Acton Occasional Series

August 14, 2017

5 facts about the alt-right

A rally held in Charlottesville, Virginia this weekend ended in violence and domestic terrorism, as white nationalist groups clashed with counter-protestors. The Unite the Right rally was intended, as co-promoter Matthew Heimbach explains, to unite the alt-right around the “14 words”: “We must secure the existence of our people and the future for white children’—as our primary motivating factor.” Continue Reading...

August 08, 2017

Entry, exit, and supply curves: Increasing Costs

Note: This is post #44 in a weekly video series on basic microeconomics. As industry’s output increases, what happens to costs? Alex Tabarrok of Marginal Revolution University look at three options: an increasing cost industry, a constant cost industry, and a decreasing cost industry. Continue Reading...

August 04, 2017

Unemployment as economic-spiritual indicator — July 2017 report

Series Note: Jobs are one of the most important aspects of a morally functioning economy. They help us serve the needs of our neighbors and lead to human flourishing both for the individual and for communities. Continue Reading...

August 01, 2017

Maximizing profit and the average cost curve

Note: This is post #43 in a weekly video series on basic microeconomics. For companies, being able to predict expected profits—or expected losses—is a very useful tool. In this video by Marginal Revolution University, Alex Tabarrok introduces the third concept you need to maximize profit — average cost. Continue Reading...

July 25, 2017

Maximizing profit under competition

Note: This is post #42 in a weekly video series on basic microeconomics. In a competitive market, a company can’t control how much they charge for goods and services. So how do firms maximize profits when they don’t control prices? Continue Reading...

July 21, 2017

Explainer: What you should know about civil asset forfeiture

Earlier this week, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the Justice Department would be reinstating the Equitable Sharing Program, a controversial policy related to civil asset forfeiture. Several states have been making it more difficult to apply such forfeitures so this allows state and local law enforcement to explicitly circumvent state forfeiture restrictions. Continue Reading...

July 19, 2017

Understanding the President’s Cabinet: SBA Administrator

Note: This is the post #25, the final post in a weekly series of explanatory posts on the officials and agencies included in the President’s Cabinet. See the series introduction here. Continue Reading...

July 18, 2017

Introduction to the competitive firm

Note: This is post #41 in a weekly video series on basic microeconomics. We tend to assume profit—the bottom line—is the main motivation for a firm’s actions, says economist Alex Tabbarok. Continue Reading...

July 13, 2017

Explainer: What you should know about the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA)

Earlier today Senate Republicans released the text of the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA), their budget reconciliation proposal to repeal-and-replace the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare). Here is a summary of the changes being proposed: • Eliminates the individual mandate tax penalty (by reducing the amount owed to $0). Continue Reading...

July 12, 2017

Understanding the President’s Cabinet: EPA Administrator

Note: This is the post #24 in a weekly series of explanatory posts on the officials and agencies included in the President’s Cabinet. See the series introduction here. Cabinet position: EPA Administrator Department: U.S. Continue Reading...

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