Five Years Later, Philadelphia's Soda Tax Is Falling Flat
The city wanted to bring in more money, in part for early childhood education. But such taxes are disproportionately paid by the poor.
Culture
The Pirate Preservationists
When keeping cultural archives safe means stepping outside the law
Review: The Big Break Documents Trump's Washington
Washington Post reporter Ben Terris offers a fair treatment to both conservative and liberal activists in the Trump era.
Rick Doblin: The Man Behind the 'Psychedelic '20s'
The founder of MAPS talks about FDA approval for MDMA-assisted therapy and the "psychedelic renaissance" he has helped create.
Jared Polis: Democrats Are 'More Pro-Freedom Than Republicans'
The Colorado governor finds common ground with many libertarians. But does he really stand for more freedom?
Comedian Shane Mauss: Shrooms, DMT, Joe Rogan, and the 'Psychedelic Renaissance'
Reason's Nick Gillespie talked with Mauss, a comedian who tours the country discussing his psychedelic experiences, at the Psychedelic Science 2023 conference.
SCOTUS' Ruling in Gay Wedding Website Case Was a Defeat for Compelled Speech
"The opportunity to think for ourselves and to express those thoughts freely is among our most cherished liberties," Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote in the majority opinion.
How Rage Against the Machine Used Capitalism To Sell Communism
A calculated corporate deal propelled these radical rockers all the way to the Hall of Fame.
China Is No Economic Model for America
The country's current struggles show the problems of the Beijing way—and make the case for freedom.
Denmark May Ban Burning the Quran
A cabinet minister who once defended the right to blaspheme now wants a crackdown.
Don't Bring Back COVID Authoritarianism
People should be free to choose how cautious to be. Mask mandates, lockdowns, and closing schools won't stop the virus.
A Ruling Against a Man Arrested for a COVID-19 Joke Highlights the Influence of a Pernicious Analogy
A federal judge compared Waylon Bailey’s Facebook jest to "falsely shouting fire in a theatre."
Arkansas Business Owner Sues Over Government Garbage Monopoly
X-Dumpsters owner Steven Hedrick rents roll-away dumpsters to people, but now his city forces residents to contract with the county.
Talking About Sex Online Shouldn't Be Illegal
Porn sites and other online spaces with adult content are fun; they’re also important sources of community and information.
Robots Aren't Coming For Movie Stars, Yet
Artificial intelligence is not about to replace your favorite actors.
Can New York City Ban the Sale of Foie Gras?
New York City and New York state are locked in a battle over sale of the fatty liver delicacy.
Sixth Circuit Denies Qualified Immunity to School Officials
Court finds parent's right to comment on their interactions with their child's coaches or teachers is cleartly established.
Should 'Sensitivity Training' Be Forced on Southwest Airlines?
A Texas judge ordered that the airline submit to training on the rights of religious believers after losing a religious discrimination lawsuit.
Ben Smith's One Neat Trick for Going Viral
The Semafor editor and former BuzzFeed News editor in chief on the online media explosion of the 2000s.
The Washington Post Says Democracy Demands Less Freedom of Speech
The paper worries that "social media companies are receding from their role as watchdogs against political misinformation."
America's Alcohol Czar Wants Stricter Federal Guidelines for Drinking
George Koob says the U.S. could follow Canada's lead and recommend no more than two alcoholic drinks per week.
Review: The Covenant Dramatizes the Plight of Afghan Interpreters
Jake Gyllenhaal stars in a film that criticizes the U.S. immigration system.
Tucker Carlson's Sycophantic Interview With Trump Illustrates the Advantages of Skipping the Debates
It's no mystery why the former president preferred a forum in which his record and positions would face no serious challenge.
A Netflix Drama Reinforces Pernicious Misconceptions About Pain Treatment
Painkiller reflects an indiscriminate anti-opioid bias that has caused needless suffering.
Can Traditional Legal Customs Coexist With Western-Style State Law?
Geoffrey Swenson’s book Contending Orders tackles Afghanistan and Timor-Leste.
Texas School District Threatens to Seize 79-Year-Old Man's Home for Stadium Parking Lot
The Houston-area Aldine Independent School District is considering the use of eminent domain to seize a one-acre property owned and occupied by Travis Upchurch.
Review: Unstable Is a Futurist Comedy
A biotech lab led by a lightly fictionalized alternate version of Rob Lowe works to save the world.
Janet Yellen Accidentally Ate Chinese Magic Mushrooms but Swears She Didn't Get High
"I can tell you none of us were affected by the mushrooms," Yellen insisted to CNN.
Small-Town Life Is the Anti-Twitter
The era of the internet could use a little of the discipline, moderation, and tolerance imposed by a familiar, physical community.
New College of Florida Embraces Affirmative Action for Men
In an attempt to make the student body more conservative, Christopher Rufo says the school is actively "rebalancing" the ratio of male and female students.
The Government Has Made College an Overpriced Scam
Thankfully, you don't need fancy dining halls or a college degree to have a good life or get a good job.
The Battlefields of Cable
How cable TV transformed politics—and how politics transformed cable TV
'Private Tyranny' Is Less Private Than You Think
Sohrab Ahmari inadvertently gives even more reasons to reduce the power of the state.
Fun, Silly Anti-Tax Ballad 'Rich Men North of Richmond' Goes Viral for Some Online Reasons
If you don't take Oliver Anthony's surprise hit song too seriously, it's a lot of fun. Regrettably, a lot of people are taking the song much too seriously indeed.
Why Stripping Fox's Broadcast License Is a Terrible Idea
Plus: A listener inquires about the potential positive effects of ranked-choice voting reforms.
Owner of Kansas Newspaper Dies Amid 'Shock and Grief' After Police Raid
Plus: New Zealand libertarianism, Barbie economics, and more...
Barbie Girls Now Live in a Much Wealthier Barbie World
The average working woman in 2023 earns enough money to buy a Barbie doll every 33 minutes. In 1959, it took nearly two hours.
Baltimore Orioles Owners Demand Even More Unnecessary Taxpayer Money
Apparently $600 million to improve a very nice stadium isn’t enough.
Rob Long: Welcome to the Age of Blunder in Public Health, Foreign Policy, and…Hollywood
The former Cheers producer explains why the studios are failing, the writers and actors are missing the big picture, and creators fear their audience.
No Such Thing As a Free Lunch: Puzzle #2
"Subject of a 500-year-old purity law in Germany"
Review: The Peculiar Politics of Killer Mike
The rapper is a Bernie Sanders supporter who speaks out about gun rights and free speech.
