The hottest Public Policy Substack posts right now

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Can Reform be YIMBY? Why I'm doubtful that Reform can fix the housing crisis

Odds and Ends of History • 737 implied HN points • 11 Feb 26
🌍 World Politics Public Policy
  1. The political right is shifting toward Reform, with think-tanks, campaigners and YIMBY groups increasingly aligning with or opening up to Reform supporters.
  2. High-profile defections like Simon Dudley bring mainstream YIMBY ideas—such as pro-building advocacy and 'representative planning'—into Reform's orbit.
  3. Despite some optimism, many remain skeptical that Reform or a Farage-led government will actually solve the housing crisis and see the moves as politically expedient rather than a real policy breakthrough.

Mamdani Is Inviting a Property Tax Revolt

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 394 implied HN points • 19 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. The mayor proposed a 9.5% property tax increase to help close a roughly $5.4 billion budget shortfall after state leaders refused to raise taxes on the wealthy.
  2. The hike would hit a broad swath of New Yorkers — homeowners across boroughs and renters who could face landlords passing on costs or landlords going under.
  3. Progressive leaders have labeled the plan inequitable, and it risks provoking a voter backlash or tax revolt over rising property bills.

Theories of power, cattle grids and a blep (Odds and Ends #85)

Odds and Ends of History • 804 implied HN points • 07 Feb 26
📰 News Public Policy
  1. A wide-ranging mix of topics is curated, spanning governance, bureaucracy, urban change, creativity, planning rules, NHS challenges, and the future of sports broadcasting — with a lighthearted cat blep thrown in.
  2. There’s a clear emphasis on governance and reform, highlighting London-level politics, tweaks to how Whitehall works, and calls for a new "Theory of Power."
  3. Practical influence and resource-sharing matter: a personal post about rebooting social life sparked reader action, and recommended resources include a pro‑nuclear environmental book and a vaccine science event.

‘This Is the Proverbial Rainy Day.’

Breaking the News • 2206 implied HN points • 20 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. Big philanthropic foundations are quietly mobilizing emergency funds and using their wealth to defend democratic institutions and science. They are urging immediate, coordinated action rather than waiting for a calmer moment.
  2. Current political developments include extreme rhetoric, undeclared military moves, and attacks on scientific and cultural institutions, creating a real risk to norms and concentrated decision-making power. These actions have made the situation urgent and fragile.
  3. There is a clear call for everyone—individuals and institutions—to act where they can now, asking whether they are fully doing what’s theirs to do to preserve democratic values. Collective, timely action and solidarity are presented as necessary to restore and protect the republic.

Patrick Deneen's Work Is Unempirical Drivel

Richard Hanania's Newsletter • 5071 implied HN points • 14 Nov 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. Postliberal thinkers often avoid discussing concrete policies and focus on abstract ideas instead. This can make it hard to pinpoint their actual positions on important issues.
  2. Patrick Deneen, a prominent postliberal figure, tends to rely on emotional appeals and broad claims without providing solid evidence or engaging in real debates about policy.
  3. The rise of postliberalism signifies a decline in healthy intellectual discourse on the right, as it often prioritizes vague narratives over fact-based discussions and critical thinking.
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Land should be a public good—not just private property

The Novelleist • 325 implied HN points • 11 Feb 26
💰 Finance Public Policy
  1. Design cities by starting with a clear vision of how people should live together, using that utopian horizon to guide practical planning choices.
  2. Treat land as a public good and organize its use around long-term stewardship instead of short-term speculation.
  3. Capture and return the value created by land to the community so cities become more stable, humane, and make residents stakeholders in local prosperity.

Big Food Is Killing Our Children

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 524 implied HN points • 10 Feb 26
🏥 Health Politics Public Policy
  1. Big Food and government-backed policies have prioritized profit over kids' health, pushing unhealthy foods that contribute to rising childhood obesity.
  2. The problem is large and growing: obesity rates in children have nearly quadrupled since the 1970s, about 36% of kids are overweight or obese, and roughly one in four teenagers now has type 2 diabetes or prediabetes.
  3. Even though the U.S. spends more on health care than any country, Americans are getting sicker with falling life expectancy and more chronic disease, and many parents no longer trust public health experts, fueling calls for change.

