A framework for understanding economic policy right now — While demonstrations against police brutality and racism have temporarily driven the COVID-19 pandemic from the news cycle, the virus remains a major concern. States are slowly opening up, but many fear a resurgence, especially with large protests in cities. That might be trouble for the economic recovery. Even though the…

Philosophical debates over the true meaning of conservatism are fascinating. But what about policy? — In 2019, conflicts within the conservative intellectual movement that have warmed for decades and simmered for the past few years reached a boiling point. The National Conservatism conference held in mid-July was an important step for the new tide of loosely populist, pro-Trump commentators to build an intellectual superstructure from…

January 6: 2 Hard 2 Spell, Up Close and Political January 7: Michigan Should Reform Its Licensing Laws, Detroit News January 9: How Much Money Is There in Better Tax Enforcement, Pursuit January 10: A Eulogy for the Cadillac Tax, Pursuit January 27: On Occupational Licensing, Connecticut Can Do Better, The Connecticut Post January 31…

Here are a bunch of spoiler memes from the Rise of Skywalker kept here, so proceed at your own risk. Passerby on Tatooine: What’s your name? Rey: When you find out that Rey is Palpatine’s granddaughter and if Anakin is also the offspring of the emperor then Rey is…

The most common attack on Medicare-for-All defends one of the healthcare system’s worst features — Some Democrats aren’t jumping to endorse Medicare-for-All. In the most recent primary debate on September 12, Joe Biden, Amy Klobuchar, Beto O’Rourke, and Pete Buttigieg all criticized Medicare-for-All for effectively eliminating private insurance plans, particularly employer-based ones. Republicans, such as Paul Ryan, have also attacked Medicare-for-All along these lines. That…

Some candidates complain about parties rigging the process. There isn’t really any rigging, but maybe there should be. — Congresswoman and Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) has accused the Democratic National Committee of rigging the nomination process against her. The basis for the claim is that she will not be included in the next primary debate, even though she has over 2 percent support (the DNC’s chosen threshold)…

American healthcare has a cost problem and an access problem. Solve the cost problem and you’ll also solve the access problem. — Democratic candidates have spent much of their campaigns so far brandishing their plans for healthcare reform. Some, like former Representative Beto O’Rourke and former Vice President Joe Biden, want to create opt-in programs that wouldn’t require people to join a public insurance option. Others, like Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and Bernie…

And it’s not the best solution, either — As the Democratic primary begins in earnest, almost all of the major presidential candidates have announced new, ambitious tax increases on the wealthy. Progressive young Democrats have also entered the fray, with the support of economists like Emmanuel Saez and Gabriel Zucman of the University of California, Berkeley. Richard Rubin…

I’ll be updating this document throughout the year for every article or media appearance I do. January 2: Housing Reform: The One Thing Republicans and Democrats Can Agree On, The American Conservative January 11: Sweetheart Deals for Big Companies Aren’t What Florida Needs, The Tallahassee Democrat January 17: Michigan Can Have Smooth…