Commentary / Japan Oct 3, 2016

Central banks' failed policies

Instead of being our saviors, central bankers have destroyed wealth, created instability and set conditions for the next big economic crisis.

Commentary / Japan Sep 13, 2016

Central bank's policies impeding recovery

Central bankers' "central planning" of the financial sector with controlled prices for credit are failing for the same reason as central planners of communist economies failed. It's time to allow financial markets to determine interest rates.

Commentary / Japan Aug 23, 2016

Beware Beijing's self-serving interpretations of history

While Beijing invites ridicule for making weak or baseless territorial claims, the rest of the world should not it is deadly serious in defending them.

Commentary / World Oct 28, 2009

Free expression under fire

GUATEMALA CITY — Freedom of expression is one of the most important cornerstones of a free and open society. Guarantees of freedom of expression allow citizens to learn about mistakes of the powerful and help reveal corruption at all levels. This freedom must be ...

Commentary / World Oct 5, 2009

Why joint initiatives on climate will likely fail

GUATEMALA CITY — A U.N. summit on climate change at the recent U.N. General Assembly meeting was supposed to give momentum for a post-Kyoto Protocol accord to be penned in December in Copenhagen. Indeed, an announcement was made that most leaders agreed that there ...

Commentary / World Sep 15, 2009

Drama won't cure the doldrums

GUATEMALA CITY — Japanese voters have rejected the one-party state under the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has supplied most of Japan's government leaders since the party's founding in 1955. (Only in 1993 had an opposition coalition ousted the LDP, for a short time, ...

Commentary / World Mar 15, 2009

Unnerving trip to stellar deficits

BALI, Indonesia — With stock markets around the world having beaten a hasty retreat recently, a cautionary tale might be found by looking at the United States, since it is ground zero for current economic and financial upheavals. While President Barack Obama is overseeing vast ...

Commentary / World Mar 2, 2009

There's no deleveraging the illusions of politicians

BALI, Indonesia — In response to the current financial and economic turmoil, U.S. politicians wanted to be seen as "doing something" legislatively, even if costly and ineffective, in order to endear themselves to those voters who received benefits. This is evident in that the ...

Commentary / World Jan 17, 2009

Regulations set up crisis

BALI — Claims that "unbridled capitalism" is behind the current credit crunch and financial turmoil are misleading and remarkably uninformed. This is usually accompanied by suggestions that "blind faith" in market self-regulation was a handmaiden in this mess. We are then told that the ...

Commentary / World Sep 14, 2008

Nepali 'democracy' unlikely to push peace

ATLANTA — Nepal's special assembly has chosen Maoist chief Prachanda as prime minister over Sher Bahadur Deuba, a three-time former prime minister from the Nepali Congress party. The win is based on the Maoists' control of 227 of 595 assembly seats and the support of ...