Now that the U.S. has re-established diplomatic relations with Pearl of the Antilles, interest in Cuba is rising. While there are no crystal balls about Cuba’s future, here are a few things we do know about the island-nation’s economy, thanks to Pew Research. 1. Cuba was doing business with the U.S. even before the embargo was lifted. A partial repeal of the embargo allowed for this, and Cuba really needed food, medical supplies and medicine. 2. Cuba’s economic growth has...

As I wrote here a couple of weeks ago, nail salons across the country are under scrutiny for abusive labor tactics and human trafficking. New York City has taken a hard look at this issue (thank goodness!) and is considering implementing some not-so-well-thought-out policies. Included in this are: Gov. Andrew Cuomo invoking “emergency measures,” Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D., Calif.) citing federal legislation on product safety she’s introduced and of course New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio presiding over a...

Earlier this month I argued that the moral center and chief objective of American diplomacy should be the promotion of religious freedom. When a country protects religious liberty it must also, whether it intended to or not, recognize a host of other freedoms, such as the freedom of assembly, freedom of conscience, and freedom of speech. Once these liberties are in place, it es more difficult for a country’s government to maintain a single, totalizing ideology. President Reagan seemed to...

It’s nice when we can take a contentious issue and get right to the heart of it in a few steps. Thanks to The Daily Signal for these graphics on school choice: ...

Acton Communication Specialist Elise Graveline Hilton has been working hard for quite some time to shed light on the huge—but often hidden—problem of human trafficking. Most recently, she made an appearance on the RealClear Radio Hour podcast with host Bill Frezza to discuss the economics of trafficking both in the United States and around the world. This is another great opportunity to learn the signs of human trafficking so that you can be a part of the solution to this...

The religious shareholders of As You Sow and Calvert Investments are heralding last month’s shareholder vote on greenhouse gas reduction targets as an out-and-out victory. Ummmm … not so fast. Although the press release on the AYS website trumpets: “Shareholders Vote for Greenhouse Gas Reductions at Midwest Utilities,” the facts tell a much different story. Yes, some shareholders did indeed vote in favor of the AYS/CI resolution, but not nearly enough to pass it: Citing climate change impacts and financial...

Oceans of ink have already been spilled in the media coverage of Pope Francis’ new encyclical on the environment — and it hasn’t even been released yet. In this reflection, Rev. Robert A. Sirico draws on Catholic social teaching to provide a helpful framework for understanding environmental stewardship. While we wait to find out what’s actually in the new encyclical, expected to be published in June, Acton’s president and co-founder sees a consistent thread of thinking on environmental stewardship that...

Three of the most basic principles of economics are that people are price-sensitive, risk-averse, and that they respond to incentives. If you raise the price of a good or service people will, in general, tend to buy less (price-sensitive). If you give a person a choice between a certain e (“I’ll pay you $50 for nothing”) or a higher payoff on an uncertain e (“I’ll pay you $100 or nothing based on a coin-flip”), they’ll generally take the less risky...

I don’t believe there is anything worse than the trafficking of children for sex. Children are often sold by parents because of poverty, are “traded” by adults in their life for drugs or cash, or are lured by traffickers who promise money, affection and support from an adult or children can simply be kidnapped. Is there any hope for recovering a child lost in this hell? There is. A unique, successful organization called Operation Underground Railroad is showing the world...

In every major city that is increasing the minimum wage (Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles), labor unions have been at the forefront of the change. For example, in an op-ed for the Huffington Post titled “Raise Los Angeles’ Minimum Wage and Enforce It,” Rusty Hicks, a labor leader in L.A. who represents over 300 unions, wrote: It’s no secret that we believe the minimum wage must be raised in order to lift working families out of poverty. Most voters and...