Blog
Price signals and virtue signals
It’s a divisive election year, but all of us still have some things in common. Since the pandemic began, inflation has devalued the dollar…
Blog
This week in ridiculous regulations: Horse race integrity and threatening air cargo
Now that it’s August, agencies began publishing their Spring 2024 Unified Agenda entries for their planned regulations. Economists had a frustrating week, with…
Citation
Harris campaign grocery price control proposal could cause shortages
Washington Examiner cited CEI behind Harris grocery price control proposal Ryan Young, senior economist at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, also said politics were…
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Clyde Wayne Crews Jr. and Ryan Young: America’s regulatory burden cost your family almost $16,000 a year
Most American families spend more on regulatory compliance than they do on food, education, or any other expense besides housing. From zoning and permit…
NewsTalksSTL
Ryan Young on latest CPI, inflation & current economic conditions.
Ryan Young, senior economist at the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), talks about the latest CPI (Consumer Price Index) report, inflation, and current economic conditions…
Blog
Ten Thousand Commandments in the news
The 2024 edition of Wayne Crews’s Ten Thousand Commandments is out now. For those not familiar, the report puts together a big-picture view…
The Virginian-Pilot
Column: Reducing regulations assists American families and the economy
Most American families spend more on regulatory compliance than they do on food, education or any other expense besides housing, according to a new…
The Center Square
Rising unemployment and a volatile stock market raising concerns about the economy
While some say the Fed waited too long to cut interest rates, Ryan Young, an economist with the Competitive Enterprise Institute, doesn’t agree.
News Release
Good and bad news for July CPI numbers: CEI analysis
The Consumer Price Index for July rose 0.2 percent in July after a 0.1 percent decrease in June, largely driven by housing costs.
Blog
This week in ridiculous regulations: Bank hiring and salmonella frameworks
Baseless recession freakouts dominated the news cycle. The just-released 2024 edition of Ten Thousand Commandments got its share of attention as well.
Blog
Americans are open to trade
Politicians win elections by telling voters what they want to hear. Right now, both parties think voters are angry about foreign trade. But when…
The Dispatch
U.S. Markets Recover After Dismal Start to the Week
The Dispatch cited CEI’s expert on employment rates “Whatever the reason(s) for Monday’s mini-panic, Ryan Young, a senior economist at the libertarian Competitive…
American Radio Journal
Audio: Ryan Young Joins American Radio Journal
Senior Economist Ryan Young joined American Radio Journal to discuss recession fears: Click here to read more.
Washington Examiner
Liberal dream: Walz signed free college tuition, free meals for kids, and 100% renewable energy
Washington Examiner quoted CEI’s expert on financial regulation Ryan Young, senior economist at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, told the Washington Examiner that Walz has a…
American Radio Journal
Ryan Young: Making Sense of the Economic Turmoil
Click here to read more…
News Release
Judge gets Google antitrust ruling wrong
A federal judge ruled today that Google violated antitrust law, declaring “Google is a monopolist” in online search. Competitive Enterprise Institute antitrust, legal, and…
Reason
Recession Is Not Inevitable, Despite Stock Market Slump
t’s OK to calm down about the economy. Yes, Friday’s unemployment news was bad. Yes, the NASDAQ and Dow Jones neared correction territory on Friday…
Blog
This week in ridiculous regulations: Closed captioning and toothless blindcats
The new 2024 edition of Ten Thousand Commandments is out now. The Paris Olympics began. Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro stole another election. Agencies…
News Release
Unemployment news may signal difficult inflation fight: CEI analysis
The jobs report for July shows an addition of 114,000 jobs to the economy, pushing unemployment to 4.3 percent. A cooled off labor…
News Release
Fed maintains interest rates while eyeing unemployment: CEI analysis
The Fed has decided to maintain interest rates while also turning its focus to unemployment, a move that CEI senior economist Ryan…
Blog
Jerome Powell risks the Fed’s gains against inflation
The big story from today’s Federal Reserve decision isn’t that interest rates are staying the same. It’s that the dual mandate is back.
