COVID emergencies revealed the sweeping power given to state executives
Small government backers got a rude awakening during the pandemics’ darkest days: state codes and constitutions gave governors and health officials sweeping powers over all sorts of activities, with only…
Ohio tax collectors go after broadcast sports
State and local tax officials are notorious for chasing after every dime of what their perceive to be their rightful take from someone else’s activity. Pro athletes are easy targets,…
Refusing federal money with strings attached
How often do you see stories about local governments turning down millions of dollars in federal aid? Rarely to never. Except that’s exactly what a small Texas town (among others)…
Hochul pushes ban on new gas hookups in New York
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is running for a full term as the state’s top pol this year. One way she is hoping to set herself apart from the rest?…
Policing for profit in Alabama
Every driver has a story about speed traps, the annoying spots on the road where cops seem to hand out speeding tickets like they were going out of style. But…
How government makes existing problems even worse
Governments and politicians sometimes believe they have the power to solve any problem. Such a belief system tends to see politicians bringing their powers of their office (both real and…
California to phase out gas powered lawn equipment and generators
It’s official: California’s powerful Air Resources Board has passed new rules that will phase out the sale of gasoline-powered lawn equipment and generators. The aim isn’t to make your weekends…
California’s gender-neutral toy aisle mandate
To read the headlines, all is well in California. Its major crises are over, prosperity is universal, and personal freedom is on the rise. How else to explain state government…
The problem with populism
American politics has long had a populist strain that rises and falls like the tide. The current populist tide is still high, influencing both major political parties and their prospective…
Breaking the bonds of an imperial presidency
The drum beats of the 2022 and even 2024 elections is already rumbling through the land and with it come the cries from Team Red and Team Blue to get…
