Acton Lecture Series

Why does federal aid seem to have a reverse Midas touch? Drawing on examples from the nation's past and present—from the fur trade and railroads, to cars and chemicals, to aviation and Solyndra—"Uncle Sam Can't Count” is a sweeping work of economic history that explains why the federal government cannot and should not pick winners and losers in the private sector.   In this episode, we bring you a presentation that was delivered as part of the 2015 Acton Lecture Series, featuring American historian Burton W. Folsom speaking on his book (co-written with Anita Folsom) “Uncle Sam Can’t Count.”   Subscribe to our podcasts   Uncle Sam Can't Count: A History of Failed Government Investments, from Beaver Pelts to Green Energy   About Burton W. Folsom    Biden's 'stimulus' for a growing economy is all about central control | Acton Institute    America's public debt: Crisis or the cost of civilization? | Acton Institute    Emanuel Cleaver: People get 'saved' through government spending | Acton Institute  Hosted on Ac