All 2026 Publications

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1. The Overton Window and The Political Vise: How Are Policy Decisions Made?
2. Mackinac Center Names Shawn Phillip Cooper Director of Education Policy
3. Students need the exceptional teachers that flexible schools can hire
4. State Health Dept. Sued Over Forced Unionizing of Michigan Home Caregivers
5. What if civility is something we need to study?
6. Check out the scoreboard before declaring America a failure
7. Michigan’s Proposal 2 Would Increase Government Power to Regulate Political Speech
8. A citizen’s guide to smarter policy analysis
9. New Lawsuit Challenges Forced Union Representation of Michigan Home Caregivers
10. Renewable mandates face moment of truth in November
11. Proposal 2 of 2026: Summary and Analysis
12. New Report: Electricity Choice Program Expansion Could Save Michigan Ratepayers Millions
13. Competitive Power, Affordable Rates
14. Grades are feedback, not trauma
15. Maryland ruling casts doubt on Whitmer’s digital tax plan
16. ‘Sometimes people miss this, but congressmen aren't supposed to miss it because it's the law’
17. Constitutional convention delegates would have a lot to review
18. The constitutional battle Canada and America share
19. Michigan’s local tax votes shouldn’t happen when turnout is lowest
20. Education is changing fast. Michigan should keep up.
21. When these licenses can’t cross state lines, consumers suffer
22. Markets or Socialism? Mackinac Center Launches Video Contest
23. Politicians exploit low voter turnout to raise taxes
24. It’s time Michigan accepts nuclear power to meet its net-zero emission goal
25. Planning for Life Workshop
26. Additional Resources – A Parent’s Guide to Michigan Educational Options
27. School Options in Michigan – A Parent’s Guide to Michigan Educational Options
28. A Parent’s Guide to Michigan Educational Options
29. Find School Choice Near You – A Parent’s Guide to Michigan Educational Options
30. Motorists pay more for gas in Michigan than in Indiana
31. From Criminal Record to Career: Opening Doors to Work in Michigan
32. Gov. Whitmer’s fiscal policy record
33. ‘Having chunks of a country where it’s difficult to do business reduces the size of the pie for everyone’
34. Should government unions have the power to block AI?
35. The Power of Ideas: The Overton Window and the American Revolution
36. Population growth is good
37. American independence and the Overton Window
38. A Taxing Debate in Michigan: Growth, Fairness and Trade-Offs
39. Blue states feed taxpayers to food-stamp wolves
40. A wake-up call for Michigan’s earmark habit
41. Michigan is a leader in two migration measures
42. The story of Saginaw's William Q. Atwood reflects America’s promise
43. Two choices for Michigan’s low carbon future
44. Michigan can learn from the failure of Maryland’s digital advertising tax
45. ‘Affordability is everywhere this year as a kind of buzzword’
46. Michigan is debating more developer subsidies. Did the first ones work?
47. Shrinking unions grasp hold of power through ESG activism
48. Victory for Louisiana workers and First Amendment rights
49. My grandmother’s story is why I believe America is worth celebrating
50. Make Michigan home again
51. Gary Peters’ Senate legacy
52. Dear local leaders: You don’t have to collect every tax dollar you’re allowed
53. Michigan legislators consider a variety of proposals, many bad, on data centers
54. IMPACT July/August 2026
55. Director of Strategic Partnerships (Gift Officer - Ann Arbor/Detroit)
56. In corporate welfare, Michigan bets big, loses bigger
57. The MEDC wants more time — it’s had decades
58. Union Township: New Data, Same Poor Results
59. ‘It doesn’t matter who is in power; power should be restrained in a clear way’
60. Michigan is over-ruled
61. University Student Sues County for Flock Camera Records
62. Michigan’s anti-trust case against fossil fuel companies is absurd
63. Student Sues Genesee County for Flock Camera Records
64. Supreme Court readjusts balance of power
65. Michigan bills move state foster care forward
66. Congress should stop paying states
67. Gretchen Whitmer’s failed literacy test
68. Michigan’s costly bet on corporate subsidies hasn’t paid off
69. Politics needs less messaging and more meaning
70. ‘Human bodies and minds are not one size fits all’