The Neoliberal Era Was Not Pro-Market Enough

Richard Hanania's Newsletter • 3901 implied HN points • 24 Nov 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. Neoliberal policies aimed to stabilize economies, but many argue they didn't reduce government size enough. In fact, governments often grew larger instead during this era.
  2. Countries that embraced free market ideas generally saw better economic growth compared to those that maintained higher taxes and more regulations. This suggests that pro-market reforms still matter today.
  3. The debate about whether neoliberalism was a success isn't just about growth rates; it's also about understanding how government policies and public sentiment shape economic actions.

A Tale of Two Horseshoes

David Friedman’s Substack • 269 implied HN points • 25 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. Illiberal movements on both the right and the left have made old fights over state power and individual freedom feel urgent again. That urgency has pushed classical liberals and former critics into uneasy alliances.
  2. Postliberal critics blame liberalism and economics for many social problems and often misunderstand or dismiss mainstream economic arguments, using libertarians as convenient scapegoats. They pair social conservatism with hostility to established economic ideas and offer shallow explanations for complex issues.
  3. Extremes on both sides show similar anti-liberal tendencies, creating a horseshoe-like convergence where left and right reject individual rights and neutral rules. This convergence means liberal principles like judging people on their merits and defending neutral institutions need active defense.

Things That Are Hard

Freddie deBoer • 10210 implied HN points • 18 Aug 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Policy
  1. Support groups can feel repetitive and unhelpful, but individuals often realize they provided benefits after leaving. The casual conversations before and after meetings can be valuable for connection.
  2. People tend to view mental illness in extremes, either as all good or all bad, which can complicate how they relate to those who are struggling. This can make it hard for individuals to receive the understanding and support they need.
  3. True accommodation for mental health issues means being willing to support those who display difficult behaviors, no matter how unlikable they may seem. It's important to recognize that mental illness can lead to actions that are not socially acceptable.

Steelmanning Reauthorization: Way More Than You Wanted to Know I

Exasperated Infrastructures • 9 implied HN points • 19 Mar 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. Federal transportation funding evolved from focusing almost entirely on highways to supporting transit and other modes, but highways still get the lion's share and STURAA kept a highway emphasis.
  2. Authority over projects shifted upward from local builders to state DOTs, making states the main gatekeepers for federal money and sometimes sidelining regional or local needs.
  3. The system grew much more complex and politically driven: the Highway Trust Fund, many discretionary programs, earmarks, and a stagnant gas tax created maintenance shortfalls and shaped how funds are allocated.

How DoorDash Gets You

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 593 implied HN points • 05 Feb 26
🎭️ Culture Public Policy
  1. Food delivery apps remove everyday friction so people stop cooking or walking, and they grow dependent on instant convenience.
  2. Many users spend shockingly large amounts on deliveries—sometimes hundreds of dollars a week—which can drain savings and harm finances.
  3. Adding cost or friction to delivery (like higher fees or taxes) can be a good thing because it nudges healthier habits, protects wallets, and preserves basic skills.

From cradle to grave (derogatory)

Capital Offences • 99 implied HN points • 16 Oct 24
🏥 Health Politics Public Policy
  1. It's concerning when people criticize the government's treatment of vulnerable groups but then support euthanasia for them. This shows a disconnect in how we value human life.
  2. The way healthcare systems, like the NHS, might judge the value of lives based on productivity raises serious ethical issues. It could lead to discrimination against those who are less 'productive'.
  3. We need to rethink our support for the NHS if it starts to prioritize cost savings over the dignity of individuals who are disabled or unwell. Supporting a better system means recognizing its potential flaws.

Only the State Forgives

News from Uncibal • 278 implied HN points • 03 Oct 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. The modern state has taken on the role of providing forgiveness and redemption, much like the medieval church did. This change is so complete that many people don't realize it's happened.
  2. There are complex cases, like that of a young man involved in a violent crime, where the state considers human rights and mental health before making decisions on punishment and deportation.
  3. The situation reflects a deeper political theology, showing how state decisions can influence personal lives and highlight the tension between justice and compassion.

Random Notes from Austin

In My Tribe • 288 implied HN points • 09 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. The Austin City Council has formally recognized Muslim heritage and designated a day for CAIR, showing official local acknowledgment of Muslim communities.
  2. Anti-AI sentiment is growing among progressives and often gets the strongest public support; this stance could drive policy debates (for example, targeting data centers) and reshuffle political alliances.
  3. There’s a theme about power and tangible progress: leaders who prioritize leverage can be very effective, and visible, ongoing construction highlights real progress compared with stalled projects that show little movement.

