Yes, Free Trade is a Moral Good

by Ray Keating

The Keating Files – January 16, 2020

Book Excerpt from Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know by Ray Keating

Throughout much of the history of mankind, life for most people was a daily struggle for survival. That changed markedly as the institutional foundations of the market economy were established and spread – with that process continuing today. Those institutions include establishing and protecting private property rights; competition; the rule of law; setting up tax and regulatory policies that incentivize entrepreneurship, investment and innovation; consumer sovereignty; and the freedom to trade. That freedom to trade, once again, pertains to transactions in the same town or village, throughout nations, and across international borders.

So, let’s review key points making clear the moral superiority of free trade over protectionism.

First, there is an unmistakable moral component to establishing and expanding an economic system – that is, the market economy – essential to lifting people out of poverty; to the wealth creation that enables, for example, improved food production, housing, health care and overall quality of life; to greater leisure time; to a cleaner environment; and to incentivizing the private investment, innovation and exchange that allow for greater specialization, productivity and income growth. Free trade is central to the entire market process, and the free market is essential to economic and income growth, including poverty relief.

Second, the freedom to trade and exchange as one sees fit is a basic economic freedom that makes clear the value of each individual, with that same freedom serving to spur economic growth forward. Decades ago, my eighth grade teacher noted that the United States was the most prosperous country on the planet, yet she had no idea why that was the case. She failed to understand that it fundamentally was about economic freedom, that is, individuals being free to spend, save and invest their earnings as they see fit; free to start up, build and invest in businesses; free to gain education and skills needed to achieve their goals; and free to improve their lives by trading with whomever they choose.

Third, free trade points to individuals being able to improve their lives thanks to greater choices and lower prices in terms of consumption; thanks to enhanced productivity; thanks to a diffusion of technological advancements; and thanks to expanded opportunities by serving customers not only in their own town, state or country, but around the world. In contrast, protectionism is about the politically powerful influencing government in order to gain special treatment, such as U.S. steelmakers looking to be protected via tariffs or quotas. Such cronyism means that voluntary trade is being replaced by political dictates. It means that political power is reducing individual opportunity. When a country moves away from free trade, the people with lobbyists and political connections make out better than – and at the cost of – the average person.

The Peterson Institute for International Economics found that benefits from expanded trade to the United States from 1950 to 2016 amounted to $2.1 trillion (measured in 2016 dollars), with per capita GDP and GDP per household growing by $7,014 and $18,131, respectively, with gains accruing disproportionately “to poorer households.”

In terms of a global perspective, the World Bank and the World Trade Organization jointly published a report titled “The Role of Trade in Ending Poverty.” A key message in that study was:

People measure the value of trade by the extent to which it delivers better livelihoods, through higher incomes, greater choice, and a more sustainable future, among other benefits. For the extreme poor living on less than $1.25 a day, the central value of trade is its potential to help transform their lives and those of their families. In this way, there is no doubt that the integration of global markets through trade openness has made a critical contribution to poverty reduction. The number of people living in extreme poverty around the world has fallen by around one billion since 1990. Without the growing participation of developing countries in international trade, and sustained efforts to lower barriers to the integration of markets, it is hard to see how this reduction could have been achieved...

Trade also affects long-term growth since it gives access to more advanced technological inputs available in the global market and because it enhances the incentives to innovate. Trade contributes directly to poverty reduction by opening up new employment opportunities, for example for agricultural producers, with the expansion of export sectors, and by bringing about structural changes in the economy that increase employment of low-skilled, poor workers in the informal sector. Trade also provides better access to external markets for the goods that the poor produce. 

Finally, trade is not war – despite the rhetoric sometimes used by politicians who oppose free trade. Nor is free trade particularly about winners vs. losers – again, a politically favorite accusation hurled at times. In contrast, voluntary exchanges in a free market rank as the exact opposite of war, in any sense of the word. Each party gains in a market trade; if not, the exchange wouldn’t occur.

