Recently, EducationWeek published an interview with Greg Philhower, the superintendent of the Eastern Hancock school district in Indiana. Philhower’s work to create a network of “microschools” is the main focus of the interview, and there is good cause for interest: Microschools offer another choice to parents who wish to tailor educational options to desired outcomes for their children.
This article originally appeared in The Detroit News October 20, 2026.
If Proposal 2 passes, writing this column could be a crime.
Americans enjoy broad freedom to speak their minds about public issues and elections. But Prop 2 would regulate and criminalize commonplace speech.
Both gubernatorial candidates have criticized the state’s economic development administrators. But neither Democrat Jocelyn Benson nor Republican John James has promised to stop writing checks to select private businesses. Would that Michigan had a candidate who recognized that corporate welfare is a bad economic strategy.
When does public assistance become an obstacle to personal achievement? Joshua Bandoch, senior vice president of policy research at the Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity, joins the Overton Window Podcast to discuss his recent white paper on the “benefit cliff” — the point at which an increase in earnings leads to a reduction in benefits eligibility that may actually leave the person poorer. In some cases, a raise as small as $1 per hour can cost a worker hundreds or thousands of dollars in household resources, creating a perverse incentive for poor people to reject professional and financial opportunities.
This article originally appeared in The Detroit News September 29, 2026.
On election day, the pens of Michigan voters may run dry by the time we vote for a U.S. senator, governor, secretary of state, attorney general and state lawmakers, as well as deciding on two statewide proposals. It’s a crowded ballot.
As Michigan approaches election day, it is important to take stock of how the state economy is performing. The answer: not great. While Michigan produces more and residents are earning more than they did a few years ago, the state continues to rank among the lowest-performing states. And the state’s job losses since 2023 ought to worry voters as well.
Proposal 2 would create a new type of regulated speech called “electioneering communications.” This would include “any form of general public communication” that occurs within 100 days of an election and references a candidate, even indirectly. Such a loose definition would expand the reach of Michigan’s campaign finance law by treating any content that simply references a candidate as a type of political communications.
Michigan voters will get a chance to call a new state constitutional convention this November. If a convention is called, delegates will get a chance to ask whether our state’s founding document is working as intended. Here are some provisions of the Michigan Constitution that work as intended and that delegates should keep.
This article originally appeared in The Detroit News October 6, 2026.
The U.S. Senate race between Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers is getting national attention, but another item on your ballot could also have major consequences for Michigan.
“We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it,” Nancy Pelosi famously said in 2010, referring to the legislation that became Obamacare. She might not have meant this literally, but many people took it as proof of poor policymaking practice. Michigan voters find themselves in a similar situation with Proposal 2 on this year’s ballot.
It’s good to see Mackinac Center work get cited in the race for governor. In the second gubernatorial debate, moderator Jason Colthorp pointed at our analysis showing that major job deals in Michigan from 2000 to 2020 delivered just 9% of the jobs announced when deals were made. Republican candidate John James also referred to our study showing that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s job efforts have cost $1.8 billion but have delivered just 602 jobs.
You might, like me, find yourself reaching for a pumpkin beer this fall as you take in the changing colors. In every sip is a distinctly American tradition, brought to us not through central planning but instead by decentralized knowledge, ingenuity and experimentation.
Outgoing Attorney General Dana Nessel is leaving Michigan with an antitrust lawsuit that can only lead to higher healthcare costs, while she claims it will do the opposite. The case filed less than a month before the 2026 general election accuses Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Mutual Insurance Company, BCBSM, of operating an illegal health insurance monopoly that “has significantly contributed to, or caused, many of the rising costs and negative health outcomes facing Michigan residents.”
“The one major difference between pharmacy and a lot of the other health professions is that we’ve been operating under what we call a bright-line-rules enforcement strategy,” says Deeb D. Eid, director of government relations for Empower Pharmacy, a Houston-based compounding and mail-order pharmacy. “So, you know, there are rules out there that tell you the square footage that your pharmacy countertop needs to be.”
This article originally appeared in The Detroit News September 8, 2026.
The gubernatorial field is set. Democrat Jocelyn Benson and Republican John James won their respective primary elections and have selected running mates. Now they are accumulating political endorsements. On Nov. 3, Michigan voters will pick our next chief executive.
This article originally appeared in Real Clear Energy September 2, 2026.
Energy affordability will be a central issue for Michigan voters in the November election. High gas prices, rising electric bills, lost jobs due to the closing of a major generation plant, and increasing opposition to data centers are near the top of the list of issues in the Michigan 4th Congressional District race.
University Prep Schools in Detroit wants to pay some math teachers a base salary of $100,000, and it can do so only because it is not beholden to a union contract.
University Prep posted a job listing that calls for “a proven track record of strong student achievement data,” five or more years of teaching experience and a secondary teaching certificate. The public charter school, which says it is looking for “model teachers of secondary mathematics,” also offers a signing bonus of $5,000, with $10,000 in relocation aid available for those who move from a distance.
By Cami Pendell
A scene in “Young Washington,” a film released this summer about George Washington's early years, caught my attention. Young George is being taught about civility and how he conducts himself around others. At one point, he is told something simple but meaningful: Respect must be earned.
Is protectionism paying off? President Donald Trump is trumpeting the announcement of a new steel mill in Iowa, promising 1,750 jobs, as evidence of the gains from his trade wars. America is successful; but it succeeds despite the trade wars, not because of them.
This article originally appeared in The Detroit News August 4, 2026.
Three weeks ago, I offered seven questions people can ask to analyze policy ideas. Several readers told me the framework was helpful. Here are four more ideas for your policy analysis toolkit.
This article originally appeared in Real Clear Energy September 2, 2026.
Energy affordability will be a central issue for Michigan voters in the November election. High gas prices, rising electric bills, lost jobs due to the closing of a major generation plant, and increasing opposition to data centers are near the top of the list of issues in the Michigan 4th Congressional District race.
This article originally appeared in The Detroit News August 18, 2026.
The University of Michigan says letter grades are too stressful for freshmen. Starting next academic year, the college won’t assign grades for the first semester of some first-year students. This policy is a disservice to students.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer earlier this year proposed a 4.7% tax on sales of digital advertising on online platforms such as Google, Facebook, TikTok, and Amazon. Both Utah and Illinois adopted similar taxes in 2026. Twelve states have enacted taxes on digital goods and services in 2026 alone, and 10 more state legislatures are considering new digital taxes.
Why is the federal government incapable of spending restraint? Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist joins the Overton Window Podcast to discuss why soaring tax revenues seem to make no difference in closing the national deficit or paying down the debt.
Michigan voters will have the opportunity next month to call for a new state constitutional convention. If voters approve, delegates to the convention would have a big job ahead of them. They should start with the basic question of “How is the state constitution doing?” For some portions, the answer is clearly, “Not well.”
