October 3, 2024
Weaponizing Peer Review
In their book, Merchants of Doubt, Naomi Oreskes and Eric Conway argue that scientists “know bad science when they see it”: “It’s science that is obviously fraudulent — when data have been invented, fudged, or manipulated. Bad science is where data is have been cherry-picked— when some data have been deliberately left out—or it’s impossible for…
October 1, 2024
The American Growth Imperative
Every so often, I come across a policy analysis that is so quantitatively robust and crystal clear in its presentation, that it clarifies how I think. Today is one of those days. In a just-released report the Economic Innovation Group — a non-partisan think tank in Washington, DC — focuses on the rising share of government transfers…
September 30, 2024
The Broadband Dilemma
Broadband accessibility has rapidly transformed into a modern-day essential, integral to our nation’s economy. However, some still do not have access to basic internet connectivity, which became more evident during COVID-19. As a result, government programs like the $42 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program were created to expand internet connectivity to unserved…
September 27, 2024
The Institute for Regulatory Law & Economics
Today I’m traveling to the 2024 Institute for Regulatory Law & Economics Workshop for Regulators. The 2024 IRLE Workshop marks not only the 18th annual gathering of regulators and scholars, but also the 20th anniversary of IRLE’s founding. Over the past two decades, this workshop has evolved into a valued educational and translational research resource for regulators…
September 23, 2024
Australia’s Misinformation Police
A few days ago Australian legislators introduced a bill focused on “Combatting Misinformation and Disinformation.” The Australian Parliament explains the purpose of the bill: The bill proposes to amend the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 and would make consequential amendments to other Acts to establish a new framework to safeguard against serious harms caused by misinformation or…
September 23, 2024
The National Science Foundation: Juggling Basic Research and Critical Technologies
Several weeks ago, National Science Foundation (NSF) Director Sethuraman Panchanathan announced that the new Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (TIP) would focus on four technology areas over the next three years, a substantial reduction from the 10 technology areas mandated by Congress in the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act. The agency cited budget constraints…
September 18, 2024
Japan Offers a Glimpse into the Future
I’m writing this week from Tokyo, where I am participating in a fascinating symposium on “Energy Security and Global Warming in an Increasingly Uncertain International Climate,” sponsored by the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSSP) and the Institute of Energy Economic, Japan (IEEJ).(1) My contributions to the symposium focused on global rates…
September 17, 2024
Apple’s Tax Triumph Turned Sour: Is the EU Playing Fair?
In the world of tech and tax complications, the recent European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling ordering Apple to pay a whopping €13 billion ($14 billion) in back taxes to Ireland has sent shockwaves through the corporate world. This verdict, which concludes an eight-year-long legal battle, ignited a fierce debate on whether the European Union is justified…
September 13, 2024
The Politics of American Energy Policy
In the U.S. presidential debate earlier this week, the Democratic nominee Kamala Harris offered a strong endorsement of not just the technology of fracking but also of fossil fuels: I was the tie-breaking vote on the Inflation Reduction Act, which opened new leases for fracking. My position is that we have got to invest in diverse sources…
September 6, 2024
The UK’s AI Policy Pivot: From Global AI Safety Leader to Domestic AI Adopter?
Is the new United Kingdom’s government leadership stepping back from the country’s recently acquired position as a global leader in artificial intelligence (AI) safety regulation? Announcements this past week show a shift in priorities around AI that comes just months after the UK hosted the groundbreaking AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park in November 2023 positioning the UK at…