Minor Issues

On this week's episode, Mark recaps Professor Guido Hülsmann's recent lecture on the cultural impact of the paper dollar. Hülsmann explains how an ever-inflationary monetary system and depreciating currency are leading to moral decay and divisiveness in America.

Be sure to follow Minor Issues at Mises.org/MinorIssues.

"The Cultural Impact of the Dollar" by Guido Hülsmann: Mises.org/Minor_42A

"Abundance, Generosity, and the State: An Inquiry into Economic Principles" by Guido Hülsmann: Mises.org/Minor_42B

On this week's episode, Mark takes a look back to where our dollar came from. Our nation started with silver as money: the Silver Dollar, and before that the Spanish Peso in colonial times. That type of large silver coin goes back to the early 1500s and the Early Modern Era when such coins expanded trade, improved the food supply, led to commercially produced clothing, and gradually changed housing from mud-and-grass construction to brick-and-lumber construction. Our modern paper dollar is worth less than 5% compared to silver.

Be sure to follow Minor Issues at Mises.org/MinorIssues.

Mark contemplates the political divide in America, the lack of a middle ground, the political divisions in DC, and the turmoil over the Speaker of the House. Looking around the world, similar problems exist in many places; but, there is a tried and true solution, which Mark explains.

Be sure to follow Minor Issues at Mises.org/MinorIssues.

In this week's episode, Mark looks at the "Home Town" entrepreneurs in Laurel, Mississippi, who have done so much to turn around the fortunes of their poor and struggling hometown. Mark points out that this is going on all around us, but is seldom recognized—except in the isolation of forgotten small towns. Entrepreneurs make the good of the world we live in, and can help fix the problems that we face.

Be sure to follow Minor Issues at Mises.org/MinorIssues.

This episode examines the impending Government Shutdown, which will suspend new releases of the government's "vital" economic statistics. How will the "Data Dependent" Fed manage its policy behind the cloak of missing data? Mark suggests it's best to consider that the Fed is playing its typical confidence game.

Be sure to follow Minor Issues at Mises.org/MinorIssues.

In this week's episode, Mark interprets the Fed's new economic projections for the economy, in which the Fed "doubles-down" on current economic growth and the economy's prospects moving forward. Essentially, the Fed is saying that they are taking us from the "touch-and-go" economy of the last three years to a touch-and-go landing, where the economy will take off and perform much better than anyone anticipates. Don't bet on it.

Be sure to follow Minor Issues at Mises.org/MinorIssues.

Americans are mad about the economy, and particularly about the Fed's inflation of prices and declining inflation-adjusted wages and incomes. Keynesian economist Paul Krugman, on the other hand, thinks that you are ignorant and that everything in the economy is great. Mark looks at Beef prices and consumption to provide some insight into why Americans are rightfully mad at the Federal Reserve, Democrats, and Republicans. Mark concludes that Americans have a legitimate beef! 

Be sure to follow Minor Issues at Mises.org/MinorIssues.

In this week's episode, Mark looks at PPI—the Producer Price Index—which provides evidence of the costs for suppliers in various industries, macroeconomic instability, and the potential for economic recovery. Here, very low prices provide the potential for recovery; and rising prices can indicate both recovery in the economy, as well as inflationary pressures moving forward. The Covid Bubble and restrictions caused a 50% increase in producer prices, and since the peak in 2022, PPI has only corrected about 10%. 

Be sure to follow Minor Issues at Mises.org/MinorIssues.

"Producer Price Index by Commodity: All Commodities" (PPIACO): Mises.org/Minor_PPI

In this episode, Mark examines Fed Chairman Jay Powell's recent confession that the Fed is "navigating by the stars on a cloudy night." This reveals the fundamental methodological weakness of the Fed's economic policy and mainstream economics in general ("data dependency"). In contrast, it also reveals the strengths of Austrian economics, economic theory, and the self regulation of the free market. Mark suggests that we all be prepared for big negative surprises in the economy and additional Federal Reserve and government power grabs.

Be sure to follow Minor Issues at Mises.org/MinorIssues.

"What the Central Bank Cartel has Planned for You" by Thorsten Polleit: Mises.org/Minor34A

"Transparency or Deception: What the Fed Was Saying in 2007" by Mark Thornton: Mises.org/Minor34B

In this episode, Mark explains why we need a Crash (or very Hard) Landing in the US economy and the world economy. Specifically, why is a crash landing better to resolve the malinvestments caused by the Fed? Why is a crash landing better in many ways for the productive class of workers and savers? And, how would a crash landing place much of the pain and the overall burden on the rich, politically-connected classes?

Be sure to follow Minor Issues at Mises.org/MinorIssues.

"The Fed's Real Mandate": Mises.org/Minor33A

"Black Hole or Shock Absorber: How Does a Free-Market Economy Respond to Crises?": Mises.org/Minor33B

"The REAL Solution to the Coming Economic Crisis": Mises.org/Minor33C

"Eliminating Economic Crises": Mises.org/Minor33D

"Austerity: A Real Solution to Help Heal the US Economy": Mises.org/Minor33E

"US Labor Market: Help Wanted!": Mises.org/Minor33F

"After the Boom Must Come the Bust" (Radio Rothbard): Mises.org/Minor33G

"Here's What Mounting Corporate Layoffs Tell Us about the Economy" (Radio Rothbard): Mises.org/Minor33H