Liberty News

• Newsom’s Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing    (K. Lloyd Billingsley, 2026-04-03)
  California’s highway overpass for butterflies and cougars is late and over budget. Curious observers might trace the project to the beginning. “No challenge poses a greater threat to our way of life, prosperity and future as a state than climate change” said California Gov. Gavin Newsom on April 22, 2022, Earth Day. “With our rich natural heritage on ... The post Newsom’s Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing appeared first on Independent Institute.
• Trump’s Big Speech on His Iran War Was a Big Nothing Burger    (Ivan Eland, 2026-04-02)
  If the national audience expected some breathtaking new developments or a strategic vision from President Trump’s belated justification for his war of choice on Iran, it should be disappointed after his speech. He said that the Iranian navy and air force had been all but erased and its missile capability had been degraded through U.S. and Israeli pummeling. He may be correct, but as the United States found out in Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq conflicts, tactical military victories don’t ensure that any war will be won. Wars are fought for political ends. Let’s briefly assess whether the United States has achieved the stated, but ever-changing goals, originally enunciated by the Trump administration and also evaluate the positive and negative effects of the war to date. The post Trump’s Big Speech on His Iran War Was a Big Nothing Burger appeared first on Independent Institute.
• A Liberation Day Ultimatum for Trump    (Scott A. Burns, 2026-04-02)
  President Trump seems willing to send troops into Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. If he does, the decision will be largely driven by economic concerns. Iran’s blockade of the vital artery cut off access to a large share of the world’s oil, sending oil prices soaring and throwing markets into a tizzy.  As ... The post A Liberation Day Ultimatum for Trump appeared first on Independent Institute.
• The FBI’s FOIA Blacklist    (Patrick G. Eddington, 2026-04-02)
  The FBI is charged with upholding the Constitution and federal laws, but its latest actions suggest a troubling departure from both.
• The Circular Logic of Trump’s War with Iran    (Ivan Eland, 2026-04-01)
  President Donald Trump has imperiously waffled about on his reasons for aggressively attacking the sovereign country of Iran: for example, to support local protestors; for regime change; to knock out an Iranian nuclear program that he claimed he “obliterated” last year; to weaken Iran’s military, and especially its ballistic missile program. But in war, the ... The post The Circular Logic of Trump’s War with Iran appeared first on Independent Institute.
• Trump’s Other Tariff    (Scott Lincicome, 2026-04-01)
  Like his tariffs on goods, Trump’s huge tax on overseas talent will harm the economy and fail its stated objective.
• Adam Smith and the Other Revolution of 1776    (Donald J. Boudreaux, 2026-04-01)
  The Declaration of Independence famously appeared on July 4th, 1776. But a less famous yet equally important text was published four months earlier–a text that eloquently explained the working of the economic institutions that created the modern world. That text is Adam Smith’s An Inquiry Into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. ... The post Adam Smith and the Other Revolution of 1776 appeared first on Independent Institute.
• America Has Gone More Than a Year Without a Surgeon General. Has Anyone Noticed?    (Jeffrey A. Singer, 2026-04-01)
  Rather than debating over who should fill the role, Congress and the White House should just eliminate it altogether.
• Et Tu, World Bank? Industrial Policy on the International Scene    (Veronique de Rugy, 2026-04-01)
  Every dollar directed by bureaucratic decree is a dollar that’s no longer directed by people spending their money on what most deserves it.
• The ‘El Mencho’ Illusion: Drug Lord Whack-a-Mole    (Abigail Hall, 2026-03-31)
  The war on drugs in Latin America follows a typical pattern—kill a cartel leader in a “decapitation operation,” celebrate the “success” in the war on drugs, lament the emergence of a new cartel leader, kill the new cartel leader.  Lather. Rinse. Repeat. Late last month, the Mexican military—with U.S. intelligence—killed “El Mencho,” leader of the Jalisco ... The post The ‘El Mencho’ Illusion: Drug Lord Whack-a-Mole appeared first on Independent Institute.
• The Citizenship Clause Implicates the Second Amendment    (Stephen Halbrook, 2026-03-31)
  On April 1, the Supreme Court will hear argument in Trump v. Barbara, concerning the meaning of the Citizenship Clause in the Fourteenth Amendment.  As I discussed here when the Court granted cert, there is a significant collateral issue at stake besides whether a birth certificate reflects citizenship.  That issue relates to whether a person may lawfully ... The post The Citizenship Clause Implicates the Second Amendment appeared first on Independent Institute.
