For about 20 years, Ray Keating wrote a weekly column - a short time with the New York City Tribune, more than 11 years with Newsday, another seven years with Long Island Business News, plus another year-and-a-half with RealClearMarkets.com. As an economist, Keating also pens an assortment of analyses each week. With the Keating Files, he decided to expand his efforts with regular commentary touching on a broad range of issues, written by himself and an assortment of talented contributors and columnists. So, here goes...

Saturday, January 30, 2021

Rebuilding Conservatism #5: Reagan on the Importance of Immigration to America

 Remarks by President Ronald Reagan

The Keating Files – January 30, 2021

 

(Editor’s Note: Much damage has been inflicted on conservatism, conservative thought, and the conservative movement in recent years. The effort to heal and rebuild conservatism promises to be a difficult, but necessary undertaking. The Keating Files will regularly weigh in to help that process. This is our fifth “Rebuilding Conservatism” column.)

 

In recent years, the Republican Party and parts of conservatism have turned in a dark direction on immigration. Largely succumbing to or peddling zero-sum and populist irrationalities, significant numbers of those on the Right have neglected not only Economics 101 on the benefits of immigration (for example, listen to Episode #13 of the Free Enterprise in Three Minutes Podcast titled “Immigration is Plus for the Economy”), but also the wisdom on immigration served up by Ronald Reagan in his very last speech as president of the United States. The relevant text (from the Reagan Library) and video portion of the Reagan speech on January 19, 1989, follow. – Ray Keating



Now, tomorrow is a special day for me. I'm going to receive my gold watch. And since this is the last speech that I will give as President, I think it's fitting to leave one final thought, an observation about a country which I love. It was stated best in a letter I received not long ago. A man wrote me and said: “You can go to live in France, but you cannot become a Frenchman. You can go to live in Germany or Turkey or Japan, but you cannot become a German, a Turk, or a Japanese. But anyone, from any corner of the Earth, can come to live in America and become an American.” 

 

Yes, the torch of Lady Liberty symbolizes our freedom and represents our heritage, the compact with our parents, our grandparents, and our ancestors. It is that lady who gives us our great and special place in the world. For it's the great life force of each generation of new Americans that guarantees that America's triumph shall continue unsurpassed into the next century and beyond. Other countries may seek to compete with us; but in one vital area, as a beacon of freedom and opportunity that draws the people of the world, no country on Earth comes close. 

 

This, I believe, is one of the most important sources of America's greatness. We lead the world because, unique among nations, we draw our people -- our strength -- from every country and every corner of the world. And by doing so we continuously renew and enrich our nation. While other countries cling to the stale past, here in America we breathe life into dreams. We create the future, and the world follows us into tomorrow. Thanks to each wave of new arrivals to this land of opportunity, we're a nation forever young, forever bursting with energy and new ideas, and always on the cutting edge, always leading the world to the next frontier. This quality is vital to our future as a nation. If we ever closed the door to new Americans, our leadership in the world would soon be lost. 

 

A number of years ago, an American student traveling in Europe took an East German ship across the Baltic Sea. One of the ship's crewmembers from East Germany, a man in his sixties, struck up a conversation with the American student. After a while the student asked the man how he had learned such good English. And the man explained that he had once lived in America. He said that for over a year he had worked as a farmer in Oklahoma and California, that he had planted tomatoes and picked ripe melons. It was, the man said, the happiest time of his life. Well, the student, who had seen the awful conditions behind the Iron Curtain, blurted out the question, “Well, why did you ever leave?” “I had to,” he said, “the war ended.” The man had been in America as a German prisoner of war. 

 

Now, I don't tell this story to make the case for former POW's. Instead, I tell this story just to remind you of the magical, intoxicating power of America. We may sometimes forget it, but others do not. Even a man from a country at war with the United States, while held here as a prisoner, could fall in love with us. Those who become American citizens love this country even more. And that's why the Statue of Liberty lifts her lamp to welcome them to the golden door. 

 

It is bold men and women, yearning for freedom and opportunity, who leave their homelands and come to a new country to start their lives over. They believe in the American dream. And over and over, they make it come true for themselves, for their children, and for others. They give more than they receive. They labor and succeed. And often they are entrepreneurs. But their greatest contribution is more than economic, because they understand in a special way how glorious it is to be an American. They renew our pride and gratitude in the United States of America, the greatest, freest nation in the world -- the last, best hope of man on Earth.

