We Are Paying the Price for Realpolitik

Many American political scientists and commentators seem to be oblivious to the long history of American intervention in Syria since the late 1940s. They also seem to ignore western exploitation in the Middle East since at least 1908 when the British Petroleum Corporation sabotaged and exploited Iranian and Iraqi political and economic systems for generations.[1] […]

What Is Our “National Interest”?

I was recently asked, “Why is the U.S. Government involved in Afghanistan?” Aside from the idiotic “War on Terror” justification given by the Bush, Obama, and Trump Administrations since 2001, many people still believe that American “interests” are served by nation-building in every nook and cranny of our planet. So, let’s briefly explore the concept […]

What Would the USA’s Founders Do in the Middle East Today?

I was asked that question recently. Here was my response: For the first 123 years of the USA’s existence, the U.S. Founding Fathers and all U.S. presidents were committed to: “peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none.” (Thomas Jefferson 1801). President James Monroe in 1823: In the wars of the […]

The Creation of the Euro & the Role of the USD

This presentation was produced for a university lecture that I gave. It covers the basic mechanics of the global currency exchange rate system. I was asked to critique another economist’s article and present my conclusions within the context of a broader discussion of monetary policy in the U.S. and several other countries. You can view […]

The Atomic Bomb & the Obliteration of Moral Authority

With the benefit of hindsight, it’s often easy to second-guess historically important decisions. World War II is filled with many momentous decisions taken by the Allied Powers that might seem unnecessary over 70 years later, but sometimes it’s useful to think about decisions within their historical context to truly understand the constraints that often limit […]

Poverty & Genocide: Fueled by Psychological Distancing

Gang Behavior. Have you ever been a member of a street gang fighting rival gangs over gangland territory? How about a sports team gang preparing to demolish the other guys? A corporate gang fighting labor unions over control of corporate profits and resources? An ideologically-driven political gang fighting against rival political parties for control of the […]

Capitalism & Cyborgs: Making Humanity More Resilient

I recently had a conversation with a colleague about the clash between science and ethics. Below is a brief summary of my response to him. The Concept of Eugenics Highlights the Conflict Between Science and Ethics. The Eugenics issue is such an interesting topic because it is one of the clearest and most intense examples […]

The Birth of the Modern Welfare State

The modern age in the field of Economics was born from the destruction of Europe in World War I. That war inspired a young British economist—John Maynard Keynes—to closely examine the mechanics of international exchange between nations, which was increasingly necessary to manage the enormous international debts and flows of capital and goods during and […]

The Secret History of the War on Drugs

The “War on Drugs” Begins. In 1971, U.S. President Nixon declared the “War on Drugs”. He said, “America’s public enemy number one in the United States is drug abuse,” but Nixon’s domestic policy chief, John Ehrlichman, said in 1994 before he died: The Nixon campaign in 1968, and the Nixon White House after that, had […]

The Truth About North Korea

If you have not seen this thought-provoking, free film on YouTube, please watch it. As you watch it, try to block out all your preconceived notions about North Korea, the United States, and Western culture in general. Don’t underestimate the power of your own subconscious biases and prejudices. Clearing the garbage from our minds is […]