Counter Markets

Financial Newsletter for Free Marketeers and Libertarian Entrepreneurs

Lockdown

Why Lockdowns Offer the Perfect Opportunity to Teach Kids about Liberty and Government

by

By Kerry McDonald It’s always worthwhile to share the ideas of liberty with young people, but right now, during widespread government lockdowns, it is more important than ever. In some places in the US, individuals are prohibited from inviting friends or family members over to their private homes or, if they are granted that privilege, attendance is capped. In still other … [Read more...] about Why Lockdowns Offer the Perfect Opportunity to Teach Kids about Liberty and Government

Why Most Fell for the Lockdowns, While a Few Stood for Liberty

by

By Dan Sanchez 2020 will be remembered for many things: COVID-19, nationwide riots, a divisive election. But the rise of pandemic lockdowns will go down as the most momentous. Never before have the day-to-day lives of so much of humanity been so radically upended. And, outside of wartime, never before has there been such a widespread and extreme rollback of human … [Read more...] about Why Most Fell for the Lockdowns, While a Few Stood for Liberty

Barstool Sports is Helping Struggling Small Businesses Far More Efficiently than the Government

by

By Hannah Cox There is overwhelming evidence that government lockdowns are ineffective at containing the coronavirus. Yet city and state governments continue to employ the economically crushing tactic amid rising COVID-19 case counts even though it means forcing millions more out of work. Heavy-handed politicians have pummeled small businesses the hardest of all this … [Read more...] about Barstool Sports is Helping Struggling Small Businesses Far More Efficiently than the Government

School Choice Reduces Teen Suicide, New Study Finds

by

By Brad Polumbo Elijah Robinson attempted suicide as a teenager. Why? Well, as a queer and mixed-race student, he faced vicious bullying in his public school. Thanks to a Florida program, he was able to switch schools and attend a private Christian school where he did not face bullying or discrimination. Students at private schools are statistically less likely to have … [Read more...] about School Choice Reduces Teen Suicide, New Study Finds

Book Review: Jeffrey Tucker’s Thoroughly Excellent ‘Liberty or Lockdown’

by

By John Tamny What better way to begin a review of what is an excellent book than to say that the book’s author always knew. It’s as simple as that. Jeffrey Tucker knew in March of 2020 that tragic times were ahead. I remember it vividly. In February of 2020 witless headline writers were trying in vain to tie a falling stock market to a coronavirus that investors had been … [Read more...] about Book Review: Jeffrey Tucker’s Thoroughly Excellent ‘Liberty or Lockdown’

Parents Win Battle to Reopen California Playgrounds

by

By Kerry McDonald On December 3rd, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a new stay-at-home order mandating, among other restrictions, that outdoor playgrounds be closed. This prompted an immediate backlash from parents, medical professionals, and some state legislators who insisted that outdoor play for children is not only safe but essential for children’s health and … [Read more...] about Parents Win Battle to Reopen California Playgrounds

Absurd Thanksgiving Guidelines Reveal an Astonishing Level of Government Overreach

by

By Kerry McDonald The global swelling of government power and the associated decline in individual liberty as a response to the coronavirus pandemic is unprecedented in modern times. New lockdown orders and continued restrictions on mobility and commerce inflict severe human and economic costs, with depression rates soaring and more than 150 million people thrust into … [Read more...] about Absurd Thanksgiving Guidelines Reveal an Astonishing Level of Government Overreach

Lockdowns Recreated a Pre-Modern Caste System

by

By Jeffrey A. Tucker If you test positive or refuse to be tested at all in New Zealand, prepare to be shipped out to a quarantine camp recently established by the government. Shocking, yes, but we have an analogous system in the US. If you test positive (which is not the same as actually being sick), you will be removed from school or forbidden from coming into the office. … [Read more...] about Lockdowns Recreated a Pre-Modern Caste System

Trick-or-Treating Bans Are the Scariest Part of Halloween in 2020

by

By Kerry McDonald Halloween is creepy this year and it has nothing to do with the costumes and face paint. Several cities and counties have placed an outright ban on children’s trick-or-treating due to COVID-19 fears, while others are strongly urging families to forgo the practice. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises individuals and families to … [Read more...] about Trick-or-Treating Bans Are the Scariest Part of Halloween in 2020

New Study Pegs COVID-19 Crisis Costs at $16 Trillion—So Far

by

By Jon Miltimore Estimated costs of the coronavirus pandemic are in. The results are not pretty. A new study co-authored by Harvard economist David M. Cutler and former World Bank chief economist Lawrence H. Summers places the costs of the COVID-19 pandemic north of $16 trillion. “The estimated cumulative financial costs of the COVID-19 pandemic related to the lost … [Read more...] about New Study Pegs COVID-19 Crisis Costs at $16 Trillion—So Far

An Attempted Media Sandbag: My Experience

by

By Jeffrey A. Tucker I’ve got a day job but try to fit in podcasts and television when possible. I don’t always pay super close attention to what’s coming up on the agenda. So the day I sat down for a quick interview on a Turkish TV show, which turned out to be partisan state-run TV, I figured I would be on for a few minutes. And, call me irresponsible, but I didn’t even … [Read more...] about An Attempted Media Sandbag: My Experience