Financial Empowerment

Points And Figures • 426 implied HN points • 13 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. Many athletes have short earning windows and often lack the skills to protect their money, so they need targeted support even though helping them at scale is challenging.
  2. The phrase “financial literacy” is vague and hard to measure, while “financial empowerment” is a clearer, more actionable goal that focuses on practical self-reliance.
  3. Financial empowerment means giving people the ability to be self-reliant regardless of education, and making it a public priority can guide programs and invite people to join the effort.

Prison And Crime: Much More Than You Wanted To Know

Astral Codex Ten • 35858 implied HN points • 27 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. Long prison sentences don't necessarily lower crime rates. Studies suggest they have a weak effect on deterring future crime and might not be worth the costs.
  2. Incapacitating criminals by keeping them in prison does prevent some crimes, but the number of crimes prevented by an extra year in prison is generally low compared to other crime-fighting methods.
  3. After someone is released from prison, their chance of reoffending can actually increase due to loss of social connections and opportunities, making long sentences sometimes counterproductive.

Public Choice Links, 2/06/2026

In My Tribe • 318 implied HN points • 06 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. People disagree about why government can’t get things done. Some blame public distrust that blocks capacity, while others blame one-party dominance and weak electoral competition at the state level.
  2. Outsourcing welfare services to private firms can create incentives for fraud because firms may keep unspent money as profit. Alternatives include direct public provision or giving recipients cash to spend themselves, which proponents say would reduce waste.
  3. Social Security drifted from a modest safety net toward a broadly generous pension as replacement rates rose in the 1970s. One proposed reform is a flat benefit that focuses the program on protecting poor seniors rather than replacing middle- and upper-income retirement income.

Democracy and Moral Issues

In My Tribe • 470 implied HN points • 28 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. Democracy works best when people don’t treat moral questions as absolute. It lets diverse groups act together—pass laws and build institutions—without resolving every deep moral dispute.
  2. Treating contested moral views as settled and making disagreement socially or legally costly polarizes politics. When dissent becomes a moral disqualification, people get excluded instead of debated.
  3. Allowing different states to pursue different policies (federalism) can reduce conflict by letting communities live under rules they prefer. But this only helps if people are willing to tolerate neighbors with different moral choices, and rising moralized hatred undermines that tolerance.

Friday brief: Concern as Northampton’s Guildhall statues set to move

NN Journal • 218 implied HN points • 04 Oct 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. There's a plan to move statues from the Guildhall courtyard, which is causing concern among locals. These statues honor important figures in the town's history.
  2. The town council is being asked to move out of the Guildhall but still wants a say in what happens to the statues and the building's future.
  3. A vacant council building is set to be sold to a shoe manufacturer after previous plans for it fell through. This sale could lead to the creation of new jobs and restoration of the building.

Why Deepseek Appeasing Karens is Key to CCP Stability

ChinaTalk • 963 implied HN points • 09 Jan 26
🌍 World Politics Public Policy
  1. Local officials proactively fix small public problems to stop complaints from growing into bigger unrest, and they use viral citizen critics and KPI targets to drive fast responses.
  2. The complaint system is a patchwork of many specialized hotlines plus a central government platform, which can be confusing for citizens and very labor‑intensive for staff.
  3. Cities are adopting AI like DeepSeek to speed up ticket sorting and dispatch, lowering processing time and staff load, but the quality and coverage of these AI tools vary a lot.

How the Sall Grover event went in Christchurch NZ, and how the audience that questions gender ideology has changed in three years.

A B’Old Woman • 1458 implied HN points • 11 Jul 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. Sall Grover's event in Christchurch showed a growing audience that is concerned about gender ideology. People are more aware and ready to take action compared to a similar gathering three years ago.
  2. There has been a noticeable change in attitudes towards gender issues, with attendees at Grover's event feeling frustrated and motivated to fight against gender self-identification practices. The need for clarity and support in women's rights has become a pressing issue.
  3. Different groups are willing to set aside their differences to focus on key goals, like protecting single-sex spaces for women and safeguarding children from harmful gender ideology. There’s a sense of determination to work together for these objectives.

Republican Calculation: Don't Support Obama's Affordable Care Act

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 499 implied HN points • 21 Aug 24
🏥 Health Politics Public Policy
  1. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was designed to help many people, especially those with preexisting conditions, get health insurance. However, there was a lot of confusion and misinformation surrounding it from the start.
  2. Many Republicans initially rejected working with Democrats on the ACA, believing it would help them in future elections by framing it as a 'government takeover of health care.' This strategy worked, as Democrats faced significant losses in the following elections.
  3. Despite the ACA being based on ideas that once had bipartisan support, misinformation continued to spread, making it harder for people to understand its actual impact and benefits over the years.