 

- President Ronald Reagan

 

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Other articles in the Rebuilding Conservatism Series…

 

“Rebuilding Conservatism #4: Lessons in Economics, Part II – Understanding the Economics of Monopoly and Antitrust

 

“Rebuilding Conservatism #3: Lessons in Economics, Part I – Thinking about Trade

 

“Rebuilding Conservatism #2: Free Trade Rocks and Protectionism Sucks”

 

“Rebuilding Conservatism #1: What is Conservatism?”

 

__________

 

Ray Keating is a columnist, novelist, economist, podcaster and entrepreneur.  His new book Vatican Shadows: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel is the 13th thriller/mystery in the Pastor Stephen Grant series. Get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed books at www.raykeatingonline.com.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

 

You also can order his book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York  from Amazon or signed books  at RayKeatingOnline.com. His other recent nonfiction book is Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know

 

One of the best ways to enjoy Ray Keating’s Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries is to join the Pastor Stephen Grant Fellowship! For the BEST VALUE, consider the Book of the Month Club.  Check it all out at https://www.patreon.com/pastorstephengrantfellowship

 

Also, tune in to Ray Keating’s podcasts – the PRESS CLUB C Podcast  and the Free Enterprise in Three Minutes Podcast  

 

Check out Ray Keating’s Disney news and entertainment site at www.DisneyBizJournal.com.




Friday, January 29, 2021

The Queen’s Gambit: Homo Incurvatus in Se

 by David Keating

The Keating Files – January 29, 2021

(Mild Spoiler Alert)

 

Recently, I finished watching Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit. I wasn’t quite sure if I would enjoy the series given that my attempts at playing chess were exclusively limited to camping trips with the Scouts. But I was delighted to find that The Queen’s Gambit was not merely about the intricacies of the 1950s-1960s competitive chess world. The series also explores themes surrounding addiction, family, and the role that community plays in helping to process the traumas and experiences in one’s life. 

 


The show follows the life of Beth Harmon, an orphaned prodigy who discovers chess at a young age. Harmon is introduced to drugs, specifically tranquilizers of some kind, while at the orphanage. Even being adopted, her addictions spiral as her adoptive mother has problems with alcoholism, despite the fact that her mother does become a positive influence of a kind in helping Beth cultivate her love for chess.

 

Despite Beth’s success in chess tournaments, her addictions continue to spiral and grow. Beth assumes that in order to be good at chess, she needs to be abusing the various substances with which she’s addicted. This ultimately culminates in one of the final episodes when Beth shuts herself off from the rest of the world during a days-long bender. She ignores calls to the house and the rest of the outside world until she passes out from the combination of substances and hits her head on a table. 

 

Why do I think this entire interaction helps us understand our theological life? Sin has been described as shutting oneself off from the rest of the world and from the communities that give us meaning. In Latin, we would call this “homo incurvatus in se” or “man curved in on himself.” When man is turned inward he not only shuts himself off from community, but turns inward, thereby amplifying the feeling of guilt from sin by staring exclusively at his own deeds and actions. It’s an interesting spiritual insight that we can see at play in this series. When looking only at ourselves for comfort, we find none. It is only by turning outward toward something else that we can be rescued from this “turning inward” on ourselves. 

 

In the series, Beth eventually finds her way out of her downward spiral and the collapse in on herself. A friend, Harry Beltik, confronts her with the results of her actions, forcing her to ponder their consequences. A friend from the orphanage, Jolene, tells Beth that her mentor who taught her chess at the orphanage has died. Jolene guides Beth back to the outside world where the death of this person who meant so much to her forces Beth to once again return to the chess world that she loves.

 

I was floored by the way in which these themes resonate with Christian messages. Beth is forced out of her position of “incurvatus in se” and toward the outside world through not just the love of friends, but also through the death of a mentor figure. It is this person’s surprising death that helps Beth Harmon to once again regain her footing in the outside world as she reengages with the sport she once loved. 

 

Christianity would pick up on this message and carry it a bit further. Certainly the love of friends helps to bring sinners out of their distress and back into a community. But the Church would also say that the ultimate thing that forces one away from wallowing in past deeds and actions is the death of another, namely, Jesus Christ. It is Christ Jesus who encourages us to look up and away from ourselves, and to the cross for salvation and comfort. It is in the cross where we see that Jesus is the opposite of man curved in on himself. We see the love that compels Him to outstretch His arms toward creation in the open posture of the crucifixion. Sure, it may be a little different than what Beth experiences in The Queen’s Gambit, but that story reminds us of the way in which the death of a loved one can work to draw us away from isolation and shame, and toward a welcome reception and community. 

