Richard Rahn

Richard W. Rahn is an economist, syndicated columnist, and entrepreneur. He was a senior fellow of the Discovery Institute. Currently, he is Chairman of Improbable Success Productions and the Institute for Global Economic Growth. He also writes a syndicated weekly economic column which is published in The Washington Times, Real Clear Markets and many other places. He was the Vice President and Chief Economist of the United States Chamber of Commerce during the Reagan Administration and remains a staunch advocate of supply-side economics, small government, and classical liberalism.

Archives

The End of Progress

_{Richard Rahn
July 18, 2011}

Have things stopped getting better? Americans had become used to ever-increasing living standards, but there is evidence that for many people, life is not improving. There is also a growing pessimism about the future with surveys showing that Americans do not think their children and grandchildren will be better off. Last week, there was a most interesting discussion between two Read More ›

Primer on the Great Debate

_{Richard Rahn
February 25, 2009}

Do you understand why well-known economists, including Nobel Prize winners, are on opposite sides of the debate about the stimulus package and what should be done about the recession? Not only Americans, but people everywhere are confused, largely because the economists who are writing and speaking about what should be done have such fundamental disagreements. There are two main schools Read More ›

Sayonara to World Finance Sisters?

_{Richard Rahn
April 17, 2007}

Do you think the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB) should be abolished? These sister organizations had their annual spring meetings in Washington this past weekend. It is obvious to everyone that both organizations are in deep trouble. The two organizations were conceived at a Bretton Woods, N.H., conference in July 1944. The IMF was given primary Read More ›

The Test on Tax Reform

_{Richard Rahn
April 12, 2007}

If politicians tell you they favor “tax reform” and “tax simplification,” what do you think they mean? The fact is most politicians, including the current presidential candidates, say they will give us tax reform and simplification, but what they mean differs widely. Each candidate will strive to try to define those words in such a way that will attract more Read More ›

Oblivious to Reality

_{Richard Rahn
April 4, 2007}

If you knew how to make life better for your fellow Americans, would you? The political class in Washington constantly claims it “cares about you,” but when it comes to policy many do just the opposite. Most people understand the Republicans messed up by allowing nondefense spending to grow faster than the economy. The Democrats ran against the irresponsible Republicans Read More ›

Tax Traps

_{Richard Rahn
March 27, 2007}

Are you absolutely sure you paid the exact amount of income tax you owed last year — not too much and not too little? I am willing to bet the vast majority of those reading this paid either too much or too little — not because they intended to but because the tax code is so complex it is almost Read More ›

Success and the State

_{Richard Rahn
March 24, 2007}

What is the world’s largest private company and how did it get that way? The company is Koch Industries. Its revenues in 2006 were about $90 billion, up from only $70 million in 1960. Charles Koch, who, along with his brother, David, built this massive and very successful enterprise — which includes petroleum refining, chemicals, fibers and carpets, fertilizers, building Read More ›

Global Nag

_{Richard Rahn
March 18, 2007}

Why do non-Americans so dislike Americans or, at least, the American government? Could it be because the U.S. State Department appears to think its mission is to be rude, insulting and condescending? This month, the State Department has set a new record by managing to insult the citizens of 123 different lands at one time in the “International Narcotics Control Read More ›

Budget Fictions

_{Richard Rahn
March 11, 2007}

Do you think the government needs more revenue? If you answered yes, even if you are on the political left, you have not been paying attention to the facts and have been duped by those in the political and media class who believe government can never be big enough. Government spends too much because of mismanagement, waste, fraud and abuse Read More ›

Warming a Cold Fact?

_{Richard Rahn
February 26, 2007}

Do you think those who have reservations about whether man is creating global warming should lose their jobs and be denied the right to present their views? Over the last few months, there has been a concerted effort to silence those who have doubts about global warming and man’s effect on the climate. The Oregon State climatologist was fired for Read More ›