"What could the government do to make things more affordable? Start by getting out of the way."

"'Affordability' is in the news. People left and right want the government to 'do something.' ... Populist policies are hugely popular among [supporters of all parties]....

As I hope you know, the government cannot, by taxing, spending, borrowing or regulating, make anything 'more affordable' overall. All it can do is try to make someone else pay, and then often to give you something you don’t want that much and lose half the money along the way. Subsidies against fixed supply, like energy and housing, just drive prices up more. ...

"What could the government do to make things more affordable? Start by getting out of the way. A lot of policy and regulation deliberately makes things more expensive..."

~ John Cochrane from his post 'Affordability Part 1'