For good measure, free trade works against actual war. After all, if individuals and businesses freely partake in commerce with individuals and businesses in another country, those two nations are less likely to go to war. Indeed, this was one of the reasons why there was such a push to reduce trade barriers after World War II – especially given that many saw restrictions on trade (that is, protectionism) during the 1920s and 1930s as a contributor to the outbreak of World War II.

Free trade does not mean that no one will lose a job or no business will fail. Quite the contrary, market competition means that consumers ultimately decide which products succeed and fail, and in turn, which businesses will succeed and fail. That, in turn, means that resources are allocated to their best or most efficient uses given the needs and demands of consumers. Competition remains essential to long-run economic growth. This stands in opposition to protectionism whereby politicians climb into bed with special interests to dole out dollars, and try to anoint winners and losers. 

Free trade is about economic growth, lifting people out of poverty, creating wealth, boosting incomes, enhancing freedom, and mutually beneficial commerce. Free trade is a moral good, and yes, it rocks!

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Ray Keating is a columnist, a novelist (his latest novel is The Traitor: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel, which is the 12^thbook in the series), an economist, a nonfiction author (among his recent works is Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know), a podcaster, and an entrepreneur. The views expressed here are his own.

BREAKING BOOK NEWS: Second Edition of ROOT OF ALL EVIL? A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL – with a New Author Introduction by Ray Keating – Coming Soon!

Pre-Order the Kindle Edition and Signed Copies at a Special Price!

Kindle pre-order at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083TX7M9P

Signed books at https://raykeatingonline.com/products/root-of-all-evil-second-edition

Do God, politics and money mix? In ROOT OF ALL EVIL? A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL by Ray Keating, the combination can turn out quite deadly. Keating introduced readers to Stephen Grant, a former CIA operative and current parish pastor, in the fun and highly praised WARRIOR MONK. Grant returns in ROOT OF ALL EVIL? – a breathtaking thriller involving drug traffickers, politicians, the CIA and FBI, a shadowy foreign regime, the Church, and money. Charity, envy and greed are on display, with the action running high. 

In this second edition of ROOT OF ALL EVIL? A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL, Ray Keating has written an author introduction focused on some of the challenges of penning a political thriller, including maintaining an edge-of-your-seat feel while not annoying the reader with the petty real world of politics. Keating also talks about how some key characters fit into ROOT OF ALL EVIL?, as well as how his own experiences fed into the story.

Doubts About the U.S. Still Being a Right-of-Center Country

by Ray Keating

The Keating Files – January 11, 2020

The United States has long been identified as a right-of-center country when it comes to politics. But is that still the case? A new Gallup poll proclaims that it is, but I have reasons for doubt.

In a January 9, 2020, release, Gallup declared, “The U.S. Remained Center-Right, Ideologically, in 2019.” Let’s consider the pollster’s findings.

Gallup reported that 37% of American adults described their political views as “conservative,” while 35% said “moderate” and 24% “liberal.” Well, conservatives should be pleased, so far.

But Americans also leaned more Democrat than Republican in terms of party preference or leaning – with 47% aligning themselves with the Democrats and 42% with Republicans. Gallup noted, “Americans' political leanings have been quite stable since 2016, the year Donald Trump was elected president. The Democratic figure has not changed in the past four years, and the Republican figure has been 41% or 42% each year since 2012.”

Interestingly, none of this is terribly new. Looking at Gallup’s polling back to the early 1990s, more people identify as “conservative” and “moderate” than “liberal,” but at the same time, party preference (including how independents leaned) generally has been Democrat over Republican.

Meanwhile, the breakdown of how Republicans and Democrats identify their political views has skewed in directions one might expect. For example, in 1994, Republicans broke down at 58% “conservative,” 33% “moderate,” and 8% “liberal. That compared to the 2019 breakdown among Republicans as 73% “conservative,” 21% “moderate,” and 4% “liberal.”

The trend, unsurprisingly, has been in the opposite direction among Democrats – but more drastic. In 1994, 48% identified as “moderate,” 25% “liberal,” and 25% “conservative.” That compared to a 2109 breakdown among Democrats of 49% “liberal,” 36% “moderate,” and 14% “conservative.”

