Photo: California's Wildfire Recovery
Many of the houses destroyed by the Pacific Palisades fires were not covered by private insurance due to state regulations.
Insurance
Bad To Worse
From insurance to affordable housing mandates, California's regulatory noose tightens over wildfire rebuilding efforts.
California's Terrible Wildfires Exposed a Variety of State Policy Failures
The wildfires will be one of the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history. Hopefully they will also teach policymakers some lessons.
California Politicians Now Want Oil Companies, Not Insurers, To Subsidize People Living in Wildfire Zones
A proposed state bill would allow individuals and insurers to sue oil companies for wildfires damages.
California Squeezes Private Money Out of Wildfire Rebuilding Efforts
Needless regulation on fire insurance, "speculators," and duplexes means fewer dollars are going to rebuild Los Angeles.
The L.A. Fires Are a Natural Disaster, Not a Policy Disaster
The Golden State has many bad policies in desperate need of reform. It's not obvious they had more than a marginal effect on the still-burning fires in Los Angeles.
California's Insurance Regulation Fixes Came Too Little, Too Late
Decades-old, voter-approved restrictions on insurers raising premiums have created a regulatory disaster to match the natural one.
The People Cheering Brian Thompson's Murder Can't Have the Medical Utopia That They Want
Whether private or public, third-party payment for health care is a huge problem.
Abolish Obamacare
The Affordable Care Act has become a broken welfare program for people who don't need it.
Here's How To Pay for Trump's Tax Cuts
There seems to be general bipartisan agreement on keeping a majority of the cuts, which are set to expire. They can be financed by cleaning out the tax code of unfair breaks.
New York Lawmakers Threaten To Ban Insurance for Fossil Fuel Projects
The bill would banish insurance companies from the state if they invest in companies profiting from oil and gas.
The NRA's Unanimous Supreme Court Victory Is Good for Free Speech—No Matter How You Feel About Guns
The ACLU, another polarizing organization, was willing to defend the NRA in court. That should tell you that some things aren't partisan.
California Won't Let Homeowners Insurance Companies Raise Rates, so They're Leaving the State Instead
Giving the state control over insurance rates turned pricing into a Byzantine regulatory process.
Two New York Cases Lend Credibility to Trump's Complaint of Partisan Persecution
Neither Manhattan D.A. Alvin Bragg nor New York Attorney General Letitia James can explain exactly who was victimized by the dishonesty they cite.
Goodbye, Navalny
Plus: A listener asks if the editors have criteria for what constitutes a good law.
How a New York Judge Arrived at a Staggering 'Disgorgement' Order Against Trump
The law that Attorney General Letitia James used to sue the former president does not require proof that anyone was injured by his financial dishonesty.
The Feds Shouldn't Subsidize Fancy, Risky Beach Houses
Government is "promoting bad behavior," says Sen. Rand Paul. He's right.
Guns, Germs, and Drugs Are Largely Responsible for the Decline in U.S. Life Expectancy
The Washington Post hectors Congress to make U.S. life expectancy a "political priority."
This NRA Supreme Court Case Has Big Implications for Porn
The ACLU will represent the gun rights group in a case with widespread relevance for free speech.
Is Florida Finally Fixing Its Broken Homeowners Insurance Market?
Floridians spend millions litigating insurance disputes after hurricanes. There's a better way.
Americans Learned a Lesson About Interest Rates. Washington Has Not.
Higher rates lead to more debt, and more debt begets higher rates, and on and on. Get the picture?
Subsidized Flood Insurance Makes Storm Damage Worse
It's high time for Congress to end a program that routinely goes into debt providing subsidies to wealthy people living in high-risk areas.
California Regulations Prevent Insurers From Accurately Pricing Wildfire Risk, so Now They're Fleeing the State
California homeowners are finding out that government-imposed market distortions cannot be maintained forever.
Wealthy Connecticut Residents Received Millions in Federal Dollars After Hurricane Sandy
It shouldn't be the federal government's responsibility to protect wealthy homeowners from the inevitable.
As Private Space Travel Grows, so Will the Insurance Market
One insurance company started offering a space travel policy last year.
Could Failure to Inform Insurer of Affirmative-Action Lawsuit Cost Harvard $15 Million?
Pro-tip: If you are sued, and you expect your insurer to pick up the bill, it is a good idea to give them timely notice.
Here's What the Media Get Wrong About Hurricanes
No, a big storm does not require big government.
Federal Drug Laws Force Pot Shops To Carry Lots of Cash and No Insurance. Now They're Getting Robbed.
Despite state legalization, federal prohibition makes break-ins harder on marijuana shops and manufacturers.
Here's Why a Federal Paid Leave Program Would Be a Bad Deal for Many Workers
Studies show that support for mandated paid leave drops when employees find out what it costs them in take-home pay.
Biden's 'Climate-Resilient Economy' Roadmap Is Largely Superfluous
Businesses, investors, and markets are already adapting to climate change without federal help.
House Democrats' Housing Bill Includes a $20 Billion Bailout of Federal Flood Insurance
A bill intended to make America's housing stock more climate-resilient also includes a big effective subsidy for the properties most exposed to the risks of climate change.
Democrats Plot Huge New Federal Health Program as Part of $3.5 Trillion Budget Plan
Plus: Steven Horwitz's economic theories, Hawaii cops sued over fatal shooting, and more...
When the Government Makes Wildfires Worse
Federal policies are subsidizing people's choices to build homes in harm's way.
A New Report Casts Doubt on Both Fears and Hopes About the Consequences of Abolishing Qualified Immunity
A Connecticut law that made it easier to sue abusive cops is not expected to have a noticeable effect on municipal insurance costs.
Dozens Died in California Wildfires. Why Is the State Forcing Insurance Companies To Ignore Risks?
The state's insurance commissioner forbids the canceling of policies for homes in risky areas.
Can Fire Insurance Manage Wildfire Risks in California?
The state's wildfire conundrum: overgrown forests, climate change, and more people living in the woods
Supreme Court Orders Government To Fund $12 Billion Obamacare Bailout
The ruling says health insurers are owed money that Congress never appropriated.
California Politicians Double Down on Encouraging People To Live in Wildfire-Prone Areas
The Renew California legislation introduced yesterday would force insurance companies to renew insurance policies in wildfire zones.
California's Wonky Insurance and Land Use Regulations Make the State's Wildfires Deadlier and More Destructive
The state has made it exceedingly difficult to build in fire-safe cities, while also making insurance rates in high-risk areas artificially cheap.
California Follows the Disastrous Flood Insurance Path to Fire Insurance Fiasco
If market-rate wildfire insurance is too expensive for homeowners, maybe that's telling us something about the risks of living amidst pretty tinder.
A Law and Order Candidate Is Indicted for Committing a Crime
The man behind the "Deportation Bus" said he wanted to round up criminals. Looks like he should have started with himself.
California Wildfires Destroy Homes and Lives. Why Do Regulators Encourage Building in Fire Zones?
A toxic mix of bad insurance regulations and bad housing regulations ensure Golden State residents will continue to return to fire ravaged areas.
Senate Votes to Extend Federal Flood Insurance Funding
It's a regressive, debt-ridden program that transfers wealth from regular Americans to the rich.
