Hurricane Katrina Devastated New Orleans. Some of It Came Back Better.
Hurricane Katrina was a chapter in the history of man's struggle both to control nature and to accept what he cannot control.
Natural Disasters
The Department of Energy Just Admitted Climate Change May Not Be Catastrophic
A report affirms that greenhouse gases are warming the planet, but it also found no convincing evidence that U.S. hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, or droughts have become more frequent or intense in recent decades.
Trump Walks Back Talk of Abolishing FEMA
After criticizing the agency for being ineffective for months, the Trump administration now plans to reform it to supplement state disaster response efforts.
TSA Policies Become Slightly Less Stupid
Plus: Texas flooding update, shark policy, tariffs affecting Prime Day, and more...
The Texas Floods Were a Natural Disaster, Not a Policy Disaster
There's no evidence that cuts to the National Weather Service impacted the response to the weekend's tragic flash floods.
Netanyahu Meets With Trump
Plus: Zohran Mamdani's creative race identification, catastrophic Hill Country flooding, and more...
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.
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.
The Lost Treasures of California's Devastating Wildfires
Some of California's architectural wonders were consumed by the flames.
FEMA Is a Disaster. Trump Is Right To Demand Changes.
The agency is ineffective, duplicative, and expensive.
Price Controls Won't Build Homes in L.A.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom must allow prices to rise if he wants homes to be rebuilt as quickly as possible.
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.
In Defense of Private Firefighters
There's nothing wrong with offering to pay for a service people are willing to provide.
If California Can Suspend Permitting Rules After Wildfires, It Can Abolish Them
It shouldn't take a disaster for the state to consider fixing the rules that make it so expensive to building housing there.
Looting Is Bad. So Are Curfews.
The California National Guard should be helping to put out fires, not helping to restrict people's freedom of movement.
Los Angeles Zoning Laws Pushed People and Homes Toward Fire-Prone Areas
Single-family zoning makes it practically impossible to build more housing in central L.A.
Abolish FEMA
FEMA has given Americans every reason to believe it is highly politicized, a poor steward of federal resources, bad at establishing priorities, and often unable to communicate clearly to people in distress.
FEMA's Targeting of Trump Supporters Makes the Case for Less Government
Government agencies and officials can’t be trusted, so we should give them less to do.
No, Hurricane Helene Does Not Justify Giving North Carolina's Electoral Votes to Trump
When your opponents are accusing you of trying to subvert democracy, maybe don't suggest that it "makes a lot of sense" to ignore the will of the voters.
The Panic Over an Imaginary Militia 'Hunting FEMA' Did More Damage Than the Actual Threat
Someone did allegedly threaten first responders, but the panic may have done more damage.
The Remarkable Redneck Air Force of North Carolina
The relief effort after Hurricane Helene is powered by private citizens, and volunteers have discovered that it's better to ask forgiveness than permission.
Brian Trascher: Has FEMA failed North Carolina?
The Vice President of the United Cajun Navy, Brian Trascher, discusses effective disaster response and the problems with FEMA.
What Happens When FEMA Buys Your House?
As hurricane damage mounts, the government is buying—and sometimes seizing—homes in flood-prone areas, sparking concerns over property rights and accusations of discrimination.
How Milton Friedman Can Help Us Get Through Hurricane Milton
To give storm victims the best chance at recovery, let local knowledge and markets guide decisions.
Washington Worsened Hurricane Helene's Destruction
How the National Flood Insurance Program subsidizes living in high-risk flood zones.
NOAA Billion-Dollar Weather Disasters Are Not Evidence of Climate Change
Weather and climate disaster losses as a percentage of U.S. GDP have not increased between 1990 and 2019, a new study finds.
All I Want for Christmas Is for Congress To Exercise Fiscal Restraint
Lawmakers can take small steps that are uncontroversial and bipartisan to jumpstart the fiscal stability process.
What's in Your Bug-Out Bag?
Your ideal bug-out bag depends on your needs. Here's what J.D. Tuccille puts in his.
Do the Proud Boys Deserve To Be in Prison Forever?
Plus: A listener question concerning porn verification laws.
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.
Politicians Continue To Make a Mockery of 'Emergency Spending'
Legislators abuse the emergency label to push through spending that would otherwise violate budget constraints.
The Argentine Libertarian Dog-Friendly Darling?
Plus: Libertarian lessons in the wake of the Maui wildfires
This Scientist Used To Spread Climate Change Alarmism. Now She's Trying To Debunk It.
The doomsday consensus around climate change is "manufactured," says scientist Judith Curry.
The Debt Ceiling Deal Does Not Go Nearly Far Enough
Projections of huge savings are making the rounds. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The Jones Act Is Driving Up Prices and Making Crises Worse
The legislation, which forbids shipping anything between American ports in ships that are not U.S. built and crewed, is just another a special deal that one industry has scammed out of Congress.
In Syria and Turkey, Helping Earthquake Victims Is a Crime
Politicians in Syria, Turkey, and the United States are getting in the way of relief efforts.
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.
This Military Spending Bill Will Make Puerto Rico's Next Hurricane Disaster Even Worse
The maritime industry inserted some protectionism into the National Defense Authorization Act.
Texas Roofer Arrested in Florida for Helping Hurricane Victims
He's fully licensed, but not in the right state.
Here's What the Media Get Wrong About Hurricanes
No, a big storm does not require big government.
Storms and Reforms
Plus: The editors unpack a philosophical question from a listener concerning foreign policy.
Who Sabotaged the Nord Stream Pipelines?
Plus: Gov. Ron DeSantis gets accused of fair-weather fiscal responsibility, warrantless drone searches might be illegal, and Lizzo's flute playing sparks a fake controversy.
Feds Allow Single Foreign Ship To Deliver Fuel to Hurricane-Ravaged Puerto Rico
It’s only one vessel, but the U.S. domestic shipping cartel, protected by the awful Jones Act, is screaming about it.
Government Subsidies Encouraged Millions To Move Into Hurricane Ian's Destructive Path
Plus: Reason livestream on right-wing populism, the government can't solve the fentanyl crisis, and more...
