Zoning Regulations Empower Control Freaks—and Bigots
The Institute for Justice has launched a project to reform land use regulation.
Economics
Biden's Tariffs Are a Bad Idea
Bad for consumers, bad for American industry, bad for his administration's own environmental goals, and bad for an increasingly irrational executive branch.
Alabama Governor Signs Bill Banning Lab-Grown Meat
Lab-grown meat bans don't protect consumers, but they do protect ranchers and farmers from competition.
*Build, Baby, Build*: My Most Inexcusable Omission
Privatization of federal and state land is a massive missed opportunity. Second in a series of guest-blogging posts.
We Don't Need a Nationwide Energy Code
These new regulations will drive up housing costs even further.
Bryan Caplan, Guest-blogging About his New Book "Build, Baby, Build: The Science and Ethics of Housing Regulation"
The book makes the case for massively deregulating housing markets.
Brace for Big Tax Hikes in 2026 Unless Congress Acts
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act expires at the end of 2025, with a high price tag for most Americans.
Is Chinese Garlic a Threat to National Security?
Plus, an AI-generated recipe for garlic lovers' shrimp scampi
A SWAT Team Blew Up This Innocent Couple's Home and Left Them With the Bill. Was That Constitutional?
Mollie and Michael Slaybaugh are reportedly out over $70,000. The government says it is immune.
Marco Rubio Used To Know How Tariffs Work. What Happened?
The economics of tariffs have not changed in the past eight years. Marco Rubio has.
Labor Board Goes After Amazon CEO for Suggesting Workers Might Be 'Better Off' Without Unions
The First Amendment applies even to the CEOs of successful companies, but the NLRB seems to disagree.
No, Unions Aren't Having a Resurgence—and That's Good for Workers
Private unions have every right to exist, but that doesn't mean they're actually beneficial on net.
Trump Promised To 'Drain the Swamp.' He Did the Opposite.
Total spending under Trump nearly doubled. New programs filled Washington with more bureaucrats.
Ron DeSantis Says Letting People Buy Cultivated Meat Is Like Forcing Them To Eat Bugs
Florida’s protectionist ban on the nascent industry sacrifices conservative principles in the name of a culture war that politicizes everything.
Academics Use Imaginary Data in Their Research
Academia values the appearance of truth over actual truth.
Rent Free Q&A: Bryan Caplan on Build, Baby, Build
The George Mason University economist talks about his new housing comic book and how America could deregulate its way into an affordable urban utopia.
Americans Care About Inflation, but Politicians Don't
Plus: A listener asks the editors about cancelling student loan debt.
Not Even Artificial Intelligence Can Make Central Planning Work
Revolutionary AI technologies can't solve the "wicked problems" facing policy makers.
Americans Are Still Really Worried About Inflation
And for good reason: Even at 3.5 percent, inflation is running higher than it did in almost every year for three decades before 2021.
Rent Control Remains the Wrong Solution to Housing Woes
Restricting the price of housing kills incentives to supply places to live.
How California's Ban on Diesel Locomotives Could Have Major National Repercussions
No technology exists today to enable railroads to comply with the state's diktat, which villainizes a mode of transportation that is actually quite energy efficient.
This Elderly Man Was Arrested After Shooting a Burglar in Self-Defense—for Carrying the Gun Without a License
Vincent Yakaitis is unfortunately not the first such defendant. He will also not be the last.
No One Can Make Government Work
If businesses don't serve customers well, they go out of business. Government, on the other hand, is a monopoly.
The Best of Reason: In the AI Economy, There Will Be Zero Percent Unemployment
AI developer Andrew Mayne explains why technology could create more jobs and lead to unprecedented economic growth.
Don't Fall For RFK Jr.'s Home Loan Scheme
Kennedy’s plan for government-backed mortgage bonds will do to housing what federal student loans have done to college tuition.
China Is Doubling Down on Electric Vehicle Subsidies
Electric vehicles are not a bad thing, especially in heavily polluted China. But the market should drive demand, not central planners.
In the AI Economy, There Will Be Zero Percent Unemployment
AI developer Andrew Mayne explains why technology could create more jobs and lead to unprecedented economic growth.
These New York Agencies Benefit From Giving Away Taxpayer Money
A report from Good Jobs First found that 80 percent of state development agency revenue comes from fees: The more tax money they give out, the more they get to keep.
NOAA Billion-Dollar Weather Disasters Are Not Evidence of Climate Change
Weather and climate disaster losses as a percentage of U.S. GDP have not increased between 1990 and 2019, a new study finds.
Congress Yet Again Abuses 'Emergency Spending' for Non-Emergency Purposes
Let's just call this what it is: another gimmick for Congress to escape its own budget limits and avoid having a conversation about tradeoffs.
Another Illegal Power Grab From the FTC
Banning noncompete agreements goes well beyond the FTC's legal authority.
Capitalism Makes Society Less Racist
In the Jim Crow South, businesses fought racism—because the rules denied them customers.
Worst 4/20 Ever
Plus: A listener asks the editors to steel man the case for the Jones Act, an antiquated law that regulates maritime commerce in U.S. waters.
Julian Simon Was Right: Ingenuity Leads to Abundance
We live in a world of abundance (when politicians don’t screw it up).
If They Ban TikTok, Is Apple Next?
Banning companies for doing business with China is a bad path to start down.
Could Virtual Cashiers Be the Future of the Restaurant Industry?
Having someone take your fast-food order on a virtual call may seem strange, but the benefits speak for themselves.
This Tax Week, Remember That the Federal Income Tax Is Relatively New
There are many pervasive myths about the U.S. tax code. Here are a few.
Biden's Call for More Steel Tariffs Is Economically Ineffective Political Pandering
If higher tariffs were the solution to anything, wouldn't there be evidence of that by now?
COVID Stimulus Money Lined the Pockets of Scammers and Fueled Inflation
Money supposedly spent to help Americans may actually have done a lot of damage.
Brussels Mayor Attempts To Shut Down National Conservatism Conference by Force
It's a good thing opponents of the move can appeal to the liberal values of free speech, free association, and equal treatment under law.
Study Finds Occupational Licensing Laws Depress Wages in Other Industries
A Cato Institute policy brief found that while licensed occupations see a nice bump in pay, licensing requirements lower wages for other similar occupations.
Government Data Refute the Notion That Overprescribing Caused the 'Opioid Crisis'
The CDC’s numbers show that pain treatment is not responsible for escalating drug-related deaths.
U.S. Defense Spending Continues To Spiral Out of Control
Increased spending does not automatically equate to higher quality—something that is often lost in this debate.
Minneapolis Is About To Kill Ride-Sharing
Chasing Seattle's shadow, Minneapolis' new ride-share wage law threatens to derail the gig economy.
Don't Forget To Claim Drug Dealing Income on Your Taxes
According to IRS guidance, any income derived from illegal activity is taxable, and there's no statute of limitations on when they can go after you.