Blog
2024 edition of Ten Thousand Commandments is out now
The federal government has a spending budget that the public can see. Every year Congress allocates a certain amount of money to each agency,…
Blog
This week in ridiculous regulations: Water heaters and children’s passports
President Biden dropped out of the race, leaving Vice President Kamala Harris as the likely Democratic nominee. The Federal Register topped 60,000 pages and…
News Release
Positive signs in 2024’s second quarter GDP report: CEI analysis
The nation’s GDP grew 2.8 percent during the second quarter of 2024. Strong growth indicates rapidly improving living standards and an easier fight…
Microsoft Start
Letting Businesses Decide How to Deal With Theft
MSN cites senior economist Ryan Young on self-checkout lanes: Ryan Young, a senior economist at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, said, “Self-checkout lanes can…
Review-Journal
Yes, you do have the right to a jury trial
The Constitution says you have the right to a jury trial. At least in its in-house court, the Securities and Exchange Commission argued against…
Blog
Book review: The War on Prices by Ryan Bourne
I have reached a stage in my career where younger colleagues sometimes ask me for advice. There are a few evergreen pieces of advice…
News Release
Biden Rent Control Idea is Bad Housing Policy
President Biden today issued a call to impose federal limits on rent increases nationwide. That idea would have many drawbacks, not just for…
Blog
Rent control doesn’t work. Increase housing supply instead.
President Biden will soon announce a proposed 5 percent cap on rent increases. Rent control is one of the most ridiculed economic policies…
Blog
This week in ridiculous regulations: Watermelon taxes and crash test dummies
CEI’s home distillery court case had a good week. President Biden had a bad week. Agencies issued new regulations ranging from rotorcraft to…
News Release
Inflation remains stubborn despite June’s good report: CEI analysis
Monthly inflation dropped -0.1 percent in June after being unchanged in May, according to the latest Consumer Price Index report. While this is…
Inside Sources
Yes, You Do Have the Right to a Jury Trial
The Constitution says you have the right to a jury trial. At least in its in-house court, the Securities and Exchange Commission argued against…
Blog
You have the right to a jury trial
The Supreme Court’s recent Jarkesy decision affirms that people have the right to a jury trial, even in regulatory agencies’ special in-house courts. My…
Comment
Request for Comment on Proposed Modifications and Exclusion Process in Section 301 Investigation
On behalf of the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), we respectfully submit the following comments in response to the United States Trade Representative (USTR) Modifications…
News Release
June jobs report indicate hiring slowdown: CEI analysis
On Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released June’s jobs numbers which reported an addition of 206,000 jobs to the economy compared to…
Blog
A rule for the Fed
The Washington Examiner is running a series of pieces on policies the next administration should pursue. My contribution details a way to contain…
Blog
This week in ridiculous regulations: Coke ovens and stolen firearms
It was a short week in honor of Independence Day. Speculation swirled about President Biden’s political future. Agencies issued new regulations ranging from brominate…
Blog
This week in ridiculous regulations: Rear impacts and hot air balloons
The Supreme Court issued its Jarkesy decision and restored the right to a jury trial in regulatory agencies’ in-house courts. President Biden and…
News Release
Supreme Court curtails SEC administrative law court powers
The U.S. Supreme Court today ruled that a hedge fund manager accused of securities fraud is entitled to a jury trial because the Securities…
Blog
This week in ridiculous regulations: known mailers and medical gases
The Supreme Court issued an unfavorable but narrow decision in the Moore v. United States case about taxing income that was never received.
