Donovan Zagorin

Where Did it Come From? – A Note on the Origin of Money

One of the most pondered questions in society is “why do we have money?” Many question why we cannot simply live in a society where people create the necessary resources and exchange with one another. This is a question that revolves around the origin of money. Those already versed in economics typically hold the barter theory of money, which was mainly developed by Adam Smith and Carl Menger; however, there are some contentions to this theory which have mainly come about due to anthropologist David Graeber and his book, Debt: The First 5000 Years. This article aims both to explain the barter theory of money and defend it from Graeber’s critiques.

The End to Endo -- A Critique of Endogenous Money Theory

Is the Market Responsible for Monopolization? The History of Monopolies in America

Hooked? The Reality of Opiate Addiction‍

In this article, we argue that addiction is a conscious choice rather than a disease, highlighting the power of individual decision-making in the escalation and continuation of drug use. The article disputes popular misconceptions about opiate withdrawal, emphasizes the fallacies of the disease model of addiction, and criticizes pharmacological approaches, arguing for greater personal accountability in confronting addiction.

Affirmative Action - The Accepted Discrimination

President Biden’s Student Loan Debt Forgiveness Plan

This brief will cover Biden’s new student loan forgiveness proposal in relation to its economic implications. The relevance, history, related policy options, and a conclusion about said policy options will be demonstrated.

Tariffs and their Consequences

The following brief covers the pros and cons of tariffs. From a political point of view, tariffs are an appealing policy if policymakers wish to preserve domestic industry from foreign competition. However, from an economic perspective, we must always consider: what are the opportunity costs behind such a policy, and are the trade-offs a worthy sacrifice of potential benefits?

Impact of a Strong US Dollar

This brief will cover the current strength of the U.S. dollar and what it means for the economy. Relevance, history, related policy options, and a conclusion about said policy options will be demonstrated.

Mass Tech Layoffs and Recession

This brief will cover the implications of the mass tech layoffs that have occurred recently and how it has and continues to impact the American economy. The relevance, history, policy positions, and policy recommendations regarding this issue will be detailed throughout the brief.

The Role of Campaign Finance in Elections

When running for public office, individuals will attempt to maximize the contributions they receive as a means to help further their campaign. This brief will cover the history of campaign financing, the policy that surrounds it, and other policy options. This allows us to understand the current and desired impact of campaign financing on elections.

The Run on Silicon Valley Bank

This brief will review the run on the Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and the looming implications. This bank was a cornerstone of one of the largest areas of economic prosperity in the U.S., it is not new as we have seen banks run throughout history. However, it has forced us to analyze the event in terms of policy that led to it occurring or could have prevented it from happening in order to improve the future economy.

Harvesting the Future: Analyzing the Role of the Farm Bill in Shaping the Agricultural Industry

Farming as an industry is largely impacted and dictated in some way by policy, specifically the farm bill. This brief will analyze the role the farm bill plays in the industry and how its revisions can impact the future of farming.

U.S. Economic Shrinkage Throughout 2022

The brief will discuss economic shrinkage that has occurred throughout 2022. Various issues such as a drop in exports, decreases in government spending, and changes to interest rates will be covered. The relevance, history, and policy responses regarding this issue will be outlined alongside certain policy suggestions to revert this economic shrinkage.

The Future of Social Security

Social Security—also known as the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) program in the United States—is run by the Social Security Administration (SSA). The program is best known for its retirement benefits and is primarily funded (89.6 percent) by payroll taxes. The program also provides income to disabled people who qualify, as well as their family members. Workers must be at least 65 years old and have financially contributed to society for 10 years or more. The longevity of Social Security has been put under question as of late and this brief will attempt to address the conflict regarding Social Security (with a focus on its funding) as well as a recommendation for how it should be approached.

Regulating the Cryptocurrency Industry

This brief will be an analysis that covers the topic of crypto-currency volatility along with the bill which has been proposed to regulate the industry. The relevance, history, policy positions, and policy recommendations regarding crypto-currency will be explored.

The Debt Ceiling

Fiscal spending is perhaps the single greatest piece of Congress’ agenda in any given year. Congressional discourse regarding caps on spending caps have brought about a plethora of instances when the federal government halted operations. The conversation regarding the debt ceiling is an imperative one as congressional purchasing power is the primary driver of all areas of American policy. Moreover, this brief seeks to thoroughly analyze the affirmative and negative stance on the existence of a debt ceiling. After comparing both viewpoints, this brief will attempt to provide a policy recommendation for Congress regarding the existence and extent of a debt ceiling.

Price Controls

This brief will analyze the concept of mandated government price control. This level of severe domestic, economic intervention carries both positive and negative repercussions. The questions of price control sensibility, floor minimums, ceiling maximums, and longevity will all be answered in this brief.

Monetary Solutions for Inflation after COVID-19

Given that the recent increase in inflation has impacted the U.S. economy in unprecedented ways, the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) response has become increasingly imperative. Namely, the contractionary monetary prescription—which the Fed has supplemented with quantitative tapering—is of critical importance in regards to the future of the U.S. economy. As such, this brief will address imperative issues with the Fed’s actions in regards to tapering, and recommend certain policies that can aid the Fed to reduce the supply of the circulating medium.

Debt Ceiling Dilemma: Evaluating its Necessity, Economic Impact, and Solutions

The debt ceiling is a recurring debate every year and has been for decades. This brief will explore this debate in terms of the history behind it, the policy surrounding it, and the conclusions we can draw. The goal is to understand the nature of the debt ceiling as well as the various consequences that can result from the various solutions.

A $15 Minimum Wage on Balance

The idea of increasing the federal minimum wage to $15 is a serious policy prescription in the modern day. This brief will give an overview of the $15 minimum wage, the history behind it, the impact of the policy itself, and end with a policy recommendation.