Small businesses are essential in providing employment for workers who might otherwise be locked out of the mainstream economy. Small firms also drive large firms to compete for workers, thus driving up wages.
The US government clearly wants to invade Venezuela. But oil is likely not a significant reason, in part because Venezuela's oil is hardly the gold mine some think it is.
Disagreements between libertarians and realists are a problem. But in the current interventionist-dominated environment, the disagreements don't strike me as an especially big problem — at least for now.
Japan's Shinzo Abe has turned to Europe in hopes of stabilizing Japan's fiscal and and monetary situation. But Europe is a shaky foundation on which to build anything.
One of the world's most militaristic Islamic dictatorships — Saudi Arabia — lobbies heavily in Washington to increase US military spending — and the Saudis are rewarded handsomely for their efforts.