Blog
This week in ridiculous regulations: amplifiers and subsidized chickens
CEI’s Joel Zinberg released a new study on guidance document reform. The unemployment rate extended to 30 months its streak of being…
Blog
Fed hold interest rates steady, balance sheet concerns remain
The Federal Reserve decided to hold interest rates steady at its June 11-12 meeting. This is good news, but the bigger story isn’t…
News Release
May inflation decreases slightly, signals a slowing economy: CEI analysis
The inflation report released for May shows overall inflation decreased from 3.4 percent to 3.3 percent. While inflation levels are unlikely to hit…
Blog
David Boaz, 1953-2024
It usually begins with Ayn Rand. In my case, it began with David Boaz. David, the Cato Institute’s longtime executive vice president, passed…
Blog
This week in ridiculous regulations: Texas pimplebacks and pension funds
The 60-legislative-day Congressional Review Act deadline has likely passed, unless Congress keeps an unusually busy election year schedule. As a result, rulemaking has slowed…
News Release
May jobs rebound, skilled workers still needed: CEI analysis
The job situation for May 2024 indicates employment numbers are rebounding with 272,000 jobs added, though employers are still struggling to find the…
Blog
This week in ridiculous regulations: food hazards and powerline permits
Donald Trump was convicted of 34 felonies in his hush money case. Apparently nothing else of note happened all week, since that was the…
Blog
This week in ridiculous regulations: electric programs and EV powertrains
The midnight rush to beat the 60-legislative-day deadline for possible Congressional Review Act repeals appears to be slowing down, but Federal Register activity is…
Blog
New CEI book: Adam Smith’s guide to life, loveliness, and the modern economy
Adam Smith is 300 years old, and CEI is 40 years old. To celebrate this dual milestone, I edited an essay collection about…
News Release
Report considers economist Adam Smith’s guide to life, loveliness, and the modern economy
Upon the 300 year anniversary birth year of legendary economist Adam Smith, the Competitive Enterprise Institute today published a collection of essays exploring…
Study
Adam Smith’s guide to life, loveliness, and the modern economy
Introduction: Going strong at 300 Ryan Young This essay collection celebrates Adam Smith’s 300th birthday. He is best known for being the first…
Daily Caller
‘Money Has To Come From Somewhere’: New York Winning Big From Biden’s Domestic Agenda Despite Poor Business Climate
CEI’s Ryan Young is cited in Daily Caller on government subsidies: “Subsidies make taxpayers worse off because that subsidy money has to…
Blog
This week in ridiculous regulations: Drain tiles and garbage fires
Inflation remains stubbornly high. President Biden announced a round of tariffs on EVs, solar panels, and medical supplies from China. The Biden administration…
Blog
Three strikes against Biden EV tariffs
Over at the syndicate InsideSources, I have an op-ed explaining three problems with President Biden’s new tariffs on $18 billion worth of EVs,…
Daily Caller
Biden’s Climate Agenda Is Running Headfirst Into A Wall Of His Own Making
CEI’s Ryan Young was cited in Daily Caller on Biden’s climate agenda: “Tariffs on Chinese EVs won’t just make Chinese EVs more…
DC Journal
Three Problems with Biden’s China EV Tariffs
The Biden administration announced it would raise tariffs on Chinese-made steel, aluminum, semiconductors, solar panels, and EVs. This proposal has three major problems. First, tariffs…
News Release
No surprises with April’s inflation report: CEI analysis
Inflation rose 0.3 percent in April compared to 0.4 percent in March. While this wasn’t a surprise for economists, the news indicates a…
Reason
Biden’s Tariffs Are a Bad Idea
CEI’s Ryan Young is cited in Reason on Biden’s trade tariffs: “Tariffs on Chinese EVs won’t just make Chinese EVs more expensive,…
News Release
Biden’s China Tariffs will Undermine American Consumers, Not Alter China’s Policies: CEI Analysis
President Biden announced today he is raising protectionist tariffs on various Chinese imports, like electric vehicles, solar cells, semiconductors, and advanced batteries, ostensibly to…
Reason
Biden’s Tariffs Are a Bad Idea
CEI’s Ryan Young is cited in an article on Reason on Biden’s Tariffs: “Tariffs on Chinese EVs won’t just make Chinese EVs more…
Blog
This week in ridiculous regulations: Housing subsidies and non-compete clauses
The Federal Register had what may have been its first 4,000-page week. It is on pace to exceed 112,000 pages for the year, or…
Blog
This week in ridiculous regulations: government space innovation and pear marketing
Regulators had another busy week leading up to the likely Congressional Review Act deadline. Agencies issued new regulations ranging from bird harvests to partially…
Blog
Fed flirts with stimulus
As expected, the Federal Reserve signaled its commitment to fighting inflation by holding interest rates steady at this week’s Federal Open Market Committee meeting.
