As the missteps of federal agencies show, errors are compounded when bureaucratic decision-making is centralized.

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May 19, 2020 | Weekly Newsletter

Coronavirus: The Great Deregulator ([link removed])
By Adam B. Summers (The Orange County Register, 4/26/20)
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As the missteps of federal agencies show, errors are compounded when bureaucratic decision-making is centralized. In contrast, free markets encourage decentralized approaches, fostering nimbler and more creative problem-solving from individuals, businesses, and non-profit groups. READ MORE » ([link removed])

[link removed] Beyond Politics (Revised and Updated Edition) The Roots of Government Failure ([link removed])
By Randy Simmons
Fraud, Survival, and Innovation: The Era of Financial Crisis and COVID-19 ([link removed])
By Richard K. Vedder (Forbes, 5/7/20)
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More than one crisis has taught higher-education entrepreneur Andrew Clark to pivot quickly to face the needs of a rapidly changing marketplace. His latest venture, Zovio, is moving toward delivering support services for universities moving to online learning, including helping them combat fraudsters trying to exploit the pandemic for personal gain. READ MORE » ([link removed])

[link removed] Restoring the Promise Higher Education in America ([link removed])
By Richard K. Vedder
Time to Listen to the Coronavirus Dissidents ([link removed])
By Alvaro Vargas Llosa (The Free Lance-Star, 4/30/20)
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The best results against the novel coronavirus have not come from countries that have shut down massive numbers of private businesses or have severely restricted freedom of movement. They’ve come from countries, such as South Korea and Germany, that have intelligently avoided major intrusions. READ MORE » ([link removed])
Don’t Stop Immigration, Expand Visas for Healthcare Workers ([link removed])
By Benjamin Powell (Washington Examiner, 5/5/20)
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President Trump signed an executive order temporarily halting the issuance of green cards for permanent residency in the United States. A wiser policy would be to issue more immigration visas to healthcare providers worldwide and to encourage states to liberalize their medical licensing laws to allow qualified immigrants to practice medicine. READ MORE » ([link removed])
Precaution Can Kill: Chemical Benefits and Regulatory Risks ([link removed])
By Kevin D. Gomez, Diana W. Thomas and Ryan M. Yonk (Independent Institute Briefing, 5/15/20)
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Governments may well deploy the precautionary principle with the best of intentions, but almost invariably such unwarranted bureaucratic risk-aversion hurts people. It can even kill them. READ MORE » ([link removed])
California’s Common Core Apologia ([link removed])
By Williamson M. Evers, Ze’ev Wurman (Real Clear Education, 5/11/20)
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The National Assessment of Educational Progress has long been a reliable report card of what America’s schoolchildren know and can do. Unfortunately, California and most other states saw declining scores in 2015, 2017, and 2019—which may be the real reason why Common Core advocates don’t like the test. READ MORE » ([link removed])

[link removed] Failure The Federal Misedukation of America’s Children ([link removed])
By Vicki E. Alger
California Gov. Newsom Numb to Workers’ Pain ([link removed])
By K. Lloyd Billingsley (American Thinker, 5/2/20)
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Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed numerous executive orders to deal with the pandemic and recession. Unfortunately, his failure to confront AB-5, California’s law restricting independent contractors, makes it hard to believe he truly has workers’ best interests in mind. READ MORE » ([link removed])

Open Letter to Suspend California AB-5 From 153 Economists and Political Scientists in California ([link removed])
The Question Raisers ([link removed])
By Patrick Hoge (East Bay Express, 5/13/20)
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It’s no surprise that the governmental response to the Covid-19 pandemic has attracted the attention of Oakland’s feisty Independent Institute. “We’re in the business of raising questions,” says President David J. Theroux, who founded the nonprofit enterprise to challenge orthodoxies across the political spectrum. READ MORE » ([link removed])
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The Beacon: New Blog Posts
* Waco Demonstrates the Real Dangers of Militarizing Law Enforcement ([link removed]) , by Samuel R. Staley
* Pandemic Pushback ([link removed]) , by K. Lloyd Billingsley
* Fed Chief Jerome Powell Tells Uncle Sam To Spend More ([link removed]) , by Craig Eyermann
* Bureaucratic Incompetence and the Coronavirus: New York Edition ([link removed]) , by Craig Eyermann
* Pandemic Reading Tips: Part Deux ([link removed]) , by K. Lloyd Billingsley
* Queen and Slim’s Cynicism Should Prompt Serious Discourse on Race and Criminal Justice ([link removed]) , by Samuel R. Staley
* Stem Cell Scammers Go Signature Harvesting ([link removed]) , by K. Lloyd Billingsley


Catalyst: New Articles
* Federal Rules Holding Up Lab-Developed COVID-19 Tests ([link removed]) , by Ross Marchand
* Why Sweden’s COVID-19 Strategy Is Quietly Becoming the World’s Strategy ([link removed]) , by Jon Miltimore
* Elon Musk Might Move Tesla From California ([link removed]) , by Scott Beyer
* Universal Licensing Reciprocity Helps Moving Americans ([link removed]) , by Conor Norris
* How Sheriffs and Police Chiefs Have Handled COVID-19 ([link removed]) , by Keith Hanson
* Washington Passes Deficient Facial Recognition Bill ([link removed]) , by Jonathan Hofer
* Zoning Can Not Be Replaced by Deed Restrictions ([link removed]) , by Scott Beyer
* Localities Must Take the Lead in Reopening America ([link removed]) , by Ross Marchand
* Where Is the Small Business Advocacy in Normal Times? ([link removed]) , by Luka Ladan


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