Big Ideas

Legislators Should Live in a Glass House Joshua Tauberer 02/14/2007

A little-known new project could make it easier to hold congressmen of both parties accountable.

Measuring a Teacher’s Worth Bryan Prior 02/09/2007

Public-school teachers’ salaries are not directly influenced by market forces, but rather by the whims of the political process. How should politicians decide whether to increase their pay? In an age of statistical manipulation and easy punditry, Adam Smith remains a trustworthy guide.

Closed for Business Kevin Hassett 02/07/2007

We’re driving companies offshore with a corporate tax rate higher than every European nation, writes economist Kevin Hassett. And wages are suffering.

The Cheap Way Out Lewis M. Andrews 02/06/2007

Students could do better—and taxpayers could save money—if we rewarded those who finish high school in three years with community college scholarships.

Blood and Soil Victor Davis Hanson 02/06/2007

In Iraq and Afghanistan, we desperately need the calm continuity that farming brings, writes VICTOR DAVIS HANSON, a farmer himself. But how to revive the right kind of agriculture?

Perfectionists for Freedom Laura Vanderkam 02/05/2007

Brian Doherty’s new history finds that each libertarian is unhappy in his own way.

More from The American Scene The American 01/26/2007

A Market in Morals Kerry Howley 01/26/2007

Thanks to the global diversity of bioethics rules, would-be mothers have a world of options.

Markets for Rights Do Not Make a Wrong Patrick Ross 01/24/2007

The new business models that can be enabled by digital technology will make things better for everyone.

Celebrity Power David Robinson 01/18/2007

Information overload makes our attention the next hot commodity, writes DAVID ROBINSON. An endless variety of niche sources could leave us absorbed—and isolated—if not for the big-name celebrities who bring us back together.