Blog
This week in ridiculous regulations: airline fees and greenhouse gas reporting
The Federal Register grew at nearly triple its usual pace last week. It is on pace for its first-ever 100,000-page year. GDP growth slowed…
Blog
Weak GDP is first stress test for inflation fighters
I have been saying for a while that inflation expectations will remain high until policymakers prove they can restrain their stimulus spending during an…
Blog
This week in ridiculous regulations: service lamps and summer meals
Congress debated aid bills to Ukraine and Israel. Donald Trump’s hush money trial began. Agencies issued new regulations ranging from incinerator permits to effluent…
Blog
This week in ridiculous regulations: train crews and airport concessions
Our colleague R.J. Smith passed away. R.J. coined the term “free-market environmentalism,” ran CEI’s private conservation efforts for many years, and was a…
The Center Square
FACT CHECK: Biden touts inflation has “fallen”
CEI’s Ryan Young is cited in The Center Square on a Biden fact check: Ryan Young, senior economist at the Competitive Enterprise…
Reason
Inflation Is So Back
CEI’s Ryan Young is cited on Reason about rising inflation: “If the Federal Reserve was thinking of cutting interest rates at its…
News Release
Inflation still too high to lower interest rates: CEI analysis
The Consumer Price Index report for March again read 0.4 percent, though the 12-month rate is now up to 3.5 percent. CEI senior…
Blog
This week in ridiculous regulations: energy labeling and wheel weights
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is set to visit President Biden this week. The moon may get assigned a time zone. Agencies issued new…
News Release
Economy adds 303,000 jobs in March, unemployment stays stable: CEI analysis
The Labor Department’s March jobs report show 303,000 jobs were added last month, with unemployment staying steady at 3.8 percent. Employers show that…
Daily Caller
Here’s Why It Could Take Longer To Rebuild The Baltimore Bridge Than The Whole Transcontinental Railroad
CEI’s Ryan Young is cited in Daily Caller about the length of time it is going to take to rebuild the Balitmore bridge:…
Blog
This week in ridiculous regulations: Trademark fees and threatened sloths
A cargo ship struck and collapsed the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. The psychologist and economist Daniel Kahneman died at age…
Blog
Climate change doesn’t cause inflation.
