Eating Doritos While Drowning in Debt
Plus: A listener asks if there are any libertarian solutions to rising obesity rates.
Federal government
The Government Wants To Track Your Steak
A proposed USDA rule would require RFID tagging of all cattle and bison that move across state lines.
The Supreme Court Again Strengthens the Right to a Jury Trial in Criminal Sentencing
Paul Erlinger was sentenced to 15 years in prison based largely on a determination made by a judge—not a jury.
Federal Budget Deficit Forecast Jumps $400 Billion, Fueled by Student Debt Forgiveness
The Congressional Budget Office reports the 2024 budget deficit will near $2 trillion.
The Supreme Court May Be on the Brink of Radically Restricting Bureaucrats' Power
Chevron deference, a doctrine created by the Court in 1984, gives federal agencies wide latitude in interpreting the meaning of various laws. But the justices may overturn that.
Juneteenth Is a Celebration of Freedom
The holiday represents a page-turning from one of the most shameful chapters in American history.
The National Debt Is Now So High That Every American Essentially Owes $100,000
We could grow our way out of our debt burden if politicians would limit spending increases to just below America's average yearly economic growth. But they won't even do that.
The Best of Reason: Government Can't Fix America's Baby Bust
The obstacles to having more babies can't be moved by tax incentives or subsidized child care.
Biden Administration Seeks Overly Harsh Sentences for Blocking Abortion Clinic Access
Whatever you think of abortion, the Department of Justice's latest approach to these cases is misguided.
What Can You Do While Waiting for a FOIA Response?
It often takes almost a year or more to get public records from the federal government. Here are some things you can do while you wait.
Federally Funded Dad Jokes
Does America really need a National Strategic Dad Jokes Reserve?
Government Can't Fix America's Baby Bust
The obstacles to having more babies can't be moved by tax incentives or subsidized child care.
The Government Screwed Up College Financial Aid Applications
The new FAFSA form is like HealthCare.gov but for college students.
The Best of Reason: American Small Businesses Are Desperate for Foreign Workers
The number of job openings far exceeds the number of unemployed Americans. Seasonal businesses can't get the foreign labor they need.
The GOP Once Claimed To Be the Party of 'Fiscal Responsibility.' So Why Not Reform Social Security?
Reasonable options include gradually raising the minimum retirement age, adjusting benefits to reflect longer life expectancies, and implementing fair means-testing to ensure benefits flow where they're actually needed.
Jay Bhattacharya: 'I Sued the Biden Administration for COVID Censorship'
Bhattacharya explains the stakes of Murthy v. Missouri, the politicization of medical research, and his RFK Jr. endorsement.
American Small Businesses Are Desperate for Foreign Workers
The number of job openings far exceeds the number of unemployed Americans. Seasonal businesses can't get the foreign labor they need.
$7.5 Billion in Government Cash Only Built 8 E.V. Chargers in 2.5 Years
While the private sector builds hundreds of public chargers, the government spends billions of dollars for just a handful of charging stations.
The Congressional Budget Office's Alternative Scenarios Forecast a Dire Economic Picture
Why aren't politicians on both sides more worried than they seem to be?
Trump's Mass Deportation Plan Is Anti-American
Donald Trump’s promise to carry out “the largest domestic deportation operation” in U.S. history would tear apart families, harm American workers, and require militaristic enforcement.
American Manufacturers Need Tax and Regulatory Reform, Not Tariffs
Despite both presidential candidates touting protectionist trade policy, tariffs do little to address the underlying factors that make it difficult for U.S. manufacturers to compete in the global marketplace.
A Cop's Corruption Allegedly Cost an Innocent Man 2 Years of His Life. Should She Get Qualified Immunity?
Judge Carlton Reeves ripped apart the legal doctrine in his latest decision on the matter.
House Passes a Bill To Create Independent Oversight of the Troubled Federal Prison System
Staff shortages and chronic corruption have plagued the Bureau of Prisons for years, exposing inmates to abuse and whistleblowers to retaliation.
Zoning Regulations Empower Control Freaks—and Bigots
The Institute for Justice has launched a project to reform land use regulation.
Brace for Big Tax Hikes in 2026 Unless Congress Acts
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act expires at the end of 2025, with a high price tag for most Americans.
The Federal Government is Literally Taxing Air
Arcane tax rules based on carbonation levels are flattening the growth of America's craft cider industry.
Remy: Fortnight (Federal Employee Version)
A tale from the Tortured Public Servants Department.
An American Gangster at 100: J. Edgar Hoover's Authoritarian Legacy
Hoover’s reign at the FBI compromised American civil liberties and turned the FBI into America's secret police.
The Government's Solution to FAFSA Chaos: Spend $50 Million More
Instead of throwing money at the problem, the Education Department should commit to fixing the form for next year.
The Feds Are Talking to Social Media Companies Again
Unless the Supreme Court rules against this practice, it is certain to continue.
The Government Fears This Privacy Tool
The Department of Justice indicted the creators of Samourai Wallet, an application that helps people spend their bitcoins anonymously.
Trump Promised To 'Drain the Swamp.' He Did the Opposite.
Total spending under Trump nearly doubled. New programs filled Washington with more bureaucrats.
Trump Promises To Give Police 'Immunity From Prosecution'
The pledge, while mostly legally illiterate, offers a reminder of the former president's outlook on government accountability.
West Virginia Declares State of Emergency Over FAFSA Chaos
Due to persistent glitches in the financial aid form, Gov. Jim Justice issued an executive order lifting the FAFSA requirement for several state grants.
How California's Ban on Diesel Locomotives Could Have Major National Repercussions
No technology exists today to enable railroads to comply with the state's diktat, which villainizes a mode of transportation that is actually quite energy efficient.
Groundhog Day for the Crypto Wars: The DOJ on Bitcoin Prowl
The government always has seemingly good reasons to sidestep people’s rights.
No One Can Make Government Work
If businesses don't serve customers well, they go out of business. Government, on the other hand, is a monopoly.
FDA Once Again Stands Athwart Biomedical Innovation, Yelling 'Stop!'
New red tape will result in fewer safe and effective diagnostic tests.
Justin Amash on Why Congress Is Broken
"Today it is highly centralized, where a few people at the top control everything," the former five-term congressman tells Reason's Nick Gillespie.
Congress Yet Again Abuses 'Emergency Spending' for Non-Emergency Purposes
Let's just call this what it is: another gimmick for Congress to escape its own budget limits and avoid having a conversation about tradeoffs.
Another Illegal Power Grab From the FTC
Banning noncompete agreements goes well beyond the FTC's legal authority.
A Cruel and Risky Abortion Ban Versus an Overreaching Interpretation of Federal Law
There are no good sides in today's Supreme Court case concerning the EMTALA and abortion.
Another Day, Another Doomed Plan To Defund NPR
We've seen this saga so many times before.
New Privacy Rights Act Exempts Government and Gives More Power to the FTC
An interview with Consumer Choice Center Deputy Director Yaël Ossowski.
COVID Stimulus Money Lined the Pockets of Scammers and Fueled Inflation
Money supposedly spent to help Americans may actually have done a lot of damage.
Donald Trump's Cowardice Over Warrantless Spying
"I told everybody, 'Do what you want,'" Trump said on Friday night, as he let the deep state win again.