This trend among Democrats lines up with a clear shift to the Left among Democratic Members of Congress and Democrats running for president. When Joe Biden is considered a “moderate” among Democrats, you know the party has taken a sharp left turn.

But what about Republicans as “conservatives”? The problem is that the term “conservative” has lost its meaning among many in the Republican Party, particularly during the era of Trump. After all, President Trump has identified himself as a “nationalist.” And his main policy positions and political rhetoric rank as “populist.” And populism is not conservatism.

While a slippery term, populism has some common threads over the decades, namely, fear of something or some groups, opposition to a vague group of “elites,” and claims of being victims. So, populists often rail against bankers and big business. Today, key populist targets are free trade, immigration, and once more, sometimes vague “elites.” Like leftist Progressives, populists seek to engage government on their behalf, for their own causes, while vehemently opposing government action for issues they oppose.

The populist outlook stands in stark contrast to what traditional conservatism has stood for and encompassed. A traditional conservative generally understands and subscribes to Judeo-Christian values, free enterprise, free markets, and a strong national defense, with key policy positions being low taxes, smaller government, a light regulatory touch, strength in foreign policy and national security, free trade, and a social policy agenda led by being pro-life and pro-traditional marriage. Conservatism embraces freedom and personal responsibility, as well as compassion and charity. Conservatism views government in Madisonian terms, that is government more or less is a necessary evil that must be limited to basic duties, such as protecting life, limb and property. Conservatism certainly doesn’t accept the populist/Progressive idea that “We’re all victims now,” and government needs to do something about it, whether that be imposing protectionist trade policies, or breaking up large technology companies that populists fear or with which they disagree.

In the end, populism has more in common with Progressivism than conservatism, and yet, most populists today identify as conservatives. 

Therefore, that 37% of Americans identifying as “conservative” turns out to be rather meaningless. How many in this group are actually populists rather than conservatives? No one knows, but it’s clear that it’s a far bigger chunk than perhaps many of us suspected just a few years ago. And that casts serious doubt on the notion that America is still a center-right country.

__________

Ray Keating is a columnist, a novelist (his latest novel is The Traitor: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel, which is the 12^thbook in the series), an economist, a nonfiction author (among his recent works is Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know), a podcaster, and an entrepreneur. The views expressed here are his own.

Sports Beats Politics Every Time

by Ray Keating

The Keating Files – January 10, 2020

Sports always beats politics. I had another experience proving just that when stopping in for a caffeine hit at a Starbucks this week.

I entered the coffee house wearing a “Defend the North” hat and a Kirk Cousins jersey. Yes, I’m a long-suffering fan of the Minnesota Vikings. And despite the fact that this Starbucks was on Long Island and I happen to be a lifelong New Yorker, Fran Tarkenton made me a Vikes fan many years ago when I was a kid. And this is playoff time, so I’m donning the Vikings gear. Also, by the way, don’t be hating on Cousins – Captain Kirk got the job done against the Saints this past Sunday.

Anyway, as I walked toward the counter, a woman waiting for her drink spotted my attire, and proceeded to engage in the SKOL clap made famous by Vikings fans at each home game. This brightened my day. We did a high five, and she mentioned that she had worn her Vikings socks earlier in the day. We spoke about how pleased we were that the Vikings had beaten the Saints, albeit in heart-skipping, nail-biting fashion.

As this lady went to leave, we exchanged a “SKOL!” and another high five, and expressed mutual hope that our team would somehow beat the 49ers this coming Saturday.

That’s what it’s like being a sports fan. Heck, I’ve even had positive engagements with Green Bay Packer fans over the years.

Now, compare that to politics, especially in recent years. Republicans and Democrats largely detest each other. Conservatives and liberals view victories by their opponents in apocalyptic terms. It all can be so exhausting, and I’ve been doing political commentary and policy work for thirty years.

My meeting with a fellow Vikings fan in Starbucks was blissfully ignorant of party registration or our respective positions on the hot button issues of the day. We were just two Vikings fans hoping that our team would win the next game.

