Hopes for 2003
Ideas for a better Michigan and nation from the staff of the Mackinac Center … more
Curtailing Carnage at the Traffic Light: Are Cameras the Answer?
A pilot program by AAA Michigan and the City of Detroit demonstrates a sound alternative. … more
Keep Politics Out of Mutual Funds
Unions want to force mutual funds to vote on public policy measures involving wages, layoffs, and other issues that advance union politics. … more
Unintended Consequences of Cigarette Tax Hikes
Michael LaFaive's speech today in Washington explains that terrorists can profit from unwise tax policy. … more
Henry Ford's Reinvention and the Implications for Public Education
Government schools can learn what Michigan's most famous entrepreneur learned 75 years ago this month. … more
Federal Law Allows School Choice Options
Michigan is slow to enact them. … more
Union Contract Keeps Money & Teachers Out of the Classroom and in the Bureaucracy
Rigid union rules keep Detroit Public Schools from doing the right thing for kids. … more
Six Habits of Fiscally Responsible School Districts
New study will help schools marshall scarce resources for better education. Register for Wednesday forum. … more
A Green Light for Choice
Opportunities and cautions regarding the Supreme Court's decision upholding vouchers. … more
Friend of the Court Not So Friendly
Is there a private alternative when government fails to collect child support payments? … more
The Forgotten Robber Barons
Does government produce "robber barons?" … more
A Toxic Thanksgiving Menu?
Don't let health scaremongers or a few naturally occurring toxins spoil your celebration. … more
Engler's Education Legacy
Proposal A, public school choice, district takeovers, voucher opposition, and at least $6,700 in per-child funding. … more
From Crystal Palace to White Elephant in 150 Years
Britain's "Millenium Dome" flop is a sad symbol of the decline of the industrial "workshop of the world." … more
Grand Rapids Schools Opt out of School Board Associations
Huge, cash-strapped district bases decision more on principle than the $17,000 it will save. … more
Control Shifts in Nation's Highest Labor Tribunal
Worker rights are in good hands with new chairman from Michigan. … more
Scandals Bilk Public School Students out of Millions of Dollars
The same districts say they need more tax money. … more
Engler's Impact on State Government
Has Gov. Engler altered the balance of power between the executive and legislative branches? … more
Why Tax Credits Are Better than Vouchers
Senior Fellow Andrew Coulson writes for The Independent Review. (pdf file) … more
Schoolhouse of Hope
This private school is so good, public school union members donate their union dues to help. … more
Privatize MacMullen Conference Center
Does the state need its own multi-million-dollar lakeside conference hideaway? … more
If the Food Doesn't Kill You, the Wait Will
Everything in Canadian health care is political -- even the food. [PDF file] … more
Labor Freedom Makes Moral and Economic Sense
If compulsory union dues were put to a moral test, they would flunk. … more
Ann Arbor & Pontiac May Privatize Garbage Pickup
Pontiac's current system runs million-dollar deficits. … more
Special-Interest Ballot Proposals a Threat to Democracy
In yesterday's election, two special interests sought to grab for themselves massive streams of public dollars. … more
The Message of the Non-Voter
Is higher turnout needed to "make democracy work?" … more
Where There's Smoke, Is There Asthma?
Michigan counties show no correlation between particulate concentration and childhood asthma. … more
An Inspiration for All Time
Some of the world’s greatest accomplishments required perseverance against seemingly insurmountable odds. … more
Michigan Not a Big Supporter of National Teacher Certification
The state is wise not to expend resources on national certification as a way to improve teaching. … more
No Business in Snow Business
Should taxpayers be forced to pay for an Upper-Peninsula ski resort? … more
Government Unions Want Binding Arbitration
The reason: Fear they won't be able to compete with private bidders. … more
Should the State Borrow Money for Environmental Projects?
Before deciding on Proposal 2, voters should examine how $675 million approved in 1998 is being spent now. … more
The DNR's Latest Land Grab
The DNR says private land enjoyed by the public must be brought under state control to be … enjoyed by the public. … more
Public Policy & Public Interest Litigation
Policy research and public interest law have more in common than meets the eye. … more
Incentives and Trash Collection
Should residents pay the same amount no matter how much trash they generate? … more
The Value of Asking Questions
One parent's experience with her child's school. … more
Detroit Mayor Won't Watch the Grass Grow
He calls a private contractor instead. … more
Marketplace or Morality Play?
The market rewards good behavior, and punishes bad, more effectively than the state. … more
Regulatory Wrangling Stifles Telecom Competition
Should Ameritech be subject to bureaucratic scrutiny or market discipline? … more
Newest Nobel Laureate Calls for Privatizing Government Land
Michigan's government owns 12% of the state's land. Can officials learn from modern economic research? … more


