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March 19, 2025

Welcome to The Lighthouse ([link removed]) , the weekly email newsletter of the Independent Institute covering politics, economics, current events, and everything in between.

Dear Readers,

The public awaits news about the potential for new tariffs on Canadian goods and the economic fallout they could trigger. While some have argued tariffs will strengthen domestic industries or will prove to be a useful political bargaining chip, history suggests they often lead to higher costs, unintended economic consequences, and political problems. On that theme, Phil Magness reminds us that the American Revolution had a lot to do with free trade. Denny Han discusses Canada's interprovincial trade barriers, while Francis Crescia writes about how Trump's new tariffs are mobilizing Canada's progressive movement.

Additionally, Scott Beyer writes on New York's controversial congestion plan, which has caused an uproar about whether or not government-controlled transport can actually solve urban gridlock.

Meanwhile, Paige Lambermont reports on Belgium following Germany's misguided nuclear phaseout.

Lastly, Johnny Kampis discusses why Trump's own appointees are criticizing the wasteful BEAD broadband program.

Read about all these topics in our latest issue of Independent Weekly!

Jonathan Hofer
Managing Editor

Top picks this week
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** The American Revolution Was a Fight for Free Trade ([link removed])
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** The American Revolution was driven in part by the colonists’ desire to break free from British mercantilist policies and secure their right to free trade. ([link removed])
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** by Phillip W. Magness
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A number of commentators associated with the “National Conservative” movement have attempted to enlist the founding fathers to the cause of tariffs. They’re wrong.
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** The Congestion Pricing Battle: New York’s Toll War and the Future of Urban Roads ([link removed])
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** How political fighting over Manhattan’s $9 fee shows the flaws with government-controlled transportation ([link removed])
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** by Scott Beyer
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If policymakers want to improve mobility, they need to embrace solutions that remove the bureaucratic immobility.
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** Belgium Has Learned Nothing From Germany’s Nuclear Phaseout ([link removed])
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** Doel Unit 1 was shut down in February as part of the country’s nuclear phaseout policy. ([link removed])
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** by Paige Lambermont
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Closing reliable capacity for political reasons rather than those grounded in economics and grid reliability is a poor strategy.
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** Trump’s Appointees Advocate for Cautious Approach to BEAD Program ([link removed])
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** Trump’s appointees for Commerce and NTIA have the right ideas on the BEAD program, advocating for a tech-neutral solution to broadband deployment. ([link removed])
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** by Johnny Kampis
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President Trump’s appointees are correct to be critical of the taxpayer boondoggle that is the broadband internet BEAD program.
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** Canada Has a Trade War Within Its Borders Too ([link removed])
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** by Denny Han
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One of the American advantages is low trade barriers between individual states. The same can’t be said for Canada.
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** Trump’s Tariffs Are Reviving Canada’s Progressives ([link removed])
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** by Francis Crescia
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The strained relationship with the United States has revived the political fortunes of Canada’s Liberal Party establishment.
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** FEATURED BOOK - COMING SOON!
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** Let Colleges Fail ([link removed])
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** The Power of Creative Destruction in Higher Education ([link removed])
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** By Richard K. Vedder
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Everyone knows American universities are more expensive and less impressive than ever. But no one has come up with a plan to fix them … until now. Let Colleges Fail: The Power of Creative Destruction in Higher Education is the hard-hitting instruction manual America needs in order to save its institutions of higher learning.
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