71. Gavin Newsom has a Hollywood subsidy blooper reel
72. States have different standards for reporting spending totals
73. Millages hang on low-turnout votes
74. In corporate welfare, Michigan bets big, loses bigger
75. Parents must take back school boards
76. Farmers step up during health crises
77. The MEDC wants more time — it’s had decades
78. Ohio is eating our lunch
79. Gladwin Mayor Challenges Gag Clause That Restricts Speech
80. Michigan needs more nursing homes; why are we still blocking them?
81. Gladwin Mayor Challenges “Gag Clause” Limiting Elected Officials’ Speech
82. Michigan needs more nursing homes; why are we still blocking them?
83. Michigan’s childcare regulations should move toward national levels
84. Budget highlights and lowlights
85. Developer subsidy bill added to the Michigan business subsidy scorecard
86. ‘Access can change the trajectory of anybody's life’
87. Notable rulings from the U.S. Supreme Court this term
88. How does MEDC chief’s defense of business subsidies hold up?
89. Unlock opportunity to make Michigan more affordable
90. Flock ruffles feathers in Michigan
91. Michigan needs more sunlight
92. New Data: 17% of Cigarettes Consumed in Michigan Were Smuggled
93. What World Cup visitors can teach us about America and civility
94. IMPACT May/June 2026
95. Michigan’s childcare regulations should move toward national levels
96. Illicit smokes: 17% of cigarettes consumed in Michigan during 2024 were smuggled
97. There’s less pork in the state budget but it’s still bad
98. Budget highlights and lowlights
99. ‘Whichever candidate wins, they’re both promising to get rid of the personal income tax’
100. Wooden teeth and iron men
101. How much does government regulation actually add to the price of housing?
102. The guild that almost killed the guitar
103. Economic development programs create jobs — for lobbyists
104. Michigan Business Development Program’s deals are plentiful; its results are not
105. Michigan debería adoptar la libertad económica
106. World Cup wisdom
107. When the Unthinkable Became Reality — The American Experiment Embraced
108. Michigan taxpayers are funding the push for higher taxes
109. The subtle art of concealing corporate welfare payments
110. ‘Vote No’ means vote no
111. Michigan roads improve
112. Michigan should not punish short-term rentals
113. Electric school bus replacement plan makes you say watt?
114. Michigan is catching up on its biggest debts
115. Michigan lawmakers push an affordability agenda
116. ‘The more you ask the computer to do for you, the more power you need’
117. New Report: Whitmer’s Subsidy Deals Deliver Just 3% of Promised Jobs
118. Let data centers compete on a level playing field
119. Consolidation shouldn’t be just for school districts
120. Whitmer’s Major Business Subsidy Deals
121. Rx Kids, Poverty Solutions and the Social Safety Net
122. Michigan should embrace economic freedom
123. Mackinac Center Comment on Eliminating Barriers to Broadband Internet
124. Class of 2026: Make yourself indispensable
125. Miranda Stovall v. Jefferson County Board of Education
126. Real Heroes of the American Revolution
127. Ben Sasse’s farewell address
128. Michigan's foster care system needs reform
129. A 'Champion of Education?' Whitmer’s record tells a different story
130. In Michigan, ‘free’ is expensive
131. Planning for Life Workshop
132. Michigan roads improve
133. Traverse City moves the goalposts, again, on broadband service
134. ‘We need to unleash American workers, not protect them’
