Donald J. Boudreaux is a Associate Senior Research Fellow with the American Institute for Economic Research and affiliated with the F.A. Hayek Program for Advanced Study in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University; a Mercatus Center Board Member; and a professor of economics and former economics-department chair at George Mason University. He is the author of the books The Essential Hayek, Globalization, Hypocrites and Half-Wits, and his articles appear in such publications as the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, US News & World Report as well as numerous scholarly journals. He writes a blog called Cafe Hayek and a regular column on economics for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Boudreaux earned a PhD in economics from Auburn University and a law degree from the University of Virginia.
“Production of the likes of tires, furniture, steel, speedy transportation, and air conditioning and home heating is surely good for humanity. But such production requires energy and it produces harmful by-products.” ~Donald J. Boudreaux
“The mindset that recognizes the ubiquity of trade-offs tempers any proclivity its owners might have toward justifying their policy stances with enormous heapings of emotions.” ~Donald J. Boudreaux
“No matter how much higher standards of living for nearly everyone in today’s market-oriented economies are, living standards could be even higher. The costs of obtaining, maintaining, and further raising these living standards could be even lower.” ~Donald J. Boudreaux
“Pundits and politicians who describe free trade as an imposition are either hopelessly ignorant of the meaning of free trade, or they are intentionally portraying it in a false light in order to scare people.” ~Donald J. Boudreaux
“First learned in childhood, these rules remain relevant and important throughout our lives. And these rules’ relevance and importance don’t disappear, or even diminish, simply because today’s majority finds it convenient to cast one or more of them aside.” ~Donald J. Boudreaux
“The contempt with which some native-born Americans today hold the people whom they fear would immigrate to the US under a more liberal regime differs not one iota from the contempt with which these same Americans’ immigrant ancestors were held by earlier generations.” ~Donald J. Boudreaux
“Recognition that the size, or possibly even the very existence, of any measured US trade deficit depends heavily on the accounting conventions used to record international commercial transactions should be sufficient to calm the fears that arise whenever this accounting artifact shows a deficit.” ~Donald J. Boudreaux
“The prevailing assumption, it seems, is that, but for these ‘training’ sessions, campuses would be overrun with blackface-wearing homophobes who routinely trade grades for sex.” ~ Donald J. Boudreaux