Coronavirus
Amicus Brief in Title 42 "Public Health" Expulsion Case
I wrote an amicus brief on behalf of the Cato Institute, addressing the important nondelegation and "major questions" issues raised by the federal government's awful policy.
Austrian Politicians Say Vaccines Are the Key to Ending the Pandemic. They're Also Ordering the Vaccinated Back Into Lockdown.
The latest restrictions come less than a week after the country ordered its unvaccinated population into lockdown.
Thousands of Federal Prisoners Aren't Getting Mandated Time Credits Because Prison Officials Won't Negotiate
COVID-19 has led to foot dragging in implementing some FIRST STEP Act reforms.
What's New in the Revised Edition of Free to Move"—Part I: Pandemic Migration Restrictions
For obvious reasons, this important issue wasn't in the first edition of the book. But it's covered in some detail in the new one.
Democrats' 'Build Back Better' Bill Is a Federal Power Grab. Americans Will Pay the Price.
The legislation will have a negative impact on the labor supply and send high prices soaring even higher.
Was It a Lab Leak? The Mysterious Origin of COVID-19
Matt Ridley and Alina Chan, authors of the new book Viral: The Search for the Origin of COVID-19, say the preponderance of evidence now points toward a lab origin and genetic engineering.
'QAnon Shaman' Jacob Chansley Gets 41 Months in Prison
Plus: Detroit schools close on Fridays just because, Scott Alexander offers a plausible ivermectin theory, and more...
Will Sixth Circuit Take OSHA ETS Case En Banc? (Updated)
A petition has been filed asking the full court to hear the legal challenges to the OSHA COVID-19 vaccinate-or-test mandate.
Challenges to OSHA Vaccine-or-Test Standard to Be Heard by Sixth Circuit
As a result of the multi-district litigation lottery process, all of the challenges will be heard in a single circuit.
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser Will Finally Relax D.C.'s Stubborn Mask Mandate
Unlike in neighboring counties, D.C.'s mandate was never tied to specific metrics.
Assessing the Fifth Circuit's Decision Staying OSHA's Vaccinate-or-Test Emergency Temporary Standard
While the court identified serious problems with the new OSHA regulation requiring larger employers to vaccinate or test their workers, its opinion was rushed and sloppy.
Austria Orders the Unvaccinated Back Into Lockdown
Plus: Myanmar releases imprisoned U.S. journalist Danny Fenster, another budding San Francisco small business is strangled by red tape, and more...
Extending Its Stay, the 5th Circuit Says OSHA's Vaccine Mandate Is 'Fatally Flawed'
A unanimous three-judge panel concludes that the decree "grossly exceeds OSHA's statutory authority."
Biden Administration, School Board Association Colluded To Direct FBI Scrutiny at Parents Who Were Critical of School Boards
The National School Boards Association considers aggrieved parents essentially "domestic terrorists," and the FBI agreed to crack down on them.
A Ruling Against Greg Abbott Suggests Federal Law May Require Schools To Mandate Masks
A federal judge concluded that the Texas governor's ban on mask mandates illegally discriminated against students with disabilities.
Dueling Dictionary Definitions Figure Prominently in the Legal Dispute Over OSHA's Vaccine Mandate
Is the COVID-19 virus an "agent"?
Nicholas Christakis: How To End the Covid Pandemic
Misinformation and bad policy can only be defeated by robust, open debate in the public square.
Sixth Circuit Takes Michigan COVID Mask Rule En Banc
The full court will consider the proper standard for judicial review of COVID restrictions in religious institutions.
The CDC's Director Implies That Face Masks Are More Effective Than Vaccines at Preventing COVID-19 Infection
Rochelle Walensky seems to be relying on a laboratory study that did not measure infection risk.
America Still Seen as Free in an Increasingly Unfree World
Residents of other liberal democracies see the U.S. as respecting liberty even as authoritarianism advances globally.
Here Are the Arguments That Persuaded the 5th Circuit To Block OSHA's Vaccine Mandate for Private Employers
The appeals court said the rule, which was published on Friday, raises "grave statutory and constitutional issues."