135. Michigan should not punish short-term rentals
136. Michigan’s Government-Driven Internet Expansion Efforts are Expensive and Ineffective
137. Civility is infrastructure we cannot allow to collapse
138. Subsidies and Setbacks
139. Ohio Supreme Court Asked to Review Union Dues Agreement Dispute
140. Zoning reform can increase housing affordability, birth rates
141. When the State Becomes Guardian: Building a Better Foster System for Michigan Children
142. Mackinac Center Hosts Evening Celebrating America’s 250 Years
143. Who watches Grand Rapids City Hall if the watchdog is muzzled?
144. Workers for Opportunity joins the fight against the Faster Labor Contracts Act
145. Matthew Sheldon v. OAPSE
146. Michigan lawmakers need to understand economics
147. An Evening with the Mackinac Center
148. Michigan can easily handle adding data centers
149. The Past is the Present
150. Public Pensions Should Serve Workers, Not Political Movements
151. Electric school bus replacement plan makes you say watt?
152. A look at Michigan’s property tax
153. Rx Kids: The Promise and Some Concerns
154. Michigan is catching up on its biggest debts
155. Mackinac Center for Public Policy Public Comment on the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s Interim Final Rule on National Bank Non-Interest Charges and Fees and Interim Final Order Preempting the Illinois Interchange Fee Prohibition Act
156. ‘I Realized It Was a Prison Cell’
157. ‘The harsher the childcare regulations, the fewer kids people have’
158. School boards should represent the public, not silence it
159. It’s time to shut down the MEDC
160. The Power of Ideas: The Overton Window and the American Revolution
161. The Real Cost of Affordability
162. Michigan shows how we can make homeownership affordable
163. Is The World Better Off With America?
164. Commonsense Election Reforms in Michigan (And Beyond)
165. It’s time to shut down the MEDC
166. Michigan legalized dental therapists in 2018, but only a few practice
167. Workers for Opportunity celebrates Iowa win
168. Local governments care about government power. We care about freedom
169. Workers for Opportunity celebrates Iowa win
170. Graduation rates rise while student achievement flatlines
171. Detroit: All that glitters might not remain gold
172. Michigan could not be built today
173. Think your electric bill is high?
174. Michigan legalized dental therapists in 2018, but only a few practice
175. ‘Affordable housing: No matter what they say in public, they're terrified of it’
176. Virtue-signaling with state holidays
177. Freeing Health Care Markets: State Solutions for Coverage, Costs, and Innovation
178. Make room for growth
179. Court Freezes Hidden Earmarks in Major Win for Michigan Taxpayers
180. Some Detroiters pay high property taxes, others don’t
181. Whitmer’s budget proposals do not lower costs
182. For once, Michigan said no to new business subsidies
183. Michigan should embrace zoning reform, reject housing subsidies
184. School choice critics’ glaring double standard
185. A Choice Situation
186. Film Subsidies are an Expensive Flop
187. States can cure federal pharma fever
188. Detroit’s zoning history offers lessons for today
189. ‘You never talk to the people who lost the lottery, right?’
190. Unions Leverage Retirement Funds for Political Agendas
191. Unions and ESG: From Worker Representation to Shareholder Activism
192. Legislation Could Threaten Popular Small Consumer Loan Programs
193. Whitmer promised transparency and delivered gag orders
194. Oversight is a key role for local officials
195. The Power of Ideas: The Overton Window and the American Revolution
196. It’s Groundhog Day all over again on free trade
197. IMPACT March/April 2026
198. On housing, local vs. state control is the wrong question
199. Time to make full use of the new earmarks process
200. Michigan’s inflated teacher evals are failing students
201. Price hikes tied to wind and solar
203. Union Township receives recognition, but its performance underwhelms
204. Reform Michigan unemployment insurance
205. Water, Watts and Wealth: The Costs and Benefits of Data Centers in Michigan
206. Freedom notes U.S.A.: Nebraska takes over federal environmental reviews
207. ‘Let me pretend this is true, OK?’
208. ‘The difference between having a good idea and having others embrace it’
209. On housing, local vs. state control is the wrong question
210. Trump, Whitmer and the problem of emergency powers
211. What election reforms are actually possible?
212. What Michigan Can Learn About Reading From Mississippi
213. Michigan’s pandemic lockdowns need a full review
214. The False Promise of Film Incentives
215. The billion-dollar idea Detroit should consider
216. How Civility Strengthens Policy
217. The state of Whitmer’s state
218. Time to make full use of the new earmarks process
219. High gas prices don’t justify emergency powers
220. Free Market Road Show
221. Food trucks, often banned or heavily regulated, may get a chance to thrive
222. ‘If we do meet resistance from elected officials in Detroit, we’ll fund a referendum’
