The PATRIOT Act, Coronavirus, and the Politics of Fear
This week Congress has tackled two important issues that may not seem related at first: reauthorizing an expiring portion of the USA PATRIOT Act and legislating for those affected by…
Bloomberg and Soros are Co-opting the Power of Government
District Attorneys and state Attorneys General have expansive powers to investigate conditions and crimes in their jurisdictions. They have the power to subpoena documents and have people testify before secret…
Red State Redemption: Ten Conservative States That Have Led the Way on Justice Reform
In the early 2000’s, many of the states which had enacted the harshest mandatory sentences and "tough on crime" laws were also facing budget crises and desperately overcrowded prisons. In…
Issue Brief: Reducing Occupational Licensure as an Obstacle for the Formerly Incarcerated
The number of jobs that require a government-approved license has exploded in just the past few decades. This increase in occupational licensure is problematic in its own right, as it…
Mercatus Breaks Down Regulatory Impact by State
We all know that regulations have a big negative impact on the economy, and on the lives of everyday people trying to go about their business. The Code of Federal…
Regulatory State Threatens Jobs, Wages and Startups
The negative impacts of federal regulations on jobs, wages and innovation was the subject this week of hearings before the House Judiciary Committee. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA 49) opened…
Recess Appointments: Is the Court in Danger?
With the sudden, unexpected passing of Justice Antonin Scalia, the entire political world is in an uproar over the future of the Supreme Court. Democrats, as is to be expected,…
New CBO Deficit Projections: Running Out of Road for that Can We’re Kicking
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has released its updated budget projections, and there’s no sugar-coating the numbers. The federal government’s annual budget deficits were already slated to start rising again…
Congress Must Defend the Budget Caps This Fall
Members of Congress are all back home for their August recess, and all is quiet on Capitol Hill – for now. But don’t be fooled; this is merely the calm…
20 States Raise Minimum Wage; Pain for the Poor and Young to Follow
“[T]here’s a virtual consensus among economists that the minimum wage is an idea whose time has passed. Raising the minimum wage by a substantial amount would price working poor people…