This week, we celebrate what would have been Milton Friedman’s 106th birthday (he was born July 31, 1912). In celebration of Dr. Friedman’s important legacy defending free markets and free people, and the inspiration he has provided all of us at PRI from the time of our founding in 1979, this week’s “What We’re Watching” presents some of our favorite Milton Friedman moments from over the years.
Kerry Jackson – Milton Friedman Defends Capitalism on Phil Donahue
Here is a classic from the late 1970’s of Dr. Friedman defending capitalism and free markets on the Phil Donahue Show. I have to watch this clip at regular intervals because it’s so much fun watching Phil Donahue have no response to Dr. Friedman’s unassailable logic.
Tim Anaya – Milton Friedman on the Minimum Wage
In this clip, Dr. Friedman makes the case – much as PRI has argued this year in our work on California poverty – that well-meaning government programs actually hurt the very people that they are intended to help. Here he argues that under minimum wage programs, in effective the government is forcing employers to discriminate against people who have low skills.
