Bill Maher Attacks 'the Real Deep State' of Government Regulators, Administrators, and Zoning Officers
The comedian blames America's endless reams of regulatory red tape for slowing down new wind farms, housing, and public toilets.
Bureaucracy
Lawmakers and Unions Defend Burdensome Airline Regulations With Bogus Statistics
The world's largest union of pilots says this requirement is necessary for safety and not unduly burdensome, but its data are misleadingly cherry-picked.
California Environmental Regulations Are Driving Truckers Out of Pennsylvania
The Golden State's new rules—which Pennsylvania's Environmental Quality Board opted to copy—will increase the cost of a new truck by about one-third.
The Case for Letting Medicare Bureaucrats Haggle With Drug Makers
Medicare's new price-setting process for drug purchases is better than its current one if the result is lower government spending.
Review: In The Bear, a Restaurateur Battles Government Bureaucracy
A Chicago sandwich shop's survival depends on cutting through red tape.
Despite the Doomsday Narrative, Global Inequality Has Significantly Declined
This progress has been widely shared, to the great benefit of the people at the bottom of the distribution.
The Best of Reason: The DEA at 50
For five decades, drugs have been winning the war on drugs.
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?
Why Can't You Renew Your Passport Online?
Applicants are currently waiting 10 to 13 weeks for routine processing.
The Biden Administration's Antitrust Changes Would Be Great for Bureaucrats—and Bad for Consumers
The guidelines would ignore decades of academic findings about how firm concentration can have a positive impact on consumers' welfare.
Have We Lost Track of the Trump Indictments Yet?
Plus: Why don't journalists support free speech anymore?
Minnesota Caretaker Gets Lifetime Ban for Crime She Didn't Commit
Even if background check applicants are guilty of wrongdoing, imposing lifetime bans on gainful employment is not a good policy.
An Infuriating New Online Game Asks: Would You Be Able To Immigrate to the U.S.?
Players can experience for themselves how difficult, expensive, and exhausting it is to come to the country legally.
After 50 Years, the DEA Is Still Losing the War on Drugs
For five decades, the agency has destroyed countless lives while targeting Americans for personal choices and peaceful transactions.
Economic Freedom Is Declining in the U.S.
We once ranked No. 4 in the world, according to the Heritage Foundation. Now we're 25th.
The Vast Majority of People Who Want To Immigrate to the U.S. Have No Legal Option
A new Cato Institute report highlights just how hard it is to come to the U.S. legally.
Socialism Is Bad for the Environment
"All the time we hear socialists say, 'Next time, we'll get it right.' How many next times do you get?"
One Reason for New York's Pitiful Rollout of Legal Pot: License Preferences for Victims of Prohibition
More than two years after legalizing recreational use, the state has just a dozen licensed retailers.
He Spent a Decade in Jail Without Being Convicted. Now His Lawyer Says His Case Should Be Dismissed.
Maurice Jimmerson has spent 10 years in jail awaiting trial for a 2013 murder charge.
Josh Hawley Wants the Government To Silence A.I.
The Missouri senator is once again pursuing misguided tech regulation.
Blame the Feds for Your Canceled Flight This Memorial Day
Staffing shortages and laughably out-of-date technology in the federal government's air traffic control system are leading to a lot more flight delays.
Don't Mix Rare Bourbon With State Power
Oregon liquor regulators were caught diverting prized whiskey for personal use.
State Department To Bring Back Domestic Visa Renewal for Some Foreign Workers
Until 2004, all foreign workers could renew their visas without leaving the United States.
Rochelle Walensky Leaves a CDC That's Far More Powerful Than When She Entered It
Under Walensky, the CDC's voluntary guidance was anything but.
Government Waste Monopoly Pits Private Dumpster Business Against Garbage Bureaucrats
Steven Hedrick rents out roll-off dumpsters to people and hauls them away after. A new city ordinance is mandating that people use county services instead.
Supreme Court Could Rein In Administrative State With New Case
Plus: Divides over misinformation, on free markets and social justice, and more…
This Georgia Man Has Been Jailed for 10 Years Without a Trial
In 2013, Maurice Jimmerson was charged with murder. Ten years later, he's still languishing in a Dougherty County jail, awaiting trial.
FDA Head Wants 'Better Regulation' of What Government Considers Misinformation
Officials who often get it wrong can’t be trusted to reliably decree what’s true.
It Took 15 Years for the Feds To Approve a 700-Mile Electric Line
It'll be another five years before it's operational.
Here's Why the State Department Is Taking Months To Renew Your Passport
COVID-era problems are partially to blame, but so are outdated government practices.
Texas Considers Bill To Privatize the Business of Issuing Building Permits
If a municipality fails to approve or deny a permit by state-set deadlines, developers could hire private third parties to get the job done.
Foreign College Basketball Stars Are Missing Out on Endorsement Money Due to Visa Rules
College players on student visas face complex barriers when it comes to profiting off their names, images, and likenesses.
Banning TikTok Is a Power the Federal Government Doesn't Deserve
Today, TikTok. Tomorrow, who knows?
Vague Visa Rules Leave Laid-Off Twitter Worker Unable To Return to U.S.
Foreign-born tech workers in the U.S. have been especially vulnerable as tech giants lay off large shares of their work forces.
College Administrators Hate Fun
Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like the recent trend of rising administrative bloat is going to reverse anytime soon.
Banning Chinese Products in the Name of 'National Security' Could Have Disastrous Consequences
It would result in shortages, decreases in productivity, and higher production costs affecting millions of American workers and nearly every consumer.
Will Oregon's Housing Reforms Spark a Building Boom or Be a Bureaucratic Bust?
Lawmakers are considering giving state officials the ability to rewrite NIMBY cities' restrictive zoning codes.
Department of Homeland Security
DHS Just Turned 20. It's Time To Abolish It.
Break it up into fewer, smaller agencies that are more accountable to pre-9/11 departments.
Why Won't Maryland Sell Me a Goddamn Beer?
Maryland bars and restaurants have a tendency to turn away vertical ID holders. But there's no state law mandating this.
The End of a Weed Paradise
D.C. is destroying its thriving cannabis industry with bureaucracy and red tape.
The Deck Is Stacked Against Americans Who Try To Sue Government Officials
It's a threat to our fundamental rights, but courts refuse to change their approach.
The Real Political Scandal Is That Too Many Documents Are Classified
Many Democrats and Republicans were outraged when Trump and Biden respectively were found with classified documents. But both sides are missing the point.
Want Less Corruption? Try Having Smaller Government.
People can never be made incorruptible. We can, however, design governmental systems filled with checks and balances that limit the temptations.
L.A. Plans To Scrap Its Genuinely Good Outdoor Dining Program and Replace It With Rules, Fees, and Paperwork
The L.A. City Council saw a good thing happening and decided government wasn't involved enough.
PredictIt Helps Forecast Election Results. Bureaucrats Are Trying To Kill It.
Election betting markets are often more reliable than pundits. Did the site steal user funds? No. Did they lie to people? No. Harm anyone? No.
Homeland Security Wants To Protect Us From Foreign Bands
A new proposal to more than triple visa entry fees for performers will harm American audiences and culture.
Pentagon Can't Account for $220 Billion of Gear Given to Contractors
The actual total is probably higher according to the Government Accountability Office's new report.
