Recent Research & Commentary

Research & Commentary: Silica (Frac) Sand Mining

Taylor Smith
October 19, 2012

Activists recently have been pressing local and state governments in Wisconsin and Minnesota to ban silica sand mining.

Research & Commentary: Illinois’ Pension Problem and How to Fix it

Matthew Glans
October 18, 2012

The pension system in Illinois is broke, both literally and structurally. Funding Illinois’ pension system is becoming increasingly difficult.

Research & Commentary: Chicago Municipal Wi-Fi

Matthew Glans
October 12, 2012

The City of Chicago recently unveiled plans to create a municipal wi-fi system allowing free access to high-speed wireless Internet services.

Research & Commentary: Zero Interest Rate Policy

Matthew Glans
October 11, 2012

Since the 2006–07 financial crisis the Federal Reserve has taken several steps to stimulate the economy and unfreeze credit markets, which had ground to a halt after the bursting of the housing bub

Research & Commentary: Idaho Medicaid Expansion

Kendall Antekeier
October 10, 2012

In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (popularly known as Obamacare), Idaho, like other states, must now decide whether to expand its Medicai

Research & Commentary: Uranium Mining

Taylor Smith
October 10, 2012

Recent moratoria on uranium mining in states such as Virginia and Arizona have sparked debates about whether the benefits of uranium outweigh its costs.

Research & Commentary: Sequestration Impact on Education

Joy Pullmann
October 8, 2012

In the 2011 federal budget deal to raise the nation’s debt ceiling, Congress set up automatic cuts to federal spending that would kick in if they could not agree on how to cut each department speci

Research & Commentary: Arkansas’ Mediocre Education Quality

Joy Pullmann
October 4, 2012

As significant education reforms sweep the country, Arkansas has made few consequential reforms in the past decade.

Research & Commentary: Texas Pension Reform

Matthew Glans
October 3, 2012

Like many other states across the nation, Texas faces tough decisions about the pension benefits it provides its state employees.

Research & Commentary: Voice over Internet Protocol Deregulation

Matthew Glans
October 3, 2012

A product that is quickly changing the telecom industry and how people communicate is voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) calling, where voice and multimedia communication are conducted and transmi