The devastating wildfires experienced by the people of southern California have left behind many indelible pictures of destruction in recent weeks. But perhaps one picture above all tells the truest tale of the catastrophe: the empty reservoir at Santa Ynez. “This was supposed to be the water to put out the Palisades fire,” stated the...
Eight years ago, American film producer Barry Josephson moved into a hilltop home in Pacific Palisades, the affluent Los Angeles neighborhood nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Monica Mountains. Josephson, whose film credits include Enchanted (2007) and Aliens in the Attic (2009), loved his home. But one issue was a source of chronic...
Remember when Japan was predicted to overtake America? Back in the 1980s, Japan was the coming country. Japan’s economy had enjoyed decades of rapid growth. Her exports were everywhere, and with inventions like the Sony Walkman, it looked as though Japan was the technological future, too. America looked like a power in decline. Forty years...
President Trump has convinced many Americans that the Panama Canal, a vital shipping route for international commerce—particularly for cargo going to and originating in the United States—is controlled by China. He views this as a direct threat to the U.S. He also believes that the Panamanians are charging U.S. ships too much for using the...
One of the more-common social science cliches in recent decades has been “demographics is destiny.” The thesis, as Oxford University gerontologist Sarah Harper has written, is that “population change plays a key role in our political systems, economies, and societies at the local, national, regional, and global level.” There’s no reason to argue with Professor...
I frequently fly from New Orleans, Louisiana, to Vancouver, British Columbia, and then back again. There is no direct airplane route between these two cities. Often, the best route is via a connection through the Dallas Fort Worth Airport. This facility has become almost a second home for me. It alone constitutes almost a veritable...
The following essay by Dr. Gad Saad, an outspoken public intellectual and trailblazer in applying evolutionary psychology to consumer behavior, appeared on the cover of the January 2025 edition of When Free to Choose. This is my 31st year as a professor. Being an academic is inscribed in my DNA. To be able to create...
The U.S. Constitution does not charge the federal government with any duties related to the production or consumption of food. Therefore, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) should propose, Congress should vote for, and President Trump should sign a bill that eliminates agencies like the USDA and programs such as farm subsidies. Public opinion and...
For a young woman attempting to knit her first sweater, tariffs might seem like a distant concern, more suited to headlines than handmade goods. But as the Trump administration proposes new tariffs, the ripple effects could reach deep into the heart of not just the crafting world but all small enterprises, tightening a thread of...
The debate about when “liberal” first acquired a political meaning has been resolved. The answer is the 1770s, when the adjective “liberal” became the name of the policy orientation against government restriction, government monopoly, and protectionism, and in favor of individual liberty, premised by a stable, functional system of governmental authority. This policy orientation was...
James Earl Carter, Jr., the 39th president of the United States, was a complex figure in American politics. Born Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia, he passed away in the same town on Dec. 29, 2024, at the age of 100. The longest-lived president in U.S. history, Carter’s life epitomized public service and humility, grounded...
In the aftermath of the senseless murder of the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, responsible commentators were quick to condemn the act. “Murder is bad, and so are murderers,” wrote the liberal economist Paul Krugman. “Neither should be celebrated.” But then Krugman went on to offer an admittedly “somewhat … caricatured” view of U.S. health care: “It’s...
According to an issue brief recently released by the Council of Economic Advisers, dynamic pricing algorithms are reducing competition in the housing market. The brief’s authors contend that landlords who use these algorithms tacitly collude to raise prices above competitive levels, leaving renters worse off. This argument and others like it are part of a...
Is that a misprint in the title? Didn’t I mean 2025, you ask? No, I meant 2026. Everybody knows that New Year’s resolutions often come in one year and then out another. But if there’s one above all that I hope you will make this week and keep, it is this: Start getting involved in...