The Trump Administration Wages War on Meta
Mark Zuckerberg's donations haven't stopped the Federal Trade Commission from going after his company.
Policy
In 12 Years, This $40 Billion High-Speed Rail Line in Texas Has Not Laid a Single Foot of Track
The budget for the project has quadrupled, and private property owners have opposed the use of eminent domain along the proposed 240-mile route.
How Far Will the Trump Administration Go Against Mexican Drug Cartels?
Using the military to wage the drug war in Mexico raises practical and constitutional issues.
Why Nuclear Energy Developers Are Suing Federal Regulators
The lawsuit will hopefully make stringent regulations for nuclear power a relic of the past.
Hawaii County Tells Homeowner His 38-Year-Old House Is Actually Illegal
Shahzaad Ausman has had to sue the county to confirm that he can continue to live in his own home.
Derek Thompson: Democrats Must Change
The Atlantic's Derek Thompson urges Democrats to embrace more libertarian, pro-growth policies in his new book.
The Fantastical Showerhead Executive Order
A simple and quite symbolic presidential decree that symbolizes quite a bit, but accomplishes very little.
Donald Trump Deregulates Showerheads…Again
From Obama, to Trump, to Biden, to Trump again, the definition of showerhead keeps changing.
Zoning Police Come for Cape Cod Lobsterman
Jon Tolley and his family have been serving fresh lobster from their home for over 50 years, but an anonymous complaint to town regulators threatens to shut their business down for good.
Markets Rally as Trump Pauses Tariffs. Should Presidents Have This Much Power?
In the span of a week, Trump cratered the stock market and brought it much of the way back, with little more than public statements.
Slow and Steady
Despite politicians touting progress, Los Angeles has only issued three permits for wildfire rebuilds and debris removal is expected to drag on for many months.
The Trump Administration Should Focus on Deregulation, Not Tariffs
Freed of regulatory deadweight, Americans will be in a much better position to compete with the world.
Trump Is Giving Everyone What They Want In the Dumbest Way Possible
Dynamists, protectionists, hawks, and doves are seeing their policy goals realized in the most bungling and incompetent fashion imaginable.
Donald Trump's Energy Department Saved Your Appliances
Decades of efficiency mandates have made dishwashers weaker, A.C. units feebler, and appliances more expensive. A new rollback offers a rare win for function over dogma.
Oh, Canada
Prime Minister Mark Carney's plan to create a federal housing developer is a terrible idea.
For the First Time in 80 Years, the U.S. Denies Mexico's Request for Water
The escalating dispute threatens Mexican farmers—and American consumers.
Comic: The Bottom-Up POV of Jane Jacobs
Challenging the common knowledge of urban planning
Federalist Society Webinar on "The California Wildfires and America's Housing Shortage"
The panelists included M. Nolan Gray, Jennifer Hernandez, and myself.
On the Effects of Occupational Licensing on the Legal Profession
An interesting new study on how state bar requirements may affect the quality and quantity of legal services.
Judge Orders Rhode Island Town To Return Secretly Seized Land to Affordable Housing Developer
Plus: the federal government tries to stiff landlords over eviction moratorium one last time, the Supreme Court declines to take up eminent domain case, and starter home bills advance in Arizona and Texas.
Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Case that Might Have Led to Overruling of Kelo v. City of New London
We don't know why the justices chose not to take it.
RFK Jr. Wants To Ban Food Dyes. Would That Really Improve Public Health?
Such a regulation would override consumer choice for scientifically shaky reasons.
Trump and Congress Have a Right and a Duty To Kill the Department of Education
The feds have no constitutional authorization to meddle in education.
Lawsuit Challenges Use of Eminent Domain as NIMBY Tool to Block Housing Project
A Rhode Island town seeks to use eminent domain to block construction of a large-scale affordable housing project.
Review: A Novel About Pronatalist Government Programs
Set in South Korea, Apartment Women reflects real concerns about the country's lagging birth rate.
The Supreme Court Has an Opportunity To Correct Its Kelo Eminent Domain Error
A New York case revives concerns about seizing private property to benefit favored developers.
Town Secretly Seizes Developers' Property Then Threatens Them With Trespassing Citation
The owners, who were planning an affordable housing project on the site, first learned about the seizure from the mayor's social media post.
Lawn-Sign Liberalism vs. Supply-Side Progressivism
"Supply-side progressives" like Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson are ultimately technocrats, not libertarians. But they recognize that more is better than less and that a good society is not zero-sum.
Great Moments in Unintended Consequences: Printed Guns, Scratch and Sniff, Jakarta Traffic (Vol. 18)
Good intentions, bad results.
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.