I’ve always been a big sports fan, but I appreciate sports fandom now more than ever before given the growing incivility in our nation. And I don’t like when politics soils the game. I’d prefer that the likes of Colin Kaepernick and Donald Trump, for example, simply shut up, along with the dupes who fall in behind each and the ESPN talking heads who find it necessary to weigh in, when it comes to politicizing football, or any other sport.

Sports beats politics, and I support a policy of strict separation of sports and politics.

Oh, yeah, and SKOL! Go Vikes!

__________

Ray Keating is a columnist, a novelist (his latest novel is The Traitor: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel, which is the 12^th book in the series), an economist, a nonfiction author (among his recent works is Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know), a podcaster, and an entrepreneur. The views expressed here are his own.

The Big Issue Underlying the Methodist Divorce

by Ray Keating

The Keating Files – January 9, 2020

The United Methodist Church (UMC) ranks as the third largest Christian denomination in the United States – after the Roman Catholics and Southern Baptists. But it’s unlikely that Methodists will be able to continue the cheer “We’re number 3!” for much longer. 

To sum up: The Methodists are about to get a big divorce.

In early January, a group of UMC leaders approved a proposal to allow the denomination to split into two or more church bodies. The focus is to let more conservative or traditional congregations leave the UMC and form their own denomination (or denominations). 

The traditional congregations choosing to exit and set up a new church body would receive a parting gift of $25 million to get things rolling. Another $2 million would be available for other Methodist denominations that might be created.

As for individual congregations, unlike the petty and ugly actions taken by the U.S. Episcopal Church against traditional congregations that have tried to leave, local churches choosing to exit the UMC would retain their assets, as well as liabilities.  Still, and tragically, the reality of such votes promise to tear apart individual congregations and regional conferences. This promises to be hurtful and messy.

The proposal will be voted on by delegates to UMC’s next general conference in May 2020. Given the broad support given to the proposal from conservatives and liberals, it’s expected to pass the conference.

So, is this a good thing or not for Methodists and the larger Christian universe within the U.S.? Good or bad is open for debate, but it was inevitable.

The inevitability comes from differing views of Holy Scripture. As much as this Methodist split is focused on the question of gay marriage and active homosexuals serving as pastors, those issues spring from a more fundamental and growing difference not just within the UMC but across Christianity at large, that is, on the authority of Holy Scripture. 

Holy Scripture is quite clear in that sexual relations are meant exclusively for the relationship of marriage between a man and a woman. Any sexual activity outside those martial bonds is deemed to be sin. Now, lots of people don’t necessarily like that, and people have been sinning since Adam and Eve. 

And the fracturing of Christianity into seemingly countless denominations over the centuries is nothing to be celebrated. But in the past, it’s safe to say that the bulk of differences developed over the interpretation of Holy Scripture, while at the same time Christians generally accepted that the Bible was God’s word. However, in more recent times, a rather breathtaking arrogance has developed, which basically says, “Yeah, not only do we not like what God has to say here and there in the Bible, but we can simply ignore it. In fact, we can go against it or simply change it.”

This generates a far wider division within Christianity than what we’ve thus far experienced. How do Christians work and worship together in the same denomination when one group believes that Holy Scripture is God’s word and another group explicitly or implicitly denies this?

Hence, we see the inevitability of the Methodist split, as well as other forthcoming divisions. 

Good or bad? The Methodist split obviously is bad in that it reflects this dangerous fissure within Christianity regarding the authority of Holy Scripture. 

As a matter of the Church preaching the Good News to the world, the Methodist break likely will turn out to be a mixed bag. On the one hand, part of the world will look and shake its head at Christians and their internal squabbles. On the other hand, by being able to choose to form a denomination that respects the authority of Scripture, many Methodist pastors and churches will be free to focus more on properly tending to their flocks and bringing a clearer message to the world.

__________

Ray Keating is a columnist, a novelist (his latest novel is The Traitor: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel, which is the 12^th book in the series), an economist, a nonfiction author (among his recent works is Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know), a podcaster, and an entrepreneur. The views expressed here are his own.

Free Enterprise in Three Minutes - What Caused the Great Depression?