 

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The Reverend David Keating is pastor at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Curtis, Nebraska.

 

Recent by Pastor Keating…

 

“Devotional Thought: St. Paul – Perfect Figure for Today”

 

“Soul: Finding Joy in the Little Things”

 

“The Pivotal Players – Models of Faithfulness for Catholics and Non-Catholics”

 

Watchmen: The Miracle in One’s Life”

 

“How Does DC Comics Wrestle with Theodicy?”

 

“Arrival: If You Knew the Ending, Would You Embrace the Journey”

 

“Star Wars: What the Rise of Skywalker Got Right”

 

Tuesday, January 26, 2021

Monday, January 25, 2021

Devotional Thought: St. Paul – Perfect Figure for Today

 by David Keating

The Keating Files – January 25, 2021

 

“St. Paul’s life-changing experience on the road to Damascus is related three times in the Book of Acts. As an archenemy of Christians, Saul of Tarsus set out for Damascus to arrest and bring believers to Jerusalem for trial. While on the way, he saw a blinding light and heard the words: ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ Saul asked, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ The reply came, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.’ In Damascus, where Saul was brought after being blinded, a disciples named Ananias was directed by the Lord in a vision to go to Saul to restore his sight: ‘Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine to carry My name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel’ (Acts 9:15). After receiving his sight, Saul was baptized and went on to become known as Paul, the great apostle.” 

– from Treasury of Daily Prayer

 


I think St. Paul may be the perfect figure for our day and age. 

 

We are consistently drawing up tribal battle lines with which to divide ourselves. We want an excuse to dislike or hate the people with whom we disagree. Often, these kinds of sentiments can get to a fevered pitch and we assume that there will be no room for discussion with those of differing worldviews. 

 

Rather than trying to persuade people toward the truth of the Gospel, we write them off in their entirety. St. Paul is such a fantastic antidote to that familiar feeling that many have. 

 

If anyone in the Church had the right to despise someone, it would have been Saul. Saul, after all, put many Christians to death. Yet, the great truth of Christianity is that no one is beyond saving. Therefore, through Christ Jesus’ call, St. Paul became a great defender of the Church and a voice for it during its early years. 

 

Thanks be to God that Saul was not written off, but was instead called to be a member of the congregation of believers! 

 

__________

 

The Reverend David Keating is pastor at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Curtis, Nebraska.

 

Recent by Pastor Keating…

 

“Soul: Finding Joy in the Little Things”

 

“The Pivotal Players – Models of Faithfulness for Catholics and Non-Catholics”

 

Watchmen: The Miracle in One’s Life”

 

“How Does DC Comics Wrestle with Theodicy?”

 

“Arrival: If You Knew the Ending, Would You Embrace the Journey”

 

“Star Wars: What the Rise of Skywalker Got Right”

 

“Justin Bieber, Chance the Rapper and Dante? In the Tradition of Christian Art”

 

“Faith and Family in Fargo”

 

“Death and Resurrection in Game of Thrones”

Saturday, January 23, 2021

An Immigrant Who Made an Impact – “Chef Boyardee”

 by Chris Lucas

Guest Column

The Keating Files – January 23, 2021

 

In 1914, sixteen year old Ettore Boiardi of Emilia Romagna, Italy, arrived at Ellis Island without a penny in his pocket.

 

His older brother, Paolo, was already working at New York’s famous Plaza Hotel and got Ettore a job in the kitchen, peeling potatoes and washing dishes. Ettore - who anglicized his first name to “Hector” - had been working in kitchens back home since the age of nine, learning the secrets of fine Italian cuisine.



At that time in America, Italians were sometimes viewed as less than human, and certainly not worthy of living or working with “real” Americans. One of the worst mass lynchings in American history had occurred just a few years earlier in New Orleans when Italians were beaten, hung, and shot by a vigilante group. It’s also around the time when the negative and false stereotype of all Italians as organized criminals began to take hold.

 

Nevertheless, Hector persisted. His talent in the kitchen helped him to rise from apprentice to head chef at the Plaza by 1918. 

