Commentary
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Oil Money and the US Federal Reserve: Parallels Between Venezuela (2026) and Iraq (2003)
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The Trump administration’s undefined resolution to remain in control of Venezuela and its oil exports for the foreseeable future was, without a doubt, a shock to many, but this tactic is not entirely without historical precedent. In May 2003, the United Nations Security Council created the Development Fund for Iraq…
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From Policy to Practice: The Breakdown of Chicago’s Hospital Price Transparency
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Imagine: After her doctor recommended a hip replacement, a 67-year-old Chicago grandmother sat down at her computer hoping to compare prices before scheduling surgery. Instead, she spent nearly an hour navigating hospital websites, clicking through estimator tools that asked for billing codes she did not recognize and insurance details she…
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Tennessee Has a Hate Crime Problem. They Don’t Care.
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Mercedes Williamson, a transgender girl, was murdered in Mississippi in 2015. At just seventeen years old, she became the center of a national case when her murder was classified as a hate crime. Six years after the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009 (HCPA)…
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A Grand Bargain to Resolve the Iranian War
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The war of choice in Iran is not going very well for the United States. While the Iranian leadership has largely been decimated, the regime still stands with newly amassed leverage. While there is technically a cease-fire in effect as of this writing, no fundamental agreement has been reached on…
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The End of Orban: What the 2026 Election Result Means for Hungary and Europe
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After 16 years with Viktor Orbán at the helm of the Hungarian state, on April 12th Hungarians elected Péter Magyar as prime minister in a landslide victory with record turnout. Magyar and his Tisza party’s victory offer a rare chance to push back against democratic backsliding and rekindle warmer relationships…
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Pulling the Plug on Teen Takeovers
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What started as a need for social space and activity has become a flashpoint in Chicago, sparking debate among residents, community activists, and city leaders. Large gatherings, commonly characterized as “teen trends” or “teen takeovers” have seen a surge in recent years, with some even escalating into violence. In March…
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The Grand Strategy of Convenience
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The Neo-Cold War The United States is in the midst of a neo-cold war with China. What the Trump administration is executing, whether by design, instinct, or structural inevitability, is a grand strategy of convenience: a convergence of individually motivated actions that collectively pressure the global resource, energy, and influence…
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The Case for an Economic Well-Being Index
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The thermometer measures internal body temperature, but it cannot diagnose cancer or judge overall health. Likewise, economic measures like GDP are similar, useful for gauging issues like the size of an economy, but not its condition. However, policymakers often lean on single indicators like GDP, inflation, or unemployment and miss…
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From Collaboration to Consolidation: How Conference Realignment Concentrates Power Beyond Antitrust Reach
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College athletic conferences organize the economic and competitive structure of college sports. These leagues group universities into regional affiliations that coordinate scheduling, negotiate shared television contracts, and determine postseason competition. Two of the most prominent were the Pac-12 Conference, historically composed of major West Coast universities, and the Big 12…
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Following Illiberalism: What a Future U.S. Administration Can Learn from Poland’s Struggle with Illiberalism
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In 2028, the Trump administration’s second term will come to an end. As the United States approaches midterm elections this year, visions for what the U.S. might look like post Trump 2.0 will abound. This administration and its allies in Congress have moved the United States closer to illiberalism, defined…
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In Defense of Detemir: How US Drug Policy Let an Essential Insulin Disappear
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In December 2024, Novo Nordisk discontinued insulin detemir (levemir) in the U.S. They cited manufacturing constraints, alternative insulins, and reduced formulary coverage. This decision removed one of only three basal insulin options. No generic could replace it since the FDA does not allow compounding of insulins, and expedited pathways still…