NEW EPISODE OF FREE ENTERPRISE IN THREE MINUTES! Episode #16: What Caused the Great Depression?

The Great Depression is mistakenly blamed on market failure. In reality, the economy sank into and persisted in a depression due to government failure. The Great Depression was all about trade protectionism, tax increases, massive increases in government spending, and unprecedented regulation.

Tune in at

http://www.buzzsprout.com/155969/751301-episode-16-what-caused-the-great-depression

Free Enterprise in Three Minutes, Episode #15: Marx Was Wrong – Owners and Labor Work Together

Karl Marx got pretty much everything wrong. Yet, remnants of his mistakes persist, including his ignoring economic reality when it comes to the relationship between business owners and workers.

Tune in at

http://www.buzzsprout.com/155969/741443-episode-15-marx-was-wrong-owners-and-labor-work-together

Free Enterprise in Three Minutes - Yes, Taxes Matter

New Episode of Free Enterprise in Three Minutes with Ray Keating - Episode #14: Yes, Taxes Matter - Ray Keating asks: Why do so many economists – including supply-side economists, like myself – favor tax relief and oppose tax increases? Are we just evil, greedy people? Of course not. Taxes matter to everyone due to the various ways taxes impact incentives, opportunity and economic growth.

Tune in at

http://www.buzzsprout.com/155969/734280-episode-14-yes-taxes-matter

Free Enterprise in Three Minutes - Episode #13: Immigration is Plus for the Economy

Ray Keating puts aside the partisan politics and sets the record straight on the actual economics of immigration. And it turns out that immigration ranks as an economic plus.

Tune in at 

http://www.buzzsprout.com/155969/731317-episode-13-immigration-is-plus-for-the-economy

Stephen Grant - Former CIA Operative and Current Pastor - Back to Face Dangers at a Local Comic-Con in HEROES AND VILLAINS

Heroes and Villains is the first short story from award-winning novelist Ray Keating, and it ranks as another exciting thriller. Stephen Grant, pastor at St. Mary’s Lutheran Church on Long Island, a former Navy SEAL and onetime CIA operative, must confront violence springing from a toxic mixture of pop culture and ideological extremism. 

Of course, many people think of Grant as a hero. At various times defending the Christian Church and the United States over the years, he has journeyed across the nation and around the world. But now Grant finds himself in an entirely unfamiliar setting – a comic book, science fiction and fantasy convention. But he still joins forces with a unique set of heroes in an attempt to foil a villainous plot against one of the all-time great comic book writers and artists.

Heroes and Villains: A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story comes on the heels of Keating’s just-released Reagan Country: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel, which takes readers on a wild ride from the Reagan Presidential Library in California to the White House to a Russian Orthodox monastery to the Kremlin, while also providing a salute to the legacy of Ronald Reagan. 

Ray Keating said, “With Heroes and Villains and Reagan Country being released so close together, I hope that readers have great fun spending this summer with Pastor Stephen Grant. I think these two adventures will fit quite nicely on everyone’s summer reading list.”

In fact, one Amazon reviewer said the following about Reagan Country: “Another fun Keating read, perfect escapism fiction, great for the beach or vacation.”

Paperbacks are available at https://www.amazon.com/dp/1718881614/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1529456075&sr=8-2&keywords=heroes+and+villains+by+keating

And the Kindle edition is at https://www.amazon.com/Heroes-Villains-Pastor-Stephen-Grant-ebook/dp/B07DGLBWZM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1529456075&sr=8-1&keywords=heroes+and+villains+by+keating&dpID=611vb%252BBoDpL&preST=_SX342_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Keating’s previous Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers/mysteries – Lionhearts, Wine Into Water, Murderer’s Row, The River, An Advent For Religious Liberty, Root of All Evil? and Warrior Monk – have received widespread praise. 

Heroes and Villains: A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story and Reagan Country: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel are available in trade paperback and for the Kindle from Amazon.com and signed books at raykeatingonline.com 

Review copies, and author interviews and appearances are available upon request. 

