Acton Institute Powerblog

Promoting free societies characterized by liberty & religious principles

Three core principles to evaluate the coronavirus stimulus

As epidemiologists scramble to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on public health, economists are evaluating its impact on the global economy. Experts in both fields absorb the flurry of data, interpret it through their scientific training and the lens of similar historical events, and endeavor to recommend a path forward. Continue Reading...

Bailouts, moral hazards, and the scapegoating of the taxpayer

If pandering is the politicians’ pastime, then we owe a special debt of gratitude to those who resist this seemingly irresistible force. Today, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed that he refused to extend a £150 million government bailout to prevent Thomas Cook, the world’s oldest travel agency, from going bankrupt. Continue Reading...

Understanding America’s anti-market soccer system

The United States is globally known as the “father” of free enterprise. Even though the United States does not follow the same classical liberal principles implemented in its foundation, it still serves as a role model of a successful capitalist nation for many countries around the world . Continue Reading...

Should credit-card interest be capped at 15%?

Democratic presidential primary contender Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have unveiled a plan to cap credit-card interest rates at 15%: Under the “Loan Shark Prevention Act,” the annual percentage rate applicable to any extension of credit would not be allowed surpass 15% on “unpaid balances, inclusive of all finance charges” or “the maximum rate permitted by the laws of the State in which the consumer resides.” Continue Reading...