Classified Report on Hillary Clinton, Loretta Lynch, and James Comey Finally Released

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 8415 implied HN points • 22 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. A new report has been released about the FBI's investigation into Hillary Clinton's emails. It reveals some surprising details about how the FBI handled important evidence.
  2. The report mentions that the FBI got thumb drives containing stolen correspondence from government officials, but they didn't fully investigate this serious breach. This raises questions about the FBI's priorities.
  3. There are also claims that Loretta Lynch shared information about the investigation's plans with Clinton's campaign staff. This could have influenced how the investigation was conducted.

TGIF: Piddly, Stupid Stuff

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1905 implied HN points • 05 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. U.S. forces reportedly struck an alleged Venezuelan drug boat and then hit survivors clinging to the wreckage, and a defense official saying he wasn’t present and calling it ‘the fog of war’ has raised questions about accountability.
  2. The United States Institute of Peace was renamed for Donald Trump, a move that comes off as self-aggrandizing and invites comparisons to past presidential honors.
  3. A weekly news roundup mixes snarky coverage of both trivial and serious stories—celebrity spats, tech vs. human driving, campus disability trends—and has added a new advice column called Tough Love.

Is "deliverism" dead?

Comment is Freed • 100 implied HN points • 03 Mar 26
🌍 World Politics Public Policy
  1. The Labour government drifts between slogans and priorities and lacks a clear, coherent political direction.
  2. There is a deep uncertainty about whether elections are won by delivering real policy outcomes or by winning narratives, messaging, and social-media dynamics.
  3. That uncertainty shapes everyday choices — from whether to prioritise competent technocrats or charismatic figures to whether to accept unpopular policies for better long-term results — making "deliverism" a live and contested question for the centre-left.

Socialism Wins Its American Normandy

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 9923 implied HN points • 25 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. Zohran Mamdani's win in NYC's mayoral primary is seen as a significant moment for socialism in America. It suggests a growing political rivalry between socialist ideas and other viewpoints.
  2. Mamdani has proposed bold changes like rent freezes and free public services. His ideas aim to address economic injustices and make life easier for New Yorkers.
  3. This election marks a shift where younger voters and their parents are more open to socialist views. It's creating a new wave of political thinking that could reshape future elections.

Elections Have Been Nationalized; Did You See Virginia?

Points And Figures • 746 implied HN points • 20 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. State elections now shape national politics, so what happens in a state like Virginia can affect who controls Washington and national policy.
  2. Democratic control at the state level is portrayed as leading to higher taxes, more regulation, and progressive changes in education, elections, and criminal justice that could raise living costs.
  3. The suggested response is to focus on state-level politics by registering and voting in primaries, supporting and donating to candidates, and working to keep or flip key states to prevent a national shift.

Assessing Brink Lindsey's "the Permanent Problem"

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 276 implied HN points • 09 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. Rich modern societies have solved material scarcity but have become so big and impersonal that they undermine people’s ability to flourish, producing crises of inclusion, dynamism, and politics.
  2. The problem isn’t the Enlightenment or capitalism itself, but that markets, bureaucracies, ideologies, and algorithms have grown alien and overpowering, leaving people without human-scale power or meaningful connections.
  3. The proposed fix is twofold: revive technological dynamism in physical sectors to lower costs and pursue an "abundance" agenda, and rebuild intermediary, face-to-face institutions while redistributing power so more people can form meaningful groups and purposeful lives.

Richard Hanania: Why I Changed My Mind. And Why You Should Too.

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 329 implied HN points • 09 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. Regretting a past vote and admitting that regret publicly can be uncomfortable, but it’s an important act of accountability.
  2. Specific decisions—like appointing a high-profile vaccine skeptic to a top public health post and announcing aggressive tariffs—made clear earlier support was mistaken and had real, harmful consequences, including market turmoil.
  3. Being willing to change your mind when new evidence appears and explaining why you changed it is valuable and worth encouraging.

What are the checks and balances on the power of Elon Musk?

Noahpinion • 24647 implied HN points • 21 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. Elon Musk holds a lot of power in the U.S. political landscape, acting like an influential figure during critical government decisions. His online presence and threats can sway lawmakