Great Moments in Unintended Consequences: Printed Guns, Scratch and Sniff, Jakarta Traffic (Vol. 18)
Good intentions, bad results.
Policy
The Federal Government Has a Lot of Unused Land. Can We Sell It Off To Build Houses?
One proposal would create a streamlined process for selling off federal land to state and local governments, but only if they allow housing to be built on it.
Trump Makes Canada Free Again
Canada’s retaliation against Trump’s tariffs is wiping American alcohol off store shelves—and fueling an unexpected push to deregulate its own restrictive liquor laws.
Biden Rushed Out Billions for Green Energy Projects Before Trump Took Office
The outgoing administration shoveled out loans for projects that private lenders wouldn't fund.
Justice Department Doubles Down Against Google
The government's demands would reduce competition and harm consumer welfare.
Government Goons Destroy Tree House
The owner of a beloved neighborhood structure spent years—and thousands of dollars—trying to comply with L.A. bureaucrats’ demands.
J.D. Vance Blames Zoning, Immigrants for High Housing Costs
Plus: Texas and Minnesota consider an aggressive suite of housing supply bills, while San Diego tries to ratchet up regulations on ADUs.
Trump and California Are Set To Duke It Out Over Environmental Policy Again
During Trump's first term, California filed numerous lawsuits seeking to halt deregulation.
The 'Montana Miracle' Vindicated in Court
On Monday, a Montana judge roundly rejected homeowners' legal challenge to new laws allowing duplexes and accessory dwelling units in single-family areas.
Are Cage-Free Laws To Blame for High Egg Prices?
State laws banning caged eggs are cutting off millions from cheaper options.
DOGE and Congress Should Look Hard at Reforming Social Security
Means-test Social Security, raise the retirement age, and let us invest our own money.
The California Bar Exam's February Fiasco
An online administration meltdown and question leaks leave test takers frustrated and furious and others demanding answers.
Trump's Dramatic Crossroads Between Protectionism and Dynamism
The GOP faces a choice about how to move forward.
Trump Promised To Lower Prices. Will Congress Help Him Deliver?
At the current rate of inflation, the dollar will lose 33 cents of purchasing power within a decade.
Banning Diet Supplements Won't Stop Teen Eating Disorders
Dietary supplement bans for minors may spread—but they’ll be costly, confusing, and ineffective.
Upcoming Event on "Solving the Nation's Housing Crisis"
Economist Bryan Caplan and I will speak at event sponsored by the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University.
Trump Administration Moves To Streamline Environmental Reviews
From forest restoration to energy infrastructure, NEPA delays projects that would benefit the economy and environment.
Fresh Starts on Starter Homes
Lawmakers in Arizona and California are attempting to overcome local resistance to meaningful starter home reforms.
Trump's Love-Hate Relationship With Big Tech
If Trump wants to encourage domestic investment, his antitrust appointees should ditch their Big Tech prejudice.
Meet the New FTC—Same as the Old FTC
Federal Trade Commission Chair Andrew Ferguson reaffirms the flawed 2023 merger guidelines.
FTC Chair Throws Stones in a Glass House
Federal Trade Commission Chair Andrew Ferguson hypocritically engages in the very partisanship for which he faults the American Bar Association.
The Best of Reason: Javier Milei Ended Rent Control. Now the Argentine Real Estate Market Is Coming Back to Life.
"The effects were immediately seen by everyone and they were all beneficial," says the former vice president of Argentina's central bank.
Bad To Worse
From insurance to affordable housing mandates, California's regulatory noose tightens over wildfire rebuilding efforts.
Google Is Big. Does That Make It a Monopoly?
To understand the federal government's case against Google Search, you need to understand the different visions over monopoly and government power.
Lawsuit Over New Hampshire Donut Mural Heads to Trial
Conway, New Hampshire, is trying to make a local bakery take down a mural of colorful baked goods. The bakery says that violates its First Amendment rights.
The Best of Reason: How the Fair Housing Act Gave Us Emotional Support Parrots
The right to a reasonable accommodation has produced some absurd results.
Why Are We Fighting?
When regulations limit what kind of housing can be built, the result is endless arguments about what people really want.
Life, Liberty, and the Right To Shitpost
Generative AI is a powerful tool for creativity and speech. Efforts to censor, regulate, and control it threaten America's tradition of open discourse.
How Antitrust Crusaders Brought a Porn App to iPhones
The E.U.'s Digital Markets Act is making it easier for iPhone users to watch porn.
Javier Milei Ended Rent Control. Now the Argentine Real Estate Market Is Coming Back to Life.
"The effects were immediately seen by everyone and they were all beneficial," says the former vice president of Argentina's central bank.
The Lost Treasures of California's Devastating Wildfires
Some of California's architectural wonders were consumed by the flames.
America Is Going Broke. Will the Department of Government Efficiency Help?
Eliminating the deficit requires cutting the biggest spending—defense, Medicare, Social Security. So far, Trump says he won't touch those.
Libertarian Party Gets New National Chair After Angela McArdle's Surprise Resignation
The Mises Caucus hold over the party cracks as its founder Michael Heise loses in a 9-6 vote to Steven Nekhaila.
FEMA Is a Disaster. Trump Is Right To Demand Changes.
The agency is ineffective, duplicative, and expensive.
Town Uses Eminent Domain To Stop Private Affordable Housing Project
Johnston, Rhode Island, Mayor Joseph Polisena promised to "use all the power of government" to stop the privately financed 252-unit project.
Will Trump Embrace the AI Future or Succumb to His Protectionist Impulses?
Trump and Biden both backed trade restrictions that ultimately lead to higher prices for the computer chips necessary to power artificial intelligence.
No, Elon: It Isn't Illegal To Boycott X
Elon Musk sues seven more companies for pulling advertising from his platform.
How the Fair Housing Act Gave Us Emotional Support Parrots
The right to a reasonable accommodation has produced some absurd results.
Biden's Antitrust Crackdown Stifled Innovation
Antitrust scrutiny of startup acquisitions led to fewer deals and less venture capital funding.
Javier Milei Promised To Take a 'Chainsaw' to Argentina's Government. It's Working.
Inflation and rent prices are down, and the country has a budget surplus.
Missing Middle, What Is It Good For?
Allowing duplexes and triplexes in single-family neighborhoods doesn't increase housing supply much. But it does give people more choices.
To Speed Recovery, California Must Let Markets Work
Anyone who thinks state regulatory agencies will help them doesn't understand how these agencies actually operate.
18 Months After Wildfires Destroyed Some 2,000 Homes on Maui, Only 3 Have Been Rebuilt
A thicket of red tape has made the island's rebuilding efforts painfully slow.
Our Amicus Brief Urging the Supreme Court to Hear Case on Overruling Kelo v. City of New London
The brief is on behalf of the Cato Institute and myself.
In Session
Lawmakers across the country introduce bills to strengthen private property rights, crackdown on out-of-control regulators, and get the government out of micromanaging stairways.
Javier Milei Deregulates Food Imports and Exports
The move "seeks cheaper food for Argentines and more Argentine food for the world."
