Health
The Lesson of COVID-19: Don't Give Government More Power
The pandemic showed that America's founders were right to create a system of checks and balances that made it hard for leaders to easily have their way.
'Emergency' Spending Is Out of Control
Congress has authorized over $12 trillion in emergency spending over the past three decades.
'15 Days To Slow the Spread': On the Fourth Anniversary, a Reminder to Never Give Politicians That Power Again
In the name of safety, politicians did many things that diminished our lives—without making us safer.
The Supreme Court Should Reject Clandestine Government Censorship of Online Speech
The Biden administration’s social media meddling went far beyond "information" and "advice."
These Students Lost More Than Half a Year of Learning During COVID
Schools districts that stayed almost entirely remote significantly hindered progress, according to new data.
SCOTUS Ponders Whether the Biden Administration Coerced Social Media Platforms To Censor Speech
Several justices seemed concerned that an injunction would interfere with constitutionally permissible contacts.
The New York Times Again Worries That Free Speech Endangers Democracy
The newspaper portrays the constitutional challenge to the government's social media meddling as a conspiracy by Donald Trump's supporters.
Because 'Marijuana Is Dangerous,' 2 Inveterate Drug Warriors Say, 'Legalizing It Was a Mistake'
William Barr and John Walters ignore the benefits of legalization and systematically exaggerate its costs.
Biden's Proposed Corporate Tax Hike Will Punish the Average American
The president wants to raise the rate from 21 percent to 28 percent, despite it being well-established that this is the most economically-destructive method to raise government funds.
New Orleans Police Say Rats Are Eating Drug Evidence
The admission came as the agency pushed for funding. It's a reminder that the cops should spend fewer resources seizing cannabis and more on solving serious crimes.
CDC Vastly Overestimated U.S. Maternal Death Rates, Says New Study
Maternal health care has actually improved substantially in many areas.
Abortion Pill Studies Retracted: Politics or Science?
"Following the science" as the Supreme Court considers the safety and efficacy of medical abortions.
RIP Marc Sandhaus, Whose Obsession With Cannabis Landraces Finally Bore Flower
The far-traveling smuggler turned breeder "never gave up" on his dream of recovering neglected marijuana strains.
Expanding the Drug War To Include Tobacco Would Be a Big Mistake
The judicially approved Brookline ban reflects a broader trend among progressives who should know better.
A Bipartisan Tax Hike Won't Fix This Deficit
The government needs to cut back on spending—and on the promises to special interests that fuel the spending.
Alabama Governor Signs Bill Protecting IVF Treatments
After the Alabama Supreme Court ruled in February that frozen embryos were children, legislators scrambled to protect in vitro fertilization clinics.
Rand Paul's Bill Would Require NIH Scientists To Disclose Royalties They Receive From Drug Companies
The Royalty Transparency Act passed unanimously out of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee yesterday.
After 17 Years, Feds Stop Trying To Imprison a Licensed Medical Marijuana Provider
Charlie Lynch’s ordeal is a vivid reminder of a senseless prohibition policy that persists thanks to political inertia.
The Federal Government Doesn't Know How Many of Its Buildings Contain Asbestos
A new report from the Government Accountability Office finds that two-thirds of government-owned buildings haven't been inspected for asbestos in at least five years.
Rudy Carey Was Pardoned, but the Unjust Law That Kept Him From Working Is Still on the Books
Virginia’s barrier crime law limits employment prospects for ex-offenders, who often find their way back into the penal system when they can’t find work.
Virginia Surrogacy Bill Doesn't Go Far Enough
Allowing surrogacy brokers to be paid is good. Allowing surrogates themselves to be paid would be better.
More Evidence That COVID School Closures Wrecked Student Performance
California's poorly served public school students need more than a few more dollars diverted to tutoring programs. They need an escape hatch.
Bryan Johnson: Can This Rich Transhumanist Beat Death?
Bryan Johnson, venture capitalist and founder of Blueprint, discusses his $2 million a year effort to reverse aging on Just Asking Questions.
SCOTUS Takes on Trump
Plus: Balkan begging, California corruption, Russian gravediggers, and more...
The Economy Is Doing Way Better Than Many Believe
Despite the popular narrative, Millennials have dramatically more wealth than Gen Xers had at the same age, and incomes continue to grow with each new generation.
Parents, Not the Government, Should Make IVF Decisions
Two-thirds of Americans oppose the Alabama ruling that claims frozen embryos are equivalent to children.
Brian Riedl: Who Bankrupted Us More—Trump or Biden?
"I'm concerned about a Trump-Biden rematch," argues Riedl. "You have two presidents with two of the worst fiscal records of the past 100 years."
Congress Continues To Make the Tax Code Ridiculously Hard To Understand
I shouldn't have to spend so much money on an accountant every year. But I don't really have a choice.
DEA Shuts Down Drug Factory Even as Adderall Shortage Persists
The DEA is cracking down on manufacturers, hurting patients who genuinely need those drugs.
Losing the Home State
Plus: Adderall shortages, infrastructure lessons, Kanye West, and more...
Feds Make a Pharma Patent Grab
A Biden administration ploy could give the federal government control over drug prices.
The Justice Department Quietly Ends Reprosecution of Man Who Received Clemency From Trump
Philip Esformes was sentenced for charges on which a jury hung. After receiving a commutation, the federal government vowed to try to put him back in prison.
Expanding the Child Tax Credit Would Perpetuate Systemic Poverty
The policy is a true budget buster and is ineffective in the long term.
Liquor Regulators Are Seeking Revenge on Bars That Broke Pandemic Rules
"The people who violated the governor's mandates and orders should face some consequences," a Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board member said in 2022.
Frozen Embryos Are Now Children Under Alabama Law
State Supreme Court Chief Justice Tom Parker cited the Bible to explain why.
Supreme Court Denies Red State Effort to Intervene in Mifepristone Case
The Court also rejects a late-filed amicus briefs from the American Bar Association, but accepts one from former FDA Commissioners.
The Sindex: Cigarette Prices Outpacing Inflation
The Reason Sindex tracks the price of vice: smoking, drinking, snacking, traveling, and more.
When Doctors Are the Source of Public Health Misinformation
Medical professionals are often unaware of the relevant research on the relative risks of tobacco products, and that can matter for public health.
Shrinkflation Is Real—and It's Largely Biden's Fault
The president criticized companies for selling "smaller-than-usual products" whose "price stays the same." But it was his and his predecessor's spending policies that caused the underlying issue.
Did Decriminalization Boost Drug Deaths in Oregon?
Recent research finds "no evidence" that it did, undermining a key claim by critics of that policy.
Biden's Cognitive Shrinkflation
Plus: A listener asks if the state of Oregon’s policy on drug decriminalization should be viewed as a success.
COVID Vaccine Injuries Deserve a Day in Court
Injury claims for COVID vaccines are subject to a different process than other vaccines.
Was Amazon 'Free to Ignore' White House Demands That It Suppress Anti-Vaccine Books?
The Biden administration's interference with bookselling harks back to a 1963 Supreme Court case involving literature that Rhode Island deemed dangerous.
Elizabeth Warren's 'Shrinkflation' Rant Is an Incredible Exercise in Blame-Shifting
The Massachusetts senator blames corporate greed for price increases that were caused by inflationary federal spending she supported.