate the idea. Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL

The gold in the US gold reserve is a legacy of the time the US government refused to keep its promise to redeem dollars in gold, and when it reneged on its legal obligations to repay debts in gold.  Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL

California secession would not change the US into a laissez-faire paradise, but the positive change would be immense. See also Breaking Away: The Case for Secession, Radical Decentralization, and Smaller Polities by Ryan McMaken: Mises.org/BreakingAway Be sure to follow the Loot and Lobby podcast at Mises.org/LL

No matter how the court rules on birthright citizenship (or anything else), it certainly won’t be the “last word” on the matter, and nothing is decided beyond the short term.  Additional Reading “Birthright Citizenship Isn’t Real” by Ryan McMaken: https://mises.org/power-market/birthright-citizenship-isnt-real “Don’t Confuse Immigration with Naturalization” by Ryan McMaken: https://mises.org/...

Europe has no countries that offer “birthright citizenship” anymore. The US and Canada are rare exceptions. Most countries that still have it are countries with net out-migration like Mexico. Additional Reading “Birthright Citizenship Isn’t Real” by Ryan McMaken: https://mises.org/power-market/birthright-citizenship-isnt-real “Why Birthright Citizenship Is Rare In Europe” by Ryan McMaken: https://...