Public-Policy on The Solutions Are Known

Economic Policy

Sun, 11 Oct 2026 20:59:14 -0400

Markets do useful things. They let people try ideas, discover demand, build businesses, and challenge the established way of doing something. Competition can reward better products and make failure less permanent. None of that requires believing that whatever makes the most money must be good for society.

The “greed is good” version of capitalism turns morality on its head. It says extracting more value for an owner is sufficient justification for a business decision, even when the costs land on workers, customers, communities, or the environment. Greed is instead a deadly sin, but you needn’t delve into Judeo-Christian ethics to discover how harmful it is. Competition drives people to do better for themselves and for society, but unregulated capitalism actually distorts competition and rewards rent-seeking behavior.

Healthcare

Sun, 11 Oct 2026 20:59:14 -0400

A healthcare system should help people stay well, catch problems early, and manage illness before it becomes a crisis. When serious illness does come, it should provide excellent treatment without making the illness a financial catastrophe. That seems like a modest expectation for a wealthy country.

Yet Americans regularly face a different set of questions. Is the doctor in the network? Will the insurer authorize the treatment? How much of the deductible is left? Can the appointment wait until the next paycheck? Is there still a hospital close enough in an emergency?

Money in Politics

Sun, 11 Oct 2026 20:59:14 -0400

Every citizen has one vote. We do not have the same ability to put an issue on the agenda, fund a campaign, or keep an argument in front of the public. Some of that is unavoidable. People have different skills, audiences, and commitments. But persuasion earned through public support is not the same as influence bought with a fortune, and a democracy ought to tell the difference.

We need to reverse the constitutional rule from Citizens United, along with broader campaign-finance reform. Of course, people must have the right to criticize government, organize, publish unpopular arguments, and challenge the people in office. The design problem is protecting those freedoms without treating unlimited money as an untouchable part of political liberty.

The Supreme Court

Sun, 11 Oct 2026 20:59:14 -0400

The Supreme Court needs independence. A justice has to be able to tell a president, Congress, or an angry majority that the law doesn’t allow what they want to do. It also needs legitimacy. People should be able to believe that cases are decided on legal judgment, not private favors, undisclosed relationships, or one party’s success at manipulating the appointment calendar.

We have too often treated those goals as opposites. Accountability gets described as an attack on independence, and lifetime tenure gets treated as proof of it. Neither of those is true.

Representation

Sat, 10 Oct 2026 08:15:55 -0400

The United States political system gives the people already in office considerable control over who can replace them. They write the election rules, and in most cases the party in power draws the electoral districts. Money is needed to run political campaigns (see money in politics), most prominently to market the candidate and his or her positions. For many reasons, the incumbent has advantages in raising money and generating free publicity. We then act surprised when the resulting legislature is difficult to dislodge. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) has been in office since 1981. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has been in office since 1985. Representatives Hal Rogers (R-KY) and Chris Smith (R-NJ) have been in office since 1981. While the oldest, these are not outliers. A quick analysis of 2014 to 2024 found members were about twice as likely to leave on their own terms or die as to be voted out.