Contact: Ray Keating

Phone: 631-909-1122

E-mail: raykeating@keatingreports.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/PastorStephenGrantNovels

Twitter: @KeatingNovels

PastorStephenGrant.com

Free Enterprise in Three Minutes - Episode #12: No, Apple and the NFL Are 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.

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

Free Enterprise in Three Minutes Podcast - Episode #11: The Economy Is Not a Zero-Sum Game

Free Enterprise in Three Minutes Podcast - Episode #11: The Economy Is Not a Zero-Sum Game

The economy is not like poker, not like a sports game, and not about zero-sum thinking. This point matters because all sorts of bad economic ideas are rooted in mistaken zero-sum thinking, that is, the misguided idea that if one person gains in the economy, another person must lose.

Please tun in at http://www.buzzsprout.com/155969/700723-episode-11-the-economy-is-not-a-zero-sum-game

Free Enterprise in Three Minutes, Episode #10: Profits Aren't Evil

No matter what you might have heard about profits being “evil,” Ray Keating makes clear that is not really the case. Instead, Keating explains the critical roles that both profits and losses play in our economy.

List at http://www.buzzsprout.com/155969/692182-episode-10-profits-aren-t-evil

Free Enterprise in Three Minutes Podcast with Ray Keating, Episode #9: Distributing Resources – Government or the Market?

Ray Keating notes that there basically are two options when it comes to how economies ration or allocate resources – a government-led economy or a market economy. He quickly explains which one makes sense from an economist perspective.

Listen at http://www.buzzsprout.com/155969/685325-episode-9-distributing-resources-government-or-the-market

Free Enterprise in Three Minutes Podcast, Episode #8: What the Heck is Scarcity?

Free Enterprise in Three Minutes Podcast, Episode #8: Ray Keating explains what “scarcity” means in the world of economics; sums up why it matters; and notes that it should not be confused with other terms, like “poverty” or “shortages.”

Listen at Buzzsprout at http://www.buzzsprout.com/155969

Or listen and subscribe at iTunes at https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/free-enterprise-in-three-minutes-podcast-with-ray-keating/id1349576104

Free Enterprise in Three Minutes: Economics? Not Dismal, But Rather Exciting

Economics? Not Dismal, But Rather Exciting

In the latest episode of the Free Enterprise in Three Minutes Podcast, Ray Keating explains that economics is only dismal when not practiced correctly, such as when political preferences are dressed up as economics. Keating proclaims that economics actually is quite exciting.

Tune in at iTunes at https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/free-enterprise-in-three-minutes-podcast-with-ray-keating/id1349576104

Or listen at Buzzsprout at http://www.buzzsprout.com/155969/672483-episode-7-economics-not-dismal-but-rather-exciting

Free Enterprise in Three Minutes: The Big 5 Policies for Growth

Episode #6: The Big 5 Policies for Growth - What are the policies that allow economic growth to flourish? Ray Keating highlights the “Big 5” policy or institutional requirements that are essential to allowing economic growth to flourish.

Listen at iTunes at https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/free-enterprise-in-three-minutes-podcast-with-ray-keating/id1349576104

Or at Buzzsprout at http://www.buzzsprout.com/155969/666862-episode-6-the-big-5-polices-for-growth

Free Enterprise in Three Minutes: Tune In for Quick Answers to Big Questions

Free Enterprise in Three Minutes is a podcast meant to provide three-minute (give or take a few seconds) answers to important questions about free enterprise, the economy, business and related issues. 
Listen at http://www.buzzsprout.com/155969 or at iTunes at https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/free-enterprise-in-three-minutes-podcast-with-ray-keating/id1349576104

Free Enterprise in Three Minutes: Why Some Nations Grow and Others Don't

Why do some nations grow and others don't? Ray Keating looks at the true sources of economic growth.

Tune in at Buzzsprout http://www.buzzsprout.com/155969/662926-episode-5-why-some-nations-grow-and-others-don-t

Or, listen and subscribe on iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/free-enterprise-in-three-minutes-podcast-with-ray-keating/id1349576104

The Real Deal on the Trade Deficit

There's a disturbing amount of political blather about the trade deficit these days. How about some common sense economics? Get the real deal on the trade deficit in the latest episode of the Free Enterprise in Three Minutes Podcast with Ray Keating. 