• Why Do U.S. Presidents Keep Risking Foreign Quagmires?    (Ivan Eland, 2026-03-31)
  During the past three-quarters of a century, beginning in 1950 and continuing right through to the current war with Iran, U.S. presidents repeatedly have risked involvement in conflicts that resulted in military quagmires with disappointing endings. Why do presidents keep repeating the same mistakes in the name of “national security”?  By 1950, the U.S. government ... The post Why Do U.S. Presidents Keep Risking Foreign Quagmires? appeared first on Independent Institute.
• Labour Have Taken a Trumpian Turn    (Ryan Bourne, 2026-03-31)
  Making steel more expensive for the whole economy is not a particularly clever way of making the nation safer.
• Europe’s Nuclear Shortcut Would Be a Strategic Mistake    (Benjamin Giltner, 2026-03-31)
  Preventing nuclear war should be the business of every nation. Opposing a British and French extension of their nuclear umbrellas helps achieve this shared mission. 
• Extrajudicial Violence Risks Making the U.S. a Global Pariah    (Walter Olson, 2026-03-31)
  In the Caribbean Sea and at home, the Trump administration has acted outside the law.
• Are Chambers Of Commerce Still Useful?    (Scott Beyer, 2026-03-30)
  Chambers of commerce have long occupied a clear and measurable role in American economic life: they opposed government expansion when it threatened business. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce still scores legislators based on how they vote regarding tax, regulatory and tort issues. Its litigation arm has become one of the most active opponents of federal ... The post Are Chambers Of Commerce Still Useful? appeared first on Independent Institute.
• Don’t Let the Fed Off the Hook for “Oil Inflation”    (Kristian Fors, 2026-03-30)
  When prices increase and inflation is confused, it obscures the party responsible for price movements. If price increases are truly inflation, then central banks are responsible. Other price changes may stem from different causes, but labeling them as inflation obscures the true relationship between prices and their underlying causes. The post Don’t Let the Fed Off the Hook for “Oil Inflation” appeared first on Independent Institute.
• I Studied Gender Dysphoria. Both Sides Tried to Shut It Down.    (Adam Omary, 2026-03-30)
  Academic freedom is only as strong as the people who uphold it, but our institutions themselves are robust.
• It’s Time to Abolish the TSA    (Benjamin Powell, 2026-03-30)
  The congressional fight over funding the Department of Homeland Security has caused massive security lines at many large airports around the country. Privatizing airport security could avoid this problem in the future, but a more radical reform—abolishing the Transportation Security Administration and its monopoly on security procedures—would be a better solution. Congressional spending battles have ... The post It’s Time to Abolish the TSA appeared first on Independent Institute.
• Nicotine Taxes Kill    (Bautista Vivanco, 2026-03-29)
  It is not clear how limiting nicotine consumption could improve our communities or fix any externalities, which turns this into a matter of private (not public) health.
• Why Loans Are Moving From Banks To Private Credit    (Scott Beyer, 2026-03-28)
  Over the past decade, a quiet but significant transformation has occurred in lending. Loans are increasingly being originated, structured, and funded by private capital. This shift isn’t accidental, but the result of regulations that constrain banks’ ability to lend, combined with the rise of flexible, yield-seeking private creditors who fill the gap. This transition reflects ... The post Why Loans Are Moving From Banks To Private Credit appeared first on Independent Institute.
• Suspending the Jones Act: Lessons from the Conflict with Iran    (Caleb Petitt, 2026-03-27)
  The Jones Act is a shipping regulation passed in 1920 that requires ships to be U.S.-built, U.S.-owned, U.S.-flagged, and U.S.-crewed to ship goods between two U.S. ports. Advocates of the Jones Act assert that it supports the American military, strengthens domestic shipbuilding, and protects America in times of crisis. However, on March 18, the Trump ... The post Suspending the Jones Act: Lessons from the Conflict with Iran appeared first on Independent Institute.
• The World’s Dumbest Tariff Has Been Revealed    (Scott Lincicome, 2026-03-27)
  Aluminum protectionism has been a confounding own-goal.
• Among the Syrians    (Alvaro Vargas Llosa, 2026-03-27)
  During a recent trip to the Middle East, I witnessed the devastation that Israel has inflicted upon Lebanon by the indiscriminate response to Hezbollah’s attacks across the border. That response has gone well beyond the Shia strongholds and has displaced one million people who might never be able to go home. I also visited Damascus and ventured ... The post Among the Syrians appeared first on Independent Institute.
