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  • New Graduates Heading Back to Parents’ Houses

    As commencement season winds down, it’s discomfiting to think that almost half of new graduates know exactly where they’re headed when school’s out: Back to their parents’ homes. The Pew Research Center reports that 45 percent of college grads younger than 25 are “living with family.” That percentage is almost … More

    The Way Ahead for Conservatives

    Turning points matter, but not nearly as much as the direction one takes after reaching a turning point. So: In the aftermath of the 2012 election, where does the country go from here? That’s up to politicians to determine, of course. But in our democratic republic, “We, the people” must … More

    What Conservatives Are For

    Politeness is engrained in civil society. But sometimes, in order to make progress, you’ve got to dare to ask the questions that make people uncomfortable. Do Federal Social Programs Work? is the provocative title of a new book by Heritage’s David Muhlhausen. He holds a magnifying glass to Washington’s vast … More

    Electric Cars and Crony Federalism

    Competition is good—but only when it encourages a “race to the top.” That’s true in business and among the states as well. Competition can encourage policy innovation. For example, Pennsylvania carefully (but reasonably) regulates hydraulic fracturing, and it is reaping the benefits as companies create jobs by safely extracting oil … More

    Why We Pay the Income Tax

    As millions of Americans scrambled this week to get their taxes filed on time, they probably didn’t spend much time wondering how we got here. But the modern income tax, with the federal government drawing most of its money from payments by citizens, is relatively new. The American Revolution, of … More

    The Diversity of the Founding

    In the latest paper in the Makers of American Political Thought series, Colleen Sheehan looks at the long career of James Madison. In it, we see that “diversity” was a key component of the American Founding. Of course, Madisonian diversity had nothing to do with tallying up racial, ethnic, or … More

    Unsweetening Cronyism

    The law of supply and demand cannot be revoked. But it is being amended slightly, and we’re all paying the price. In this case, for sugar. Last year produced a bumper crop of sugar beets, which are refined (as their name would suggest) into sugar. Meanwhile, Americans have been using … More

    Making Death Cost Less

    Some people bury themselves in their work. At Saint Joseph Abbey in southern Louisiana, burying is the work. Monks at Saint Joseph make inexpensive caskets—and would like to sell their handiwork to people who don’t want to throw money away on an item that’s just going to end up six … More

    Obamacare: State Legislatures Speak Out

    A third birthday is often a cause for celebration. But that’s certainly not the case for Obamacare, which was signed into law on March 23 three years ago. The law has never enjoyed majority support and is likely to become even more unpopular as insurance premiums soar starting next year. … More

    Herbert Croly: Bad Prose, Even Worse Ideas

    Writers of the world, rejoice: It turns out we don’t have to write well to write powerfully. Consider Herbert Croly. Few Americans in 2013 are familiar with the name. But 100 years ago, Croly was among the country’s most influential intellectuals. He co-founded The New Republic and edited it for … More