Voters Are Done With COVID-19 and Pandemic-Powered Officials
Panicked Americans surrendered a lot of authority during the pandemic. Now they want their country back.
Biden Administration Imposes Vaccine Mandate on Health Care Facilities that Participate in Medicare or Medicaid
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services has adopted a more stringent rule for health care providers than OSHA is imposing on large employers.
OSHA Employer Vaccination Mandate is Narrower than Earlier White House Announcement—But Still has Legal Vulnerabilities [Updated with brief response to Jonathan Adler]
The rule just issued by OSHA has fewer legal flaws than the initial plan floated by the White House. But it's still problematic, and could set a dangerous precedent if upheld by courts.
The Details of OSHA's Vaccination Rule for Private Employees Suggest Several Ways It Could Be Vulnerable to Legal Challenges
Federal courts will have to decide whether the rule is "necessary" to protect workers from a "grave danger."
OSHA (Finally) Issues Emergency Standard Mandating Large Employers Require Vaccination or Testing (Updated)
The federal standard contains some carve outs that were not part of the White House announcement, likely to help insulate rule from legal challenge. (Updated with a response to Ilya Somin.)
In Gangbuster Night for Republicans, Glenn Youngkin Wins Virginia Governor's Race
Plus: The Twin cities both say yes to rent control, Eric Adams will be the next mayor of New York City, and more...
Virginia Governor Race Is an Education Policy Wake-Up Call That Democrats (and the Media) Won't Heed
Calling voters racist is an odd closing argument, let alone an effective response to concerns over schools.
My New "The Hill" Article Making the Case for Ending Pandemic-Related Migration Restrictions
It also explains why they probably should never have been adopted in the first place.
COVID Proves Andrew Yang's UBI Won't Work
Can the government really cut everyone a check without bankrupting the country and killing labor force participation?
This Woman Served 11 Years in Prison on a Marijuana Charge. She's Been Sent Back Over a Clerical Error.
Raquel Esquivel, convicted of a nonviolent drug offense in 2009, was put on home confinement during COVID-19.
Freedom, Responsibility, and Coronavirus Policy
Plus: The Reason Roundtable makes talking about taxes interesting.
Americans Now Prefer Smaller Government, But May Not Get It
No matter what the public wants, crises typically leave the state more powerful.
NIMBY New Yorkers Sue City Over 'Proliferation of Outdoor Dining'
The Open Restaurants Program spared much of New York's restaurant industry from the ravages of COVID-19 shutdowns.
Lockdowns' High Costs and Murky Benefits
Cato economist Ryan Bourne's new book is a much-needed rejoinder to the obtuse economic reasoning of many pandemic-era policy makers.
Montana Attorney General Harasses Hospital Staff for Refusing To Administer Ivermectin to a Patient
Dispatching a state trooper to a hospital seems a bit excessive.
What Did Public Schools Do With COVID Relief Money? Whatever They Wanted.
Track and field equipment and salaries for custodians are among the goods and services school districts purchased with COVID-19 relief money. Figuring out what they did with the rest of it remains difficult.
Media Try To Cancel In-N-Out Burger Over Refusal To Enforce San Francisco's Vaccine Passports
Plus: The CDC greenlights "mix and match" booster shots, the U.S. is accepting zero Uyghur refugees, and more...
When Will Positive COVID-19 Trends Be Reflected in the CDC's Advice?
Because the agency ties mask recommendations to virus transmission rather than serious cases, its guidance is unlikely to change anytime soon.
More Evidence Emerges that the NIH Funded Coronavirus Gain-of-Function Research in China
What did Fauci know and when did he know it?
CDC Wants Your Vaccinated 5-Year-Old Masked Indefinitely
Director Rochelle Walensky characterizes the potential unmasking of even vaccinated children as being "complacent."
Pandemic Disagreements Fuel Exodus From Public Schools
One-size-fits-some policies drive parents and students to seek better education options.