 

French restaurants were considered high cuisine in America in 1918, but Hector started winning fans over to “new” Italian dishes like chicken parmigiana, ravioli, and spaghetti and meatballs made with his own special recipe for sauce.

 

President Woodrow Wilson hired Hector to cater a dinner for thousands of soldiers returning from World War I, and his fame as one of America’s great chefs was cemented after that. 

 

In 1924, Hector and his wife, Helen, opened a restaurant in Cleveland called “Garden of Italy.” Lines formed every night. 

 

It was so popular that people requested jars of Hector’s sauce to take home. By 1927, he started selling them in local markets under an Anglicized version of his last name. 

 

Boiardi became “Boy-Ar-Dee.”

 

In 1938, sales were so strong that Hector moved the company to Milton, Pennsylvania, where they grew 20,000 tons of tomatoes and mushrooms each season for his sauce. He also canned meals like ravioli and spaghetti, starting a rise in popularity of Italian food amongst Americans that hasn’t waned since.

 

The U.S. Government contracted Chef Boyardee to produce tins of Italian food for soldiers serving in World War II (some, ironically, in Hector’s own home country). They were producing 250,000 cans per day and taking in $500 million per year.

 

After the war, Hector sold the company but stayed on as spokesperson and the face on the can. He also did commercials until 1979, making Chef Boyardee one of America’s most famous and top selling brands. 

 

Ettore Boiardi died in Parma, Ohio, in 1985. Though he was a millionaire many times over, he never lost his sense of humility, and spent his life donating to and supporting organizations dedicated to immigrant rights in the U.S.A.

 

There are now two life size statues that pay tribute to Boiardi. One of them is in Milton, PA, and the other in Omaha, Nebraska, home to ConAgra, the company that now owns the brand. 

 

May he Rest In Peace.

 

_________

 

Chris Lucas is the author of Top Disney: 100 Top Ten Lists of the Best of Disney, from the Man to the Mouse and Beyond.

 

On the PRESS CLUB C Podcast, enjoy Ray’s discussion with Chris Lucas about his career as an actor, author and Disney expert. Tune in right here!

Tuesday, January 19, 2021

Need a Break? Stop in at “The Mid-Modcast Podcast”

 by Ray Keating

The Keating Files – January 19, 2021

 

Thank goodness we’ve all put the divisiveness of 2020 behind us, and we’re coming together as Americans… What? … Oh, right. 

 

Well, so much for that. I’d refer to 2020 and 2021 so far as “Looney Tunes,” but that would be grossly disrespectful to Bugs Bunny and Company. So, what to do? 



One fun option is to take a break and tune in to The Mid-Modcast Podcast. The hosts – Craig and Paula Donofrio, and Dave Fritz – take the listener on a journey back to all things mid-20th-century America, from post-WWII 1940s into the 1970s. It doesn’t matter what age you happen to be, the three hosts, often with a guest in tow, serve up an enjoyable, relaxed journey to this era of Americana. 

 

Craig, who is a Lutheran pastor, radio professional, former political consultant, and former professional musician, neatly summed up the goal of The Mid-Modcast Podcast: “In a world of political upheaval and pandemics, we need a break. Taking a trip back in time and discussing nostalgia is a great way to all come together. It is a respite from the cares, worries, and even fears of this world. The Mid-Modcast is a place on the internet where people of all political persuasions, all creeds, and all sorts of diversity can gather and agree that aqua and pink are fantastic in a kitchen, straight lines in furniture and architecture are simplistic beauty, and crooners, exotica, surf music, and jazz is good for your soul.” 

 

The trio also covers television and movies of the era – I was honored to be a guest on two (!) episodes covering James Bond movies (here and here) – food and drink, some history, and other aspects of the culture of the era. 

 

So, who are these Mid-Modcasters and why are they doing this podcast? 

 

Besides the intriguing background of a former political consultant and professional musician becoming a Lutheran pastor and podcaster, Craig explained, “I have often felt like I was born two or three decades late, like a man out of time. I identify with the television and culture of my youth more than the world of today. Culturally, it was a mixed bag, but where I grew up, kids of all races played together, and there was a sense of right and wrong. Perhaps it was all just an illusion due to youth's innocence, but I like to imagine it was actually that way.” 