A new study in Nature from two scientists and two European Central Bank officials argues that climate change could cause inflation. A Daily…
Blog
This week in ridiculous regulations: NASA penalties and emergency alerts
The 2024 Federal Register topped 20,000 pages. The Justice Department sued Apple for having an iPhone monopoly. Russia held an election-themed event where Vladimir…
The National Desk
Federal Reserve keeps waiting for more data before cutting interest rates
CEI’s Ryan Young is cited on The National Desk about Federal Reserve interest rates: “The Fed has done just about all that…
News Release
Fed ignores congressional pressure and keeps interest rates steady: CEI analysis
On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve announced that it will keep interest rates steady in a continued effort to fight off inflation. CEI senior…
Blog
This week in ridiculous regulations: Space innovation and mariner credentials
The House passed a bill to ban TikTok that could easily be repurposed for other companies. It now moves to the Senate. Agencies issued…
Blog
The FTC, the Kroger-Albertsons merger, and the relevant market fallacy
Over at National Review’s Capital Matters site, Alex Reinauer and I look at the FTC’s word games in its case against the proposed…
National Review
SNAP Back to Reality: Why the FTC Needs a Broader View of the Kroger-Albertsons Case
The FTC’s court losses under Lina Khan’s leadership have a common theme: word games. In nearly every antitrust case it brings, the agency defines relevant…
News Release
Inflation numbers more nuanced than they seem: CEI analysis
The Consumer Price Index numbers released today for February 2024 shows inflation increased to 0.4 percent, up from 0.3 percent in January. CEI…
Blog
February inflation stays high, fiscal credibility remains a problem
Headline CPI inflation numbers sped up in February. Monthly inflation increased 0.3 percent in January, and 0.4 percent in February. Year-to-year inflation is…
Blog
This week in ridiculous regulations: Taconite and lab fees
President Biden delivered his State of the Union address. Super Tuesday primaries all but settled this year’s presidential combatants. The FTC has a full…
News Release
275,000 jobs added in February, employers watching economy and new labor rules: CEI analysis
The economy added 275,000 jobs in February, but the overall unemployment rate is higher than this time last year, sitting at 3.9 percent…
Washington Examiner
State of the Union 2024: Biden plays up ‘shrinkflation’ — what to know
CEI’s Ryan Young is cited in the Washington Examiner on current shrinkflation: “Shrinkflation is real, but it’s not a partisan issue. Shrinkflation…
Blog
This week in ridiculous regulations: Seabird mitigation and nuclear locations
CEI is hosting a hill event on March 5 about reforming administrative law courts. Politicians got upset about Wendy’s menus. GDP growth…
News Release
Economy in a healthy spot for further growth: CEI analysis
Today’s GDP numbers for the fourth quarter of 2023 showed economic growth stood at 3.2 percent, a slight downward trend compared to the…
News Release
FTC suit to stop Krogers-Albertsons Merger would harm consumers
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) today sued to stop the proposed merger between grocers Kroger and Albertsons. The FTC claims the merger would…
Blog
This week in ridiculous regulations: Space debris and dried prunes
The privately-built Odysseus spacecraft became the first American moon lander since 1972. President Biden announced new Russian sanctions in response to opposition leader Aleksey…
Blog
New student loan proposal is regressive, politicized, and won’t stop rising prices
President Biden this week unveiled a new student debt relief proposal. It would cancel student debt for up to 153,000 people who incurred…
Blog
This week in ridiculous regulations: Cooking energy and steel plants
Blog
Time to simplify trade agreements
Over at National Review’s Capital Matters site, Kent Lassman and I make the case that trade agreements should stick to trade. We also…
American Radio Journal
Ryan Young on Persistent Inflation
Washington Examiner
White House pushes ‘shrinkflation’ messaging to assign blame to corporations
CEI’s Ryan Young is cited on the Washington Examiner: “Shrinkflation is real, but it’s not a partisan issue. Shrinkflation is part of the…
Blog
Adam Smith, national ruin, and human progress
During the American Revolution, British Member of Parliament John Sinclair wrote a letter to Adam Smith. He was worried about how badly the war…
Blog
This week in ridiculous regulations: Horseracing and postal products
The Supreme Court heard a case about whether Donald Trump should be disqualified from holding public office under the Fourteenth Amendment. A lawyer’s memo…
Sound Cloud
Young Could A Trade Agreement Between Switzerland And The US Make Other Trade Agreements Easier
CEI’s Ryan Young is cited as a special guest on the Lars Larson Show discussing international trade: Listen to the recording on…
Blog
New CEI paper: Toward a US-Swiss Free Trade Agreement
Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) have gotten so large and unwieldy that they are almost impossible to pass. The result is lost economic opportunities for…
Blog
Trump proposes 60 percent China tariff
Donald Trump recently pledged to enact a 60 percent tariff against China if he becomes president again. His latest comments indicate, “Maybe it’s…