For a few moments, filmmaker Christopher Rufo’s documentary America Lost seemed in danger of ing an anachronism. But in the age of coronavirus shutdown orders, his portrait of life in the forgotten, jobless corners of America could not be more timely. Rufo spent years interviewing and documenting the lives of struggling people in the depressed cities of Youngstown, Ohio; Memphis, Tennessee; and Stockton, California. (You can read our review here.) Rufo—who serves as director of theDiscovery Institute’s Center on Wealth,...

The American healthcare industry is undergoing a massive stress test known as the coronavirus. For months and years e, analysts will be issuing their opinions about just how well that industry performed under the incredible, sudden surge of the pandemic. Given the massive influx of stimulus funding for healthcare and programs like Medicare, no one should be surprised about a “barrage” of new lobbying activity and a surge of activism for single payer or universal health care. Getting just ahead...

Crises are not only opportunities which should, to paraphrase Rahm Emmanuel, never be allowed go to waste. They also serve as clarifying moments. Unexpected events can shatter even the strongest consensus on a given topic. The coronavirus pandemic is such a moment when es to America’s relationship with China. Until relatively recently, most Western policymakers calculated that a steady integration of China into the global economy would be of mutual economic benefit for China and Western nations. Trade with other...

With “shelter-in-place” orders across the country during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, most employees are not allowed to enter their work places unless their work is considered “essential” by their state and local governments. Opportunities for normal employment have been disrupted for millions of people around the world. Sadly, many workers have been furloughed, others laid off entirely, and the fortunate ones, thanks to advances in technology, are able to work from home. Beyond the obvious financial implications for individuals, and...

On March 31, The Atlantic published an article titled “Beyond Originalism,” written by Adrian Vermeule, professor of Constitutional law at Harvard Law School. In this piece, Vermeule argues that “the dominant conservative philosophy for interpreting the constitution has served its purpose and scholars ought to develop a more moral framework.” Originalist interpretations of the Constitution simply no longer serve mon good, Vermeule says. What does he mean by this, and is he correct? In this episode, we’re featuring two different...

As the COVID-19 crisis rolls on, many of America’s governors have continued to impose, extend or add new restrictions to stay-at-home orders, leading to increasingly arbitrary rule-making and growing criticism over the prudence and practicality of such measures. Thankfully, individuals and institutions rely on more than government diktats to guide their behavior. In turn, amid the government overreach and tense ideological debates, civil society appears to be self-governing rather well — marked by plenty of individual restraint, collective wisdom and...

While a universal basic e has been advocated by everyone from Bernie Sanders to Charles Murray and Pope Francis, the name most associated with wealth redistribution is Marx. However, in a little-known writing Marx specifically opposed the UBI, calling it inefficient and counterproductive. The policy would leave many of its intended beneficiaries worse off, he wrote. Of course, we’re discussing Ive Marx, an economist and sociology professor at the University of Antwerp. Marx’s scholarly work focuses on wealth redistribution and...

People have been making some drastic changes to their lives to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. Some have taken this challenge as an opportunity to grow in wisdom. Others have been called to learn new skills, and still others are doing whatever they can to keep their bearings in a time of crisis. Some are coping in less salutary ways, like spouting anger online. Online debates can be stimulating, sometimes heated, and rarely edifying. This is particularly true of debates...

One of Christ’s best-known parables is the Parable of the Talents, but its familiarity disguises just how strange and unsettling its message is. It is a parable of a master who departs on a journey and entrusts three servants, each according to his ability, with his property. Each receives five, two, or one talent(s), respectively. The ablest servant departed, immediately put the money to work, and doubled his master’s talents. The servant entrusted with two talents did the same. But...

As the COVID-19 crisis rolls on, many of America’s governors have continued to impose, extend, or add new restrictions to stay-at-home orders. This has led to increasingly arbitrary rule-making and growing criticism over the prudence and practicality of such measures. Thankfully, individuals and institutions rely on more than government diktats to guide their behavior. In turn, amid the government overreach and tense ideological debates, civil society appears to be self-governing rather well—marked by plenty of individual restraint, collective wisdom, and...