• Gunfight at Governor Abigail’s Corral    (K. Lloyd Billingsley, 2026-03-27)
  Virginia recently wrapped up its legislative session with more than 15 new laws aiming to ban “assault weapons,” detachable magazines, and such. Governor Abigail Spanberger, “a former federal law enforcement officer who carried a gun every day,” seems disposed to sign them all. Devotees of the Second Amendment might review how similar measures are working out ... The post Gunfight at Governor Abigail’s Corral appeared first on Independent Institute.
• The Tragedy of Paul Ehrlich    (Art Carden, 2026-03-26)
  I was deeply conflicted when I recently heard about Paul Ehrlich’s passing at the age of 93. Every death is a tragedy, and Ehrlich’s death seemed especially so because Ehrlich has the distinction of having been completely and yet somehow unrepentantly and invulnerably wrong about human potential and the folly—he thought it wisdom—of population control ... The post The Tragedy of Paul Ehrlich appeared first on Independent Institute.
• In Iran, Russia Pays America Back for Aiding Ukraine    (Doug Bandow, 2026-03-26)
  Even a superpower isn’t exempt from reality.
• We’ve Been ‘Preparing’ for the Future Since 1991–It Hasn’t Worked    (Kevin T. Frazier, 2026-03-26)
  Periods of economic transition tend to produce the same anxieties, framed in remarkably similar language.
• The ROAD to Housing Act Is Counterproductive    (Kristian Fors, 2026-03-25)
  Earlier this month, the Senate passed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, a bipartisan bill designed to “boost housing supply and bring down costs,” as indicated by Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), coauthor of the most recent version of the bill, along with Tim Scott (R-SC). While the bill does have some valuable provisions, such as ... The post The ROAD to Housing Act Is Counterproductive appeared first on Independent Institute.
• Is the SAVE America Act a Passport to Electoral Success?    (Stephen Richer, 2026-03-25)
  Requiring proof of citizenship, such as a passport, to register to vote would not necessarily help Republicans.
• The Political Incentives Behind America’s Growing Debt Crisis    (Craig Eyermann, 2026-03-24)
  It's not a lack of knowing that the U.S. government has a fiscal problem. Nor is it a lack of options that can be taken to address it that's stopping politicians from fixing the nation's fiscal problems. The post The Political Incentives Behind America’s Growing Debt Crisis appeared first on Independent Institute.
• Group Self-Defense Against Terrorism    (Stephen Halbrook, 2026-03-24)
  On March 12, 2026, Mohamed Bailor Jalloh walked into a classroom at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.  He asked twice if it was a ROTC (Reserve Officers' Training Corps) class.  When told that was, he shouted "Allahu Akbar" (God is Greater) and shot the instructor, Lt. Col. Brandon Shah, several times, killing him.  He ... The post Group Self-Defense Against Terrorism appeared first on Independent Institute.
• For Gen Z, Economics May Be the Key to Success in the New AI World    (Alexander William Salter, 2026-03-24)
  Members of Gen Z are right to ask: What jobs will be left for them in the new AI world? After all, artificial intelligence already can draft reports, reconcile accounts, write code, and generate marketing copy in seconds—and it's improving fast.  But new technologies do not eliminate work. They change what kinds of work matter. ... The post For Gen Z, Economics May Be the Key to Success in the New AI World appeared first on Independent Institute.
• The Case for Letting FISA’s Section 702 Expire    (Patrick G. Eddington, 2026-03-24)
  Recent efforts to reform the federal government’s intelligence-gathering capability fall short.
• What to Make of the Wave of College Closures    (Andrew Gillen, 2026-03-24)
  Closures are rising as demographic decline and financial pressures take hold.
• How to End the War in Iran    (Justin Logan, 2026-03-24)
  The stated American war aims have been achieved, and with difficult work a conclusion is conceivable.
• Cities Should Use AI to Approve Building Permits    (Scott Beyer, 2026-03-23)
  Jeff Bezos posed an interesting idea recently at a business forum: that cities like Miami should use AI to review building permits and deliver yes-or-no decisions in seconds. If rejected, the system should instantly identify the exact changes required for approval. His broader point was clear—as AI transforms nearly every industry, government bureaucracy remains stuck ... The post Cities Should Use AI to Approve Building Permits appeared first on Independent Institute.
