Why car dealerships are the real roadblock.

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September 4, 2024

Welcome to The Lighthouse ([link removed]) , the weekly email newsletter of the Independent Institute covering politics, economics, current events, and everything in between.

Jerome Powell, the Federal Reserve Chairman, recently signaled that rate cuts are incoming. Details on the rollout of those cuts were sparse, but Powell indicated that the nation’s central bank is concerned about hiring slowdowns and rising unemployment. Such a move means that the bank will ease off on reducing inflation.

This week, Independent Institute interprets what our economic landscape means for ordinary Americans. Scott Beyer kicks us off, pointing out the folly of America’s overengineered cities. We also consider why Americans hate buying cars so much (but still buy them), examine the impact of U.S. tax policies on citizens living abroad, and analyze growing concerns about the reliability of U.S. Treasuries.

Happy reading.

Jonathan Hofer
Managing Editor

Top picks this week
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** How Road Design Makes Housing More Expensive ([link removed])
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** Forcing developers to build bigger roads raises project—and housing—costs. ([link removed])
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** by Scott Beyer
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You know central planning doesn’t work for your wallet, but did you know it also doesn’t work for your road? Thanks to a mind-numbing web of federal and local regulations, today’s roads hardly reduce traffic, contribute to wildly high housing costs, and burden residents. Yikes.
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** The Car Dealership Monopoly: The Case for Competition ([link removed])
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** Americans feel trapped in the car-buying process. ([link removed])
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** by Denny Han
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Americans love to drive, but hate buying cars. Why? Because car dealerships are insulated from competition, driving up costs for consumers and discouraging innovation. Some argue this is to ensure quality service, but the truth is that dealerships have captured the regulatory regime for their benefit.
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** America Needs to Stop Taxing Citizens Abroad ([link removed])
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** U.S. expats have made the decision to live abroad and they should be granted that freedom without a permanent financial ball and chain. ([link removed])
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** by Kristian Fors
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The time to stop double-taxing Americans living abroad was yesterday. It’s outdated, unfair, and drives far too many expats to renounce their citizenship. Honestly, who can blame them?
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** U.S. Treasuries No Longer a Safe Haven ([link removed])
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** by Craig Eyermann
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Once considered the ultimate safe haven, U.S. Treasuries are losing their status as a risk-free investment as debt-fueled spending barrels on. It’s not a question of if but when the recklessness will stop…and how painful will it be for ordinary people when it does?
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** FEATURED BOOK - COMING SOON!
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** Priceless ([link removed]) (Updated Second Edition)
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** Curing the Healthcare Crisis ([link removed])
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** John C. Goodman
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In this long-awaited updated edition of his original groundbreaking work, renowned healthcare economist John C. Goodman analyzes America’s ongoing healthcare fiasco—including the failed promises of Obamacare 10 years in.
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