Listen at http://www.buzzsprout.com/155969/656803-episode-4-the-real-deal-on-the-trade-deficit

Big Benefits for Small Business from NAFTA

My piece on big benefits for small businesses from NAFTA 

Go to http://sbecouncil.org/2018/02/28/nafta-big-benefits-for-small-businesses/

Free Enterprise in Three Minutes: Protectionism Sucks!

Free Enterprise in Three Minutes with Ray Keating podcast - Tune in and find out why protectionism sucks in a mere three minutes!

Go to http://www.buzzsprout.com/155969/651383-episode-3-protectionism-sucks

Free Enterprise in Three Minutes: Free Trade Rocks!

Tune in to the second episode of the Free Enterprise in Three Minutes podcast. Ray Keating explains why free trade rocks!

Tune in at http://www.buzzsprout.com/155969/649162-episode-2-free-trade-rocks

Free Enterprise in Three Minutes Podcast Launched!

Free Enterprise in Three Minutes is a podcast meant to provide three-minute (give or take a few seconds) answers to important questions about free enterprise, the economy, business and related issues. Ray Keating is an economist, columnist, author and podcaster who cuts through the economic mumbo-jumbo, tosses aside the economic mistakes often made in the media and in political circles, and quickly gets at economic reality. Who says free enterprise and economics have to be mind-numbing? That's not the case with Free Enterprise in Three Minutes with Ray Keating.

The first episode? "Is Free Enterprise About Greed?"

Tune in at http://www.buzzsprout.com/155969

Government's Incentives to Spend

My latest Real Clear Markets column - incentives inside government push for more spending and higher taxes. Go to

https://www.realclearmarkets.com/articles/2018/02/01/its_naive_to_assume_salt_changes_will_reduce_state_spending_103129.html

Kirkus Reviews Loves LIONHEARTS

LIONHEARTS: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL received a big thumbs-up review from Kirkus Reviews:

“In this seventh entry of a series, terrorists attacking Christians in the United States must contend with the proficient recurring protagonist armed with Scripture and a Glock… By now, fans of Keating’s (Wine Into Water, 2016, etc.) thriller series will anticipate skillfully drawn characters. [Stephen] Grant, for one, is a considerate husband and unquestionably capable in action… The narrative’s swift momentum is retained even during profound moments, like a scene in which terrorists debate their cause after murdering two men that’s intercut with clergymen reciting biblical passages. Though sequences of Grant or [Paige] Caldwell and her team engaged in combat are exhilarating, the story’s brimming with everyday heroes. One political figure, for example, is rescued by a neighbor whose courage is measured by the hefty Desert Eagle gun he brandishes. First-rate supporting characters complement the sprightly pastor, who remains impeccable in this thriller.”

Read the entire review at https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/ray-keating/lionhearts2/

LIONHEARTS: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL Has Arrived!

LIONHEARTS: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL by Ray Keating is here! It’s the seventh thriller featuring the onetime Navy SEAL, former CIA operative, and current Lutheran pastor. 

In LIONHEARTS: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL by Ray Keating, war has arrived on American soil, with Islamic terrorists using new tactics. Few are safe, including Christians, politicians, and the media. Pastor Stephen Grant taps into his past with the Navy SEALS and the CIA to help wage a war of flesh and blood, ideas, history, and beliefs. This is about defending both the U.S. and Christianity.

Lutheran Book Review says: “I miss Tom Clancy. Keating fills that void for me.” Keating also has been called “a great novelist” by the host of KFUO’s “BookTalk” radio, and MURDERER’S ROW won the 2015 Book of the Year award from KFUO radio. 

LIONHEARTS: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL is available in trade paperback from Amazon.com at https://www.amazon.com/dp/1548964182/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1504126067&sr=8-2&keywords=lionhearts+by+keating

Signed copies can be ordered at www.raykeatingonline.com. 

