Data Cannot Explain by Itself Without a Theory

We often hear from central bank officials that their decisions regarding the interest rate policy is determined by the state of economic conditions as depicted by economic indicators. Policymakers are of the view that, in order to ascertain the state of economic conditions, they require the most recent information on some key economic data such as the gross domestic product (GDP). Thus, an increase in the GDP growth rate is seen as economic growth. A weakening in the growth rate of GDP raises the likelihood of the officials lowering the policy interest rate.

The Swedish “System” of Control

Vice President JD Vance’s speech at the Munich Security Conference delivered a sharp critique of recent developments in Europe, particularly regarding freedom of expression, migration, and democracy. He highlighted the annulled election in Romania and the exclusion of the German party AFD from most public discourse by the political establishment.

Is DOGE a Dog When It Comes to Real Federal Spending?

The first month of the Trump administration featured among other things a highly-publicized spectacle of Elon Musk and his DOGE team being unleashed on various parts of the federal bureaucracy and sparking sharp partisan exchanges, with Democrats raging about a “constitutional crisis” triggered by Trump crudely ignoring many of the finer legal points regarding appropriated funds, bureaucratic organization, and civil service oversight (and darkly h

The UK’s Prime Minister Is Killing Economic Growth

Prime Minister Starmer promised to “secure the highest sustained growth among the G7 nations” prior to last year’s general election. However, under the new government, the UK economy continues to struggle to grow. GDP growth was positive in the first half of 2024, but stalled in the second half. The third quarter of 2024 experienced 0.0 percent growth compared to the previous quarter, although it was forecast to be at least around 0.1 percent.