This conversation between Brink Lindsey & Damon Linker, very smart, thoughtful gentlemen affiliated with The Niskanen Center @niskanencenter.bsky.social, is great. Discussions & ideas like theirs are essential if liberal democracy is to survive populist assault. open.substack.com/pub/brinklin...

Bullying Anthropic won’t fix the government’s real problem: it shouldn’t be so dependent on private firms in the first place. Read Gabe Menchaca: hypertext.niskanencenter.org/p/hegseths-w...

Housing policy is family policy.

Too often, we’re given a false choice: build new infrastructure or save nature. But programs from the Colorado River to the Mississippi prove we can have it both ways.

Dallas permitted more housing than all of California in multiple months of 2024. Dallas should get more infrastructure support.

Cutting consulting contracts could save taxpayers more than $65 billion. But government agencies must hire top talent to do it.

New piece in The Hill—Congress should consider housing jointly with transportation in Surface Reauth: - Reward places that accept growth with needed transpo investment - Prioritize projects that improve access to daily needs - Improve project delivery thehill.com/opinion/cong...

In @thehill.com with @rohanaras.bsky.social today where we argue that surface transportation policy is not complete without considering housing. thehill.com/opinion/cong...

The H-2A visa program, the only legal pathway for temporary agricultural labor, excludes: ✖️dairy ✖️year-round livestock ✖️meatpacking For many law-abiding plants, there is no feasible way to quickly replace the workers they have lost. @thedispatchmedia.bsky.social: thedispatch.com/article/immi...

An Austin or Minneapolis-scale YIMBY victory in California would cut poverty by as much as the Child Tax Credit Already in Minneapolis, *unsubsidized market rate apartments are affordable at federal LIHTC rents* bsky.app/profile/nisk...

Liberals need to confront what angry electorates are telling them, not flinch and dismiss the critics. damonlinker.substack.com/p/how-not-to...

To what extent was the U.S. already in crisis before the rise in populism we've seen over the past few years? It's a serious debate among defenders of the liberal-democratic order. Recent responses to Brink Lindsey's new book have brought it to the forefront. ⬇️

“  We need meaning, purpose, status, and belonging, and our current capitalist consumer's way of life isn't very good at providing that.” Brink Lindsey on the “triple crisis of capitalism." ↓

This should be the North Star of criminal justice reform.

30+ states have now adopted policies to boost housing production. Which means exciting opportunities for researchers to study these policies' effectiveness. Some guidance from me, via @niskanencenter.bsky.social, on how to design good state policy evaluations: www.niskanencenter.org/how-to-evalu...

"We remember the 1980s as this optimistic time, when, in fact, there was a profound sense of anxiety around declining U.S. industrial competitiveness."

Digital tech influences minds, democracies, and cultures. Where's the counter-movement? It's coming.

When the monopolist owns the megaphone, the playbook breaks. Today, the tools we'd use to organize resistance are controlled by the forces we need to resist. We're forced onto digital terrain owned by the people we're trying to rein in. www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3RC...

The Gilded Age robber barons were ruthless. They bought legislators and hired strikebreakers. But they couldn't control what farmers thought about them. Tarbell exposed Standard Oil. Sinclair's Jungle changed federal law. The media was too diffuse to control. That's no longer true.

The system needing reform is the same system that prevents reformers from organizing. Super pumped to publish a new essay for @niskanencenter.bsky.social on why the fourth industrial revolution resists political response… and why we should build capacity anyway.

Loved contributing to this series. Thank you for the opportunity!

Here is my collaboration with Will Raderman @niskanencenter.bsky.social to look into states that have adopted enhanced wage records and how that data can help UI agencies, as well as training and education efforts for workers. www.niskanencenter.org/the-case-for...

Excited to appear on @niskanencenter.bsky.social’s podcast “The Vital Center”! I spoke to Geoffrey Kabaservice about #liberalism, the Democratic Party, and what Americans today could learn from the “New Liberals” of the 1970s-1990s. #abundance #USPolitics www.niskanencenter.org/reevaluating...