 

He added, “Growing up in Southern California with giant swaying palm trees in the backyard of our midcentury modern style house and vacationing in Hawaii – which is a much less arduous trip from the West coast than other parts of the USA – I think that the tropics have always called to me. In high school, I was the weird kid who often wore a Hawaiian (aloha) shirt.  Tiki style has always had a special allure for me. Around 2008, Paula and I went to Hawaii, and it rekindled a love for all things Hawaii and Tiki. Being someone who always loved all things retro, it fanned into flame my inner Kahuna, and the rest is history, especially as there is a thriving and active Tiki subculture around the world. Since those days, I have been to at least fifty Tiki bars/restaurants from coast to coast and Europe. Tiki culture has a long life in the history of midcentury America.”

 

Tiki culture often comes into play during The Mid-Modcast Podcast, which makes it ideal to listen with a frozen, rum-based drink in hand.

 


Not to be outdone, Paula said, “I grew up in sunny Orange, California, where they filmed most of that fabulous midcentury-themed movie That Thing You Do with Tom Hanks.  I have a degree in piano performance and I have been a music educator for about 30 years in Southern California, St Louis and currently the city of Cleveland. I’ve had so many awesome and completely crazy experiences in my life, including performing on the Great Wall of China and in the Sydney Opera House, singing for the Olympic Opening Ceremonies and performing for Richard Nixon. I was even a back-up singer for Celine Dion once.”

 

She pointed out, “I would have to say that Charles Phoenix was a huge influence on my interest in all things midcentury modern.” Phoenix was a guest on an episode of The Mid-Modcast Podcast. Check out Phoenix’s JOYRIDE here. Paula added, “We love Hawaii and our ‘Aloha Love’ eventually branched out into the Tiki culture, which led us to attending Tiki Oasis in San Diego. The nostalgia of my childhood combined with the fun and whimsy of it all continues to fascinate me.”

 

Paula and Craig have been married for 13 years. Their dog, Louie Prima, is named for the jazz musician who was big in, you guessed it, the 1940s through the 1960s. Go figure. 

 

Is Cleveland, where the couple now lives, a Tiki culture hotspot? Well, Paula said, “Because it is an older community, Cleveland is a midcentury Mecca of sorts.” Who knew? She explained, “We have a huge plethora of vintage shops, Tiki bars and to die for estate sales. We even have a wonderful radio station here that plays nothing but standards. We are quite cozy and happy in our 1969 ranch with wood paneled den and Tiki bar basement!”

 

As for Dave, Craig explained, “Dave is a savant when it comes to midcentury architecture and music. Paula and I brainstormed on doing a podcast dedicated to all things midcentury for a year or two, and thought that with Dave’s vault of knowledge, he would be a valuable team member.”

 

Dave said, “Born in the mid 60s and raised in the 70s, I was always fascinated by midcentury furnishings – especially those giant stereo consoles that people had in their living rooms – cars, TV and film (especially the Bond films), architecture, and above all the music of the era.  Having parents who were both born in 1930, I heard quite a mix of music on our own console growing up, such as Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, Tom Jones, The Glenn Miller Orchestra, Dave Brubeck, Steve & Eydie, etc. Then, as an adult in the early 2000s, I discovered podcasts on iTunes which led to me discovering all kinds of midcentury modern stuff, like Disney and Disneyland history, cocktail and lounge music (that I was not introduced to by my parents). In fact, being an avid vinyl collector, I am most passionate about midcentury music. I love learning about the artists, the labels that they recorded for, and have made it my mission to collect as much good exotica as I can.”

 

Regarding episodes of The Mid-Modcast Podcast, they, again, range across much of the midcentury culture. Besides the two aforementioned episodes focused on James Bond, specific installments have hit on the Christmas holidays; an assortment of musicians, crooners and music styles; TV shows; movies; the space race; attending school at the time; conveniences of the era; Disneyland; Stuckey’s; and more.



Dave concluded, “I hope our podcast becomes an escape from the daily grind for our listeners as well as a way to learn some stuff about the era.” Yes, Dave, Craig and Paula do exactly that. The Mid-Modcast Podcast truly is swell! Enjoy!

 

_________

 

Ray Keating is a columnist, novelist, economist, podcaster and entrepreneur.  His new book Vatican Shadows: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel is the 13th thriller/mystery in the Pastor Stephen Grant series. Get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed books at www.raykeatingonline.com.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

 

You also can order his book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York  from Amazon or signed books  at RayKeatingOnline.com. His other recent nonfiction book is Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know

 

One of the best ways to enjoy Ray Keating’s Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries is to join the Pastor Stephen Grant Fellowship! For the BEST VALUE, consider the Book of the Month Club.  Check it all out at https://www.patreon.com/pastorstephengrantfellowship

 

Also, tune in to Ray Keating’s podcasts – the PRESS CLUB C Podcast  and the Free Enterprise in Three Minutes Podcast  

 

Check out Ray Keating’s Disney news and entertainment site at www.DisneyBizJournal.com.

