From the Cover
Commandeering Theory
Government uses its regulatory powers to manipulate consumer spending and behavior.
Behind the Issue
Unintended Consequences
The Podcast of Regulation
Obituaries for the late President Jimmy Carter have been filled with profuse praise for his post-presidential philanthropic work. But Carter wasn’t just good once he left office; he was one of the most underrated presidents in US history. As Paul and Peter discuss, his administration enacted policies that deregulated a swath of industries from trucking to broadcasting, ultimately laying the foundation for the next several decades of American prosperity.
Features
Two Thalidomide Disasters
Myths about the FDA’s role in the thalidomide tragedy have resulted in decades of it obstructing many beneficial drugs.
A Vehicle Mileage Tax for Heavy Trucks?
Economists have long argued for replacing the gas tax with a mileage tax.
Reforming US Building Codes
The International Code Council needs to compare the costs and benefits of its recommended requirements.
The War on Middlemen
The War on Middlemen — Introduction
Ascribing various economic ills to middlemen is not new.
Targeting Digital Platforms
The success or failure of a platform hinges on the value it delivers to its users, and it would be fair to say that both Apple and Amazon have had plenty of success.
Payment Cards: Beyond Marginal Cost
The proposed Credit Card Competition Act would extend to the most commonly held bank-issued credit cards a fraud-promoting requirement that has been found to be disastrous in the debit card market
The Case of PBMs
PBMs are intermediaries in the healthcare pharmaceutical supply chain that manage prescription drug benefits on behalf of health insurers, Medicare Part D drug plans, large employers, and other payers.
Briefly Noted
Mencken’s Theory of Democracy
Do we really want the majority of voters to get their collective choice “good and hard,” let alone those who voted against it?
How Data Localization Restrictions Hurt Health Care
In the two years following GDPR passage, US clinical trials increased 20.7 percent but NIH collaboration with EU4 countries declined 47.5 percent.
The States Are Taking the Lead on AI
Though public and media attention focus on policymaking in Washington DC, the real action on AI has, so far, largely happened at the state level.
In Review
Final Word
Public Health Is Everywhere
Treating various social issues as if they are public health problems is all the rage.