This thriller also can be purchased and downloaded for the Kindle at Amazon.com. Go to https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074RZN1V6?ref_=pe_2427780_160035660

PRE-ORDER Signed Copies of LIONHEARTS: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL

PRE-ORDER Signed Copies of LIONHEARTS: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL now at a Sale Price!

War and Terrorism on American Soil in Award-Winning Novelist Ray Keating’s New Thriller LIONHEARTS: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL

Stephen Grant, Former Navy SEAL, Onetime CIA Operative and Current Lutheran Pastor, is Back in the Fight

Go to www.raykeatingonline.com. LIONHEARTS will be shipped just prior to September 5th publican date!

Sale on All 7 Signed Pastor Stephen Grant Novels.  Order all of the Pastor Stephen Grant novels, and you effectively get a signed LIONHEARTS for free! 

In LIONHEARTS: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL by Ray Keating, war has arrived on American soil, with Islamic terrorists using new tactics. Few are safe, including Christians, politicians, and the media. Pastor Stephen Grant taps into his past with the Navy SEALS and the CIA to help wage a war of flesh and blood, ideas, history, and beliefs. This is about defending both the U.S. and Christianity.

With action on the churches, home, media and political fronts, LIONHEARTS: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL ranks as a breathtaking, edge-of-your-seat thriller. Tragedy, justice, faith, love, friendship, violence, death and loss, hatred, courage, commitment and patriotism are brought to life for the reader. As with his earlier novels, Keating also serves up fascinating characters and relationships, humor, and crisp dialogue.

Keating’s previous thrillers/mysteries – WINE INTO WATER: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL, MURDERER’S ROW: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL, THE RIVER: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL, AN ADVENT FOR RELIGIOUS LIBERTY: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL, ROOT OF ALL EVIL? A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL and WARRIOR MONK: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL – have received widespread praise. For example, Kirkus Reviews has said the following:

On WINE INTO WATER: “A first-rate mystery makes this a series standout…”

On MURDERER’S ROW: “Action fans will find plenty to love here, from gunfights and murder sprees to moral dilemmas.”

On THE RIVER: “A gritty, action-stuffed, well-considered thriller with a gun-toting clergyman.” 

Keating also has been called “a great novelist” by the host of KFUO’s “BookTalk” radio, and MURDERER’S ROW won the 2015 Book of the Year award from KFUO radio.  And Lutheran Book Review declared, “I miss Tom Clancy. Keating fills that void for me.”

Kirkus Reviews Big Thumbs Up for WINE INTO WATER

Kirkus Reviews gives a big thumbs up for Ray Keating's WINE INTO WATER: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL:

It was declared in the review:

"The recurring protagonist shares the spotlight with many characters who appeared in preceding novels. This narrative approach, however, proves beneficial. To begin with, the story, though boasting the series' now-prerequisite action sequences, shifts most of its attention to the mystery. Keating establishes genuine suspects: seems all winemakers, from the respected to the dubious, are under attack, so those culpable aren't easily detectable. Grant undoubtedly shines in confrontations with baddies as well as lighter subplots: scenes behind the pulpit and his visible awkwardness whenever Caldwell and his wife, Jennifer, are together. But it's the search for killers that makes the biggest impact, and the pastor can't take full credit; it's a team effort, with characters (i.e., Grant's old CIA pals) that are just as essential.
     "A first-rate mystery makes this a series standout, even if the titular protagonist splits his hero status with others."              - Kirkus Reviews

Read the entire review here.

Highly Recommend Amazon's The Man in the High Castle

I actually just re-watched the first season of The Man in the High Castle, which runs on Amazon.com. I highly recommend it.

It's rare to say that a television series is better than the book on which it's based, but that is clearly the case here. After closing the book, I felt frustrated, while the end of the first season of the show left me longing for much more.

The story and characters are incredibly compelling, and there is much to ponder about how people react to, rebel against, or comply with the varied evils of totalitarianism.

This Amazon.com production ranks as a television series at its finest. I very much look forward to the forthcoming second season (available on December 16), and will, no doubt, find the time to binge watch it.