Public Choice and Public Policy Project
AIER is pleased to announce as part of its ongoing research efforts the formation of the Public Choice and Public Policy Project. Modeled on the success of the Sound Money Project, this project creates a network of scholars that will offer regular commentary and in-depth analysis on public policy using the tools of Public Choice Economics.
Public Choice was described as “politics without romance” by Nobel Laureate James Buchanan. Buchanan along with an exceptional group of scholars that included fellow Nobel Laureate Elinor Ostrom, as well as Kenneth Arrow, Duncan Black, Gordon Tullock, Anthony Downs, William Niskanen, Mancur Olson and many others worked to create an approach to understanding public policy based in the realities of what government can and cannot achieve.
As the heirs to the broad legacy of the founders of Public Choice, the innovative scholars who make up this project seek to understand the reality of government decision-making and the consequences those decisions have on all of our lives. This group of scholars seeks to suggest alternatives to the romantic political notions that often dominate policy discussions.
Ryan Yonk
Director of The Public Choice and Public Policy Project & Senior Research Faculty, American Institute for Economic Research
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“To enforce coordination within the federal executive and between federal agencies and state governments — correcting a fatal flaw in Nixon’s original plan — the President should appoint a representative to each state capital.” ~Charles Keckler
“Despite governments at the local, state, and federal levels all obstructing, in various ways, the process of entrepreneurial wealth creation, the robustness of the American economy continues to impress.”
“Antitrust cases cost a great deal of time and money, and yet Lina Khan asserts that FTC will be looking more closely at M&As both past and present — and this assertion should be of concern to any entrepreneur and any corporate investor.” ~Kimberlee Josephson
“Basic economics, both in theory and practice, warn us that these latest efforts to subsidize insulin production are much more likely to cause further harm to an already dire situation.” ~ Byron Carson and Raymond J. March
“There will be more pandemics, and how (and how well) we can address them strongly depends on learning from contemporary and historical successes and failures. This volume aspires to take a step in this direction.” ~ Ryan M. Yonk & Raymond J. March
“Today, we have modern governments, which have significantly more power to tinker with economic incentives, monitoring and enforcing policies that ostensibly benefit the commonweal.” ~ Michael D. Thomas and Anthony Gill
“Dr. Fauci’s career has been one of maximizing budgets and influence for his agencies and himself, all the while handling multiple public health crises with less than stellar outcomes.” ~ Ryan M. Yonk & David Waugh
“Can Congress quit the Fed’s easy money policy that has allowed them to push debt levels well above 100% of GDP, or will the addiction demand more QE to support Washington’s spending habit?” ~ Peter T. Calcagno & Edward J. Lopez
“A truly free and socially-egalitarian society will reject sumptuary taxes, no matter what form they take. Awake to the woke, and reject how it’s spoke.” ~ Anthony Gill
“In this episode of Liberty Curious, AIER Senior Research Faculty Ryan Yonk joins Kate Wand to discuss Public Choice theory, which James Buchanan famously described as ‘politics without romance.’” ~ AIER
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