223. Prescription Drug Toolkit Urges States to Take a Bigger Role
224. Yes, other states are building much more housing than Michigan
225. Almost everyone agrees that municipal zoning rules are too strict
226. Where did Michigan’s surplus go?
227. Mackinac Center Applauds Bipartisan Action on Physician Licenses
228. The Free Market Remedy for Drug Pricing Ills
229. Where did Michigan’s surplus go?
230. Michigan’s tax competitiveness is at risk
231. The Economic Spirit of 1776
232. Michigan’s tax competitiveness is at risk
233. Judge throws out Mackinac ferry monopoly claim
234. The Economic Spirit of 1776
235. Success of Rx Kids should prompt reevaluation of welfare programs
236. New Report: Michigan Should Follow Mississippi’s Lead on Reading
237. Rhode Island’s Cigarette Tax Hike Would Fuel Smuggling
238. Michigan’s Broadband moment: Time to focus on connections
239. Supreme Court Turns Away Mother’s Free Speech Appeal
240. Let’s fix licensing systems that lock ex-offenders out of work
241. ‘People bemoan that they can't trust the news’
242. Walter Isaacson to Headline Mackinac Center Event
243. Keep Michigan’s budget sustainable
244. Capping credit card rates unnecessary, harmful
245. Making Drug Policy Work for Patients, Not Institutions
246. Mississippi Learning
247. Michigan Must Have Affordable Reliable Electricity
248. A Lesson from St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations
249. The ideas that built America still matter
250. How Trump can make homeownership affordable
251. Limit zoning to make Michigan grow again
252. Michigan lawmakers move to protect reasonable childhood independence
253. Let’s Build Michigan: Why Housing Costs Have Spiked and How to Fix It
254. Right to compute moves forward in other states
255. Michigan taxpayers build it, but nobody comes
256. ‘All of your data has been stolen’
257. IMPACT January/February 2026
258. Cigarette smuggling increase on the docket in Washington State
259. ‘SAFE’ bills are not safe
260. Seven habits of highly civil people
261. Michigan subsidy picks are a short seller’s bonanza
262. Beware of most-favored-nation drug pricing regs
263. Tax hikes and smuggling: Will Michigan tempt scofflaws?
264. Laws have unintended consequences
265. Time to rein in old MEGA gravy train
266. The state of housing in Michigan
267. Mackinac Center partners for historic summit
268. Why Michigan needs more housing, despite a flat population
269. ‘We don't wear capes’
270. Make Michigan competitive again
271. Michigan Can’t Subsidize Its Way to Growth — It Must Build Its Way There
272. Setting the record straight on schools of choice
273. Michigan Lawmakers Introduce Housing Reform Bills
274. Lawmakers should reject sales tax holidays
275. Voters can lower their own property taxes under Michigan rules
276. I (heart) freedom, and you should too
277. Michigan only enacted 74 laws in 2025. So what?
278. Senior discount won’t solve Michigan’s property tax problem
279. Interest rates should be left to the private market
280. House bill a shot in the arm for Schools of Choice law
281. ‘A country where opportunity is still possible’
282. Licensing rules make Michigan’s health care problems worse
283. All former governors join Mackinac Center civility panel
284. Freedom Notes U.S.A.: Americans want the lights on
285. A Defining Moment for Civility
286. Rhode Island’s Cigarette Tax Hike Would Fuel Smuggling
287. Rochester Schools Trustee Sues to Protect Her Right to Speak with Constituents
288. Rochester Schools Trustee Sues to Protect Her Right to Speak with Constituents
289. Indiana chokes with new cigarette taxes
290. The meaning of America, 250 years later
291. What’s the real poverty line?
292. Grand Rapids should publish its 311 data
293. The state of housing in Michigan
294. Mackinac Center Announces 2026 Policy Priorities
295. Does Michigan Reconnect get people better paying jobs?
296. Public Policy Recommendations 2026
297. Does Michigan Reconnect get people better paying jobs?
298. Give credit where due on the roads deal
299. More solar energy is wrong for Michigan
300. Let interest rates find their market rate
301. ‘Everything exploded in the world of online teaching’
302. Want to boost Michigan? Stop punishing R&D
303. Give credit where due on the roads deal
304. We need real performance metrics for Michigan public universities
305. M.L.K.’s campaign of ideas
306. Michigan hospitals aren’t using charity program for charity
307. Before spending, ask, ‘Is this thing working?’
308. Caregivers pay SEIU dues for no real union benefits
309. It’s time for focus on the debate over subsidies to corporations
310. IMPACT November/December 2025
311. What is the role of a think tank?
312. Matthew Sheldon v. OAPSE
313. Legislature Approved Zero New Business Subsidies in 2025
314. ‘People are very bad at managing their own finances’
315. Mackinac Center Comment to FDA Regarding Modified Risk Tobacco Products
316. Government makes a bad Santa Claus
317. More solar energy is wrong for Michigan
318. 3 ways to rebuild Americans' trust in government
319. America’s flirtation with socialism
320. Whitmer should form a commission to review pandemic response