• Excessive Spending Drives California’s Deficits    (Craig Eyermann, 2026-03-23)
  California's politicians have only themselves and their greed to blame for this outcome. It's not like they weren't told their schemes to fund their excessive spending with taxes targeting the incomes and wealth of the state's most successful residents is a bad idea. The post Excessive Spending Drives California’s Deficits appeared first on Independent Institute.
• The Uncomfortable Truth About Immigrants    (Alvaro Vargas Llosa, 2026-03-23)
  We tend to focus on why immigrants want to come to the U.S., but we talk much less about why the U.S. wants immigrants to come to this country—i.e., why, xenophobic rhetoric notwithstanding, so many Americans have quietly and consistently welcomed them. The foremost reason for this is simply that Americans don’t want to have ... The post The Uncomfortable Truth About Immigrants appeared first on Independent Institute.
• A Reality Check on the Inequality Panic    (Chelsea Follett, 2026-03-23)
  Alarmist narratives shape public opinion and encourage policymakers to pursue sweeping interventions that may do more harm than good.
• A Heritage of Peace    (Mustafa Akyol, 2026-03-22)
  Most Americans may have no idea about it, but for most Muslims it is a part of their daily lives.
• When Police Sue Their Critics: Why Afroman’s Legal Victory Matters    (Sam Jenson, 2026-03-20)
  On March 18th, an Ohio jury sided with rapper Joseph Foreman, better known by his stagename Afroman, in a civil tort case. Afroman, known for his over-the-top comedic style and the hit track “Crazy Rap,” was in court this past week after sheriff’s deputies sued him for criticizing and making fun of them in several ... The post When Police Sue Their Critics: Why Afroman’s Legal Victory Matters appeared first on Independent Institute.
• A Proven Playbook for AI Leadership: Lessons from America’s Chip Comeback    (Kevin T. Frazier, 2026-03-20)
  Two key lessons should be gleaned from the SEMATECH example: first, government should not pick winners or micromanage innovation; and, second, the state can sometimes do the most good by clearing space for voluntary coordination, aligning incentives, and then getting out of the way.
• Why It’s Good News That Student Loans Are Moving From Education to Treasury    (Andrew Gillen, 2026-03-20)
  Shifting responsibility for student loans to the Treasury Department makes sense for students and taxpayers, while making it easier to shut down the Education Department.
• CBO: The U.S. Government’s Fiscal Trajectory Is Not Sustainable    (Craig Eyermann, 2026-03-19)
  The Congressional Budget Office announced its Budget and Economic Outlook for the U.S. government's fiscal years over the next decade. Here is a brief summary of what the CBO predicts for the federal budget from 2026 to 2036: The post CBO: The U.S. Government’s Fiscal Trajectory Is Not Sustainable appeared first on Independent Institute.
• Trump Hasn’t Ruled Out A Draft for War with Iran—but Is Conscription Constitutional?    (William Watkins, 2026-03-19)
  Ships burn in the Strait of Hormuz, oil prices climb above $100 a barrel and the Dow tumbles. Despite President Trump’s claims that the United States won the war with Iran on the first day, the country remains on edge—especially with FBI warnings of possible drone attacks on the West Coast and predictions by prominent members of the Senate Armed Services ... The post Trump Hasn’t Ruled Out A Draft for War with Iran—but Is Conscription Constitutional? appeared first on Independent Institute.
• Congress Knows It Has a Spending Problem, But Won’t Fix It    (Romina Boccia, 2026-03-19)
  Fiscal discipline is politically costly, but inaction will be disastrous. How can we restore sanity to federal budgeting?
• CARBifornia Versus the People    (K. Lloyd Billingsley, 2026-03-19)
  “Gasoline prices are still rising as the Iran war stretches into its third week,” headlined National Public Radio (NPR) this week. Long before the war, gas prices were on the rise in California, for reasons not fully understood across the land. In late 2025, in the state’s capital region, gasoline could be purchased for $3.69 ... The post CARBifornia Versus the People appeared first on Independent Institute.
• Kentucky’s Blood Bill Promises Autonomy–But Delivers Mandates    (Jeffrey A. Singer, 2026-03-19)
  The bill promotes “medical freedom” by expanding government mandates over insurers and private medical providers.
• The Feds Are Investing in Wearable Health Trackers. That Could Put Your Private Data at Risk.    (Jeffrey A. Singer, Patrick G. Eddington, 2026-03-19)
  Government-backed biowearables could generate vast streams of personal health data with few legal safeguards.