Sunday, January 10, 2021

Rebuilding Conservatism #4: Lessons in Economics, Part II – Understanding the Economics of Monopoly and Antitrust

 by Ray Keating

The Keating Files – January 10, 2021

 

(Editor’s Note: Much damage has been inflicted on conservatism, conservative thought, and the conservative movement in recent years. The effort to heal and rebuild conservatism promises to be a difficult, but necessary undertaking. The Keating Files will regularly weigh in to help that process. This is our fourth “Rebuilding Conservatism” column.)

 

Politics drives grandiose claims about monopoly, and calls for government antitrust crackdowns. Little of this, to be generous, has anything to do with actual economics.



In the aftermath of insurrection and invasion on Capitol Hill, and grossly irresponsible assertions and outright lies by assorted politicians, there predictably has been a backlash – much of it justified and some not so much. One consequence that actually made me chuckle was Simon & Schuster deciding not to publish a book from U.S. Senator Josh Hawley reportedly titled “The Tyranny of Big Tech.” Knowing Hawley’s populism, cynicism and opportunism, along with this hyperbolic title, I’m pretty sure this isn’t a tome offering sound economic reasoning. 

 

But both left-wing and populist politics have long abused the idea of monopoly and calls for government to intrude in the marketplace. Indeed, it’s been going on since the end of the nineteenth century. While ignoring or denying economic reality, antitrust action ultimately is about politics overruling decisions made by consumers.

 

The following episodes of the “Free Enterprise in Three Minutes Podcast” offer assistance in clarifying matters regarding monopoly and antitrust. I hope you’ll tune in for some sound economics on these crucial matters.

 

1. Free Enterprise in Three Minutes with Ray Keating – Episode #12: No, Apple and the NFL Not Monopolies – Politicians, the media and more than a few economists rather haphazardly toss around the word “monopoly.” Ray Keating sets the record straight on what a monopoly actually is, and no, Apple, the NFL and Major League Baseball are not monopolies.

http://www.buzzsprout.com/155969/707801-episode-12-no-apple-and-the-nfl-are-not-monopolies

 

2. Free Enterprise in Three Minutes with Ray Keating – Episode #73: Antitrust is About Politics, Not Economics, Part I – Ray Keating illustrates that antitrust regulation is all about politics and has nothing to do with sound economics. https://www.buzzsprout.com/155969/4764017-episode-73-antitrust-is-about-politics-not-economics-part-i

 

3. Free Enterprise in Three Minutes with Ray Keating – Episode #74: Antitrust is About Politics, Not Economics, Part II – Ray Keating explains that antitrust regulation is not about protecting consumers, and that it ignores the dynamism of the marketplace.  

https://www.buzzsprout.com/155969/4845794-episode-74-antitrust-is-about-politics-not-economics-part-ii

 

_________

 

Other articles in the Rebuilding Conservatism Series…

 

“Rebuilding Conservatism #3: Lessons in Economics, Part I – Thinking about Trade

 

“Rebuilding Conservatism #2: Free Trade Rocks and Protectionism Sucks”

 

“Rebuilding Conservatism #1: What is Conservatism?”

 

__________

 

Ray Keating is a columnist, novelist, economist, podcaster and entrepreneur.  His new book Vatican Shadows: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel is the 13th thriller/mystery in the Pastor Stephen Grant series. Get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed books at www.raykeatingonline.com.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

 

You also can order his book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York  from Amazon or signed books  at RayKeatingOnline.com. His other recent nonfiction book is Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know

 

One of the best ways to enjoy Ray Keating’s Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries is to join the Pastor Stephen Grant Fellowship! For the BEST VALUE, consider the Book of the Month Club.  Check it all out at https://www.patreon.com/pastorstephengrantfellowship

 

Also, tune in to Ray Keating’s podcasts – the PRESS CLUB C Podcast  and the Free Enterprise in Three Minutes Podcast  

 

Check out Ray Keating’s Disney news and entertainment site at www.DisneyBizJournal.com.