Commentary

Across Civitas Outlook and the broader media landscape, our scholars provide timely insights into issues of national significance.

Firm Investment and the User Cost of Capital: New U.S. Corporate Tax Reform Evidence

This working paper analyzes the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 to examine how corporate tax reform impacts rates of investment.

Jonathan S. Hartley, Kevin A. Hassett, Joshua D. Rauh
Economic Dynamism
Jul 7, 2025
Waning American Pride Threatens the Republic

Political polarisation has reached fever pitch, with each side increasingly viewing the other not as opponents but as enemies.

Joel Kotkin
Politics
Jul 7, 2025
Beware the New Eugenics

Who decides what humans become?

Joel Kotkin
Pursuit of Happiness
Jul 1, 2025
New York’s Surging New Leftist Tide Is a Chilling Warning to the West

The rise in support for Zohran Mamdani illustrates how an alliance of immigrants and the young urban precariat is taking on capitalism.

Joel Kotkin
Politics
Jun 24, 2025
Trump’s Iran Ceasefire Depends on American Oil
Politics
Jun 24, 2025
The American Revolutions of 1776
Constitutionalism
Jun 23, 2025
Trump Should Win His Court Battle with Newsom over Riot Response
Politics
Jun 19, 2025
Getting Right with Buckley
Politics
Jun 19, 2025
The Battle to Lead The Democratic Party
Politics
Jun 18, 2025
It’s Not Easy, but We Can All Learn to Think like Adam Smith
Economic Dynamism
Jun 18, 2025
All commentary
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Los Angeles Has Fallen
Joel Kotkin
Politics
Jun 11, 2025
Class Warfare, LA Style
Joel Kotkin
Politics
Jun 11, 2025
LA Riots Reflect Failure of Progressive Leadership
Joel Kotkin
Politics
Jun 9, 2025
Trump Should Be Thanking Leonard Leo and the Federalist Society, Not Waging War
John Yoo
Politics
Jun 6, 2025
Locked Out of the Dream: Regulation Making Homes Unaffordable Around the World
Joel Kotkin
Economic Dynamism
Jun 5, 2025
Humanity According to Alasdair MacIntyre
O. Carter Snead
Pursuit of Happiness
Jun 5, 2025
Other

Content

Automated Detection of Emotion in Central Bank Communication: A Warning

Can LLMs help us better understand the role of emotion in central bank communication?

Carola Binder, Nicole Baerg
Economic Dynamism
Jul 1, 2025
How to Save Our Urban Centers

What will the future of American cities look like?

Joel Kotkin
Pursuit of Happiness
Jun 26, 2025
National Poll from Civitas Institute: Americans Concerned About AI, Economic Issues

The Civitas Institute Poll, conducted from March 11-20, 2025, asked 1,200 Americans an array of questions about how things are going in the country.

Daron Shaw
Pursuit of Happiness
Jun 11, 2025
Defending Technological Dynamism & the Freedom to Innovate in the Age of AI

Human flourishing, economic growth, and geopolitical resilience requires innovation—especially in artificial intelligence.

Adam Thierer
Economic Dynamism
Jun 6, 2025
Divorce, Family Arrangements, and Children's Adult Outcomes

This paper uses linked tax and Census records for over 5 million children to examine how divorce affects family arrangements and children's long-term outcomes.

Andrew C. Johnston
Pursuit of Happiness
May 22, 2025
Religious Exemptions?: What the Free Exercise Clause Means

A conversation among three religious liberty scholars on the Free Exercise Clause’s original meaning.

Andrew Koppelman, Michael McConnell, Vincent Phillip Muñoz
Constitutionalism
Apr 28, 2025
Partisan Trust in the Federal Reserve

This paper examines partisanship in public perceptions of the Federal Reserve.

Carola Binder, Cody Couture, Abhiprerna Smit
Economic Dynamism
Apr 22, 2025

Law Talk

Welcome to Law Talk with Richard Epstein and John Yoo. Our show is hosted by Charles C. W. Cooke.

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The Three Whiskey Happy Hour

Steven Hayward brings you the Power Line Blog's perspective on the week's big headlines.

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Arthur Brooks on the Secret to a Fulfilling Life

Pursuit of Happiness
Sept 15, 24
1:10:28

Richard Epstein: The Constitution, Parental Rights, and More

Constitutionalism
Sept 15, 24
17:54

Richard Epstein: Law and Economics of Public Sector Unions

Economic Dynamism
Sept 15, 24
43:49

Wall Street Journal: Donald Trump Takes On the Conservative Judiciary

Politics
Sept 15, 24
25:37

Can the U.S. Defense Industrial Base Meet Today’s Challenges?

Economic Dynamism
Sept 15, 24
1:35:10
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