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The world from Amsterdam, by Nick Ottens

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Free Market Fundamentalist

Free Market Fundamentalist is an Atlantic Sentinel blog with an exaggerated faith in laissez-faire capitalism.

Amsterdam Netherlands

Everyone Thinks the Netherlands’ Rental Reforms Are Nuts

Banks, investors, pension funds, the OECD… nobody believes the Dutch are getting this right.

Nick OttensNick OttensMay 28, 2023July 24, 2023
Ronald Reagan

Dutch Government Mistakes Reagan’s Warning for Advice

If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.

Nick OttensNick OttensMay 5, 2023July 9, 2023
Karien van Gennip

Dutch Labor Reforms Will Do Little to Encourage Hiring

Companies still need to pay two years of sick leave.

Nick OttensNick OttensApril 5, 2023October 7, 2023
St Thomas Hospital London England

Abolish the NHS

Britain has worse health care than the rest of Europe.

Nick OttensNick OttensFebruary 3, 2023April 14, 2023
Hugo de Jonge

Dutch to Ease, After Tightening, Building Rules

The government is trying to solve a problem it created.

Nick OttensNick OttensJanuary 21, 2023April 5, 2023
Westmaas Netherlands doctors office

How Government Creates Shortages of Doctors

France, the Netherlands and the United States limited slots for medical students.

Nick OttensNick OttensJanuary 9, 2023March 16, 2023
Joe Biden Emmanuel Macron

Responding to American Protectionism Has Downsides for Europe

Joe Biden’s “buy American” policy is a threat, but matching protectionism with protectionism is worse.

Nick OttensNick OttensDecember 23, 2022February 28, 2023
Madrid Spain

Rent Control Keeps Failing. Countries Keep Trying

What do you call doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results?

Nick OttensNick OttensDecember 1, 2022January 27, 2023
Amsterdam Netherlands daycare center

Dutch Child Care Would Pay Price for Government’s Failure

Child benefits need an overhaul, but the government’s reforms would hurt child-care providers.

Nick OttensNick OttensNovember 27, 2022January 21, 2023
Joe Biden

Biden Would Repeat Dutch Mistakes in Regulating Freelancers

Stricter rules for contractors could lead to job losses.

Nick OttensNick OttensNovember 6, 2022November 13, 2022
Wasco Oregon wind turbines

Manchin’s Permitting Reforms Don’t Go Far Enough

America needs to build cleaner energy faster.

Nick OttensNick OttensSeptember 30, 2022April 28, 2023
Washington DC

Overregulation Makes Child Care More Expensive in DC

Democrats require a college degree from all workers.

Nick OttensNick OttensAugust 19, 2022January 16, 2023
Joe Biden Nancy Pelosi

Democrats Taxed and Regulated, Now Subsidize, Chips and Energy

It would have been cheaper to deregulate both industries.

Nick OttensNick OttensAugust 14, 2022January 8, 2023
Almere Netherlands

Dutch Government Created Housing Shortage, Blames Market

Far from trusting the market, politicians won’t leave housing alone.

Nick OttensNick OttensMay 24, 2022November 13, 2022
Seattle Washington port

To Fight Inflation, Liberalize Trade

It’s one of the few things politicians can do to make life cheaper.

Nick OttensNick OttensMay 6, 2022November 13, 2022

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