In this episode, I first discuss the selection of Betsy DeVos as the Secretary of the Department of Education. DeVos has been demonized by the far-left media outlets as an extremist that wants to “gut public schools” through vouchers and the promotion of charter schools. Somehow, the teachers’ unions have succeeded in equalizing their interests with the interests of the students in the minds of huge portions of the population. Top-down approaches and policy influenced by the unions have made educational outcomes worse, so steps in the direction of free markets make sense. Only people that have never allowed themselves outside of their echo chambers could possibly see DeVos as an extremist.

I also discuss Trump’s willingness to accept a call from the Taiwanese president. I would prefer my country’s president to be willing to accept friendly calls from foreign leaders than to ignore entire groups. The real question is: will he apply the same logic consistently that he applied to Taiwan? Will he take a call from a nation with a feud with Russia? I hope that the U.S. can begin to extend diplomacy to all.

Finally, I briefly discuss the perverse incentives that rent control laws create. A pair of brothers in Brooklyn resorted to despicable means to get tenants to move out of the rent-controlled apartment complexes that they owned, a direct consequence of rent control laws.

 

Links:
“Trump’s Billionaire Education Secretary Has Been Trying to Gut Public Schools for Years” – Mother Jones
“Betsy DeVos quotes about education” – Thomas B. Fordham Institute
“China lodges complaint over Trump-Taiwan call” – CNN
“U.S. sells $1.83 billion of weapons to Taiwan despite Chinese objections” – CNN
“PAIR OF BROOKLYN LANDLORD BROTHERS ACCUSED OF TRYING TO FORCE OUT TENANTS ARRESTED” – WABC New York
Book: “Basic Economics: A Common Sense Guide to the Economy” by Thomas Sowell