Government Reform

Anything done a first time becomes easier to do a second time, for better and for worse. This understanding is why parents force children to try new foods before refusing…

Former Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal provides a picture of the true costs of what Progressives and Democratic Socialists call “free.” He notes that many people have never seen a…

Sometimes, when trying to explain how a political issue is a thorny mess, I’ve used the phrase “public-choice problem.” Recent examples include such issues as occupational licensing, film…

Introduction: A tale of two enterprising Tar Heels Bob has a bumper crop of North Carolina sweet potatoes. How can he get them to a consumer? Bob’s got a lot…

Echoing Bill Clinton’s declaration in his 1996 State of the Union address that “the era of big government is over,” Ross Douthat now sees conservatives justifying government interventions…

Background Did you know that North Carolina used to be the nation’s leader in locally owned and operated distilleries? It’s true. In 1904 the state had 745 registered distilleries, 540…

Nathan Glazer died last week at the age of 95. He was one of the original neo-conservatives, when the term still meant “a liberal who has been mugged by reality.”…

In 1908, North Carolina voters passed statewide prohibition in 1908, making North Carolina the first Southern state to institute prohibition. The 18th Amendment didn’t usher in Prohibition nationwide until 1919.

Who would have thought a call to act like a gentleman would generate controversy? Context is important. The latest Gillette ad touches some political buttons at a time when…

This is the 33rd and final research newsletter of 2018.  What a year it has been! Publishing a hardcore policy newsletter every week would not be possible without a team…