AI in government can be transformative, but only if institutions are ready. Too often we chase tools instead of fixing the structures that actually shape outcomes. Reform + experimentation, not hype, is the path to real progress. www.niskanencenter.org/ai-in-govern... @niskanencenter.bsky.social

Can we create a digital economy that strengthens democracy instead of eroding it? This week in Hypertext ⤵️

Yesterday’s VET Act hearing made one thing clear: The discipline and technical skill that veterans get from military operations are exactly what our energy sector needs right now. We applaud Rep. Jen Kiggans and @houlahan.house.gov for leading this bipartisan charge!

Does the abundance movement need to expand its ambitions? Should the conversation shift from affordability to shared purpose? Join Brink Lindsey and @jerusalem.bsky.social TONIGHT from 4-6 to discuss! RSVP: www.eventbrite.com/e/abundance-...

Earlier this month, Ross Douthat argued that “the liberal order can’t heal itself.” The next day, @jvl.bsky.social told liberals to stop the masochism. But the answer is neither despair nor restoration, but a liberal reconstruction. hypertext.niskanencenter.org/p/lets-bake-...

Across red, blue, and purple states, a quiet bipartisan consensus is forming—immigrant workforce participation is an economic necessity. We're proud to release our comprehensive, 50-state review of policy activity in this area from 2020–2024!

🩺 Good news! State lawmakers are addressing doctor shortages head-on.

Every federal contract starts with a solicitation — the government’s request for proposals or quotes from prospective suppliers. Per Neil Miller, the warning signs of a failed project are usually already evident during the solicitation process. www.niskanencenter.org/spotting-con...

When the federal government contracts with businesses, it often forces them to follow rigid checklists instead of focusing on functional results. The same processes that slow agencies down end up written into contracts too, limiting the government and its vendors.

New analysis from Gil Guerra & Claire Holba shows that U.S. military actions in Venezuela could drive an additional 1.7 to 3 million people to flee Venezuela.

State and local governments are taking aim at high housing costs with preapproved building plans for homes. Now the idea is catching on at the federal level too!

Part of a @niskanencenter.bsky.social series on the past, present, and future of government reform. Read @daviddagan.bsky.social’s introduction and find the other essays here ➡️ hypertext.niskanencenter.org/p/the-ghosts...

NEW: To keep the lights on between now and 2030, the U.S. will need nuclear/fossil fuels and renewables. Choosing between them isn't an option.

In order to get a progressivism that can build again, progressives have to embrace pragmatism.

Hundreds of U.S. counties need additional labor and also have the housing capacity necessary to welcome new residents. Our new Migration Match Index lets policymakers see exactly where those opportunities are. www.niskanencenter.org/mapping-amer...

The potential benefits of migration are not identical everywhere. This remarkable new resource from @niskanencenter.bsky.social maps the US counties where the economic benefits of immigration might be highest —> www.niskanencenter.org/mapping-amer...

Per @pahlkadot.bsky.social, “every state, and of course our federal government, needs to care less about passing laws and more about making good on the promises they represent.”

Smart immigration policy is a strategic asset, and other countries know it. While the U.S. now charges a $100k fee for H-1B visas, peer countries are racing to recruit the workers America is turning away. www.niskanencenter.org/the-global-r...

Labor shortages and population decline are hitting communities across the U.S. At the same time, migrants are struggling to find opportunity. Cassandra Zimmer's Migration Match Index identifies a way to solve both problems.

The Clinton administration spent 8 years "Reinventing Government.” So, 31 years later, why are we trying to fix government inefficiency? That's what this issue of Hypertext tackles⬇️

Mamdani's big, bold visions inspired New Yorkers. Big, bold visions rely on strong foundations. The civil service system is the bedrock of that foundation.

Voters want a legal, orderly, and fair immigration system. That's really reasonable. Let's think big and make it happen.

NEW: The administration's attempt to curb reliance on costly contracts is commendable. But federal agencies don’t have the in-house technical expertise to break free. www.niskanencenter.org/vendor-captu...

Can you automate immigration policy? We think so.

Only two states — California and New Hampshire — provide levels of support for families compared to Canadian provinces. Two reforms can help! 🇺🇸🇨🇦

How many people would be displaced if the U.S. intervened in Venezuela (or maintained the status quo)? Gil Guerra and Claire Holba have modeled 5 scenarios ⤵️

Ben Bain of @niskanencenter.bsky.social says we need to align the incentives of civil servants with outcomes you want to see. Need to understand why process was put in place, so you're not surprised by the hurdles.