Don't Freak Out Over Florida Teen Labor Laws
Laws letting teens work longer hours won't have the disastrous effects critics claim they will.
Economics
Trump Said Tariffs Would Reduce the Trade Deficit. Instead, It Grew.
In 2017, the last full year before Trump's tariffs were imposed, America's overall trade deficit was $517 billion. By 2023, it had grown to $785 billion.
Whole Foods' John Mackey: We Must Change How We Think About Capitalism
The co-founder of Whole Foods discusses his new memoir, The Whole Story: Adventures in Love, Life, and Capitalism as he launches his new holistic health venture, Love.Life.
The National Debt Is Now So High That Every American Essentially Owes $100,000
We could grow our way out of our debt burden if politicians would limit spending increases to just below America's average yearly economic growth. But they won't even do that.
The Education Department Will Probably Mess Up Next Year's FAFSA Too
A letter from higher education professionals warns that next year's FAFSA will likely face delays.
The Dark Side of Alexander Hamilton
The first treasury secretary's plans would have created cartels that mainly benefited the wealthy at the expense of small competitors.
J.D. Vance's Incoherent Argument for Higher Minimum Wages
Vance thinks that jobs lost because of incompetent central planning don't matter—but that jobs lost to immigrants do.
The Contemptuous Merrick Garland
Plus: The Federal Reserve considers an interest rate cut, its chairman considers persistently high inflation, housing pops up on the National Mall, and more...
Biden Keeps Blaming Others for His Economic Mistakes
The president has tried to shift blame for inflation, interest rate hikes, and an overall decimation of consumers' purchasing power.
Glenn Loury: Tales of Sex, Drugs, and Capitalism
The economist and podcaster discusses his new memoir Late Admissions: Confessions of a Black Conservative.
Going Down?
Plus: Hunter Biden is guilty of crimes that shouldn't be crimes, North Dakota's voters take on gerontocracy, and more...
This New York Charter School Is Helping Low-Income Students. But the City Is Holding It Back.
Government school advocates say competition "takes money away" from government schools. That is a lie.
The Best of Reason: American Small Businesses Are Desperate for Foreign Workers
The number of job openings far exceeds the number of unemployed Americans. Seasonal businesses can't get the foreign labor they need.
Is the Clean Water Act Enforced Less Stringently in Battleground States?
A new study suggests political considerations may influence the enforcement of federal environmental law.
Trump Wants To Exempt Tips From Income Taxes. Why Stop There?
Reducing revenue without identifying offsetting spending cuts means Trump is merely promising to borrow more heavily.
Stiglitz's The Road to Freedom Under Scrutiny
Joseph Stiglitz thinks redistribution and regulation are the road to freedom—he’s wrong.
The Economy Biden Wants
Plus: Trump wants to cut federal spending, Mike Solana wants to save San Francisco, Canada wants to throw thought criminals in jail, and more...
The GOP Once Claimed To Be the Party of 'Fiscal Responsibility.' So Why Not Reform Social Security?
Reasonable options include gradually raising the minimum retirement age, adjusting benefits to reflect longer life expectancies, and implementing fair means-testing to ensure benefits flow where they're actually needed.
The National Debt Is Making Us Poorer
The average American will lose between $5,000 and $14,000 annually by 2054 due to the burden of the growing national debt.
The Best of Reason: The Mirage of China's I.P. Theft
As allegations of intellectual property theft swirl, a deeper look reveals a tale of phony numbers and twisted data.
The Housing Policy Implications of Taylor Swift
Plus: An interview with Colorado Gov. Jared Polis about the state's blockbuster year for housing reform.
Should Donald Trump Have Been Convicted?
Plus: A single-issue voter asks the editors for some voting advice in the 2024 presidential election.
The Mirage of China's I.P. Theft
As allegations of intellectual property theft swirl, a deeper look reveals a tale of phony numbers and twisted data.
American Small Businesses Are Desperate for Foreign Workers
The number of job openings far exceeds the number of unemployed Americans. Seasonal businesses can't get the foreign labor they need.
The NRA's Unanimous Supreme Court Victory Is Good for Free Speech—No Matter How You Feel About Guns
The ACLU, another polarizing organization, was willing to defend the NRA in court. That should tell you that some things aren't partisan.
The Congressional Budget Office's Alternative Scenarios Forecast a Dire Economic Picture
Why aren't politicians on both sides more worried than they seem to be?
The Illusion of Financial Privacy
Decades of legislation have chipped away at the financial privacy Americans believe they still have.
California's $20 Fast Food Minimum Wage Law Is Already Having Disastrous Unintended Consequences
Many have seen their hours reduced—or have lost their jobs entirely.
The Best of Reason: Not Even Artificial Intelligence Can Make Central Planning Work
Revolutionary AI technologies can't solve the "wicked problems" facing policy makers.
The NYPD Took 7 Years To Fire This Cop. Then the Union Hired Him.
In practice, police unions' primary responsibility seems to be shielding officers from accountability and defending their conduct no matter what.
K-12 Schools Crippled by Covid Cash
Inflation and expiring funds push public education into financial chaos.
Australians Abandon Physical Cash and the Freedom It Protects
Digital payments are easy to use, but also to monitor and block.
Why a "Libertarian-Nationalist Alliance" Makes No Sense
Vivek Ramaswamy isn't the first to advocate this badly wrong idea. But there's still no good justification for it.
What Does Decriminalized Sex Work Actually Look Like?
I visited Australia and New Zealand to find out. Spoiler: It’s great for everyone.
A Bonus Reason Roundtable. Live From Boston!
Plus: Who are the editors' favorite vice presidents of all time?
Inflation, the Economy, and Political Ignorance
Public ignorance has a big impact on voter atttudes on a major issue in the 2024 election.
American Manufacturers Need Tax and Regulatory Reform, Not Tariffs
Despite both presidential candidates touting protectionist trade policy, tariffs do little to address the underlying factors that make it difficult for U.S. manufacturers to compete in the global marketplace.
Congress' Budget Process Is Broken. Here's One Idea for Fixing It.
Lawmakers should be freed from "the dead hand of some guy from 1974," says former Congressional Budget Office director.
Why Is the Economy So Weird Right Now?
Plus: Samuel Alito's bad flags, simping for marijuana, and more...
Trump's Proposed Tariffs Would Cost Families $1,700 Annually
"The scale of trade barriers proposed by candidate Trump is unprecedented."
How the Media Manufactured Panic Over Bees
About 20 years ago, many American bees did die. Then that steadily diminished—but hysteria in the press continued.
Trump's Tough Immigration Talk Comes With a High Price Tag
Are Americans prepared to spend a trillion dollars to deport undocumented migrants?
The High Cost of Commercial Land-Use Restrictions
Exclusionary zoning that targets housing gets more attention. But a new study highlights how restrictions on commercial uses also cause great harm.
Samuel Alito Was Foolish To Sell His Bud Light Stock
The conservative culture war boycott against Bud Light was actually a great time to buy stock in a successful company, even if you don't like Bud Light.
Old Enough for a Gun, Too Young for TikTok: What's Legal for Teens in Your State?
From tattoos to abortions to gender expression, a confusing mess of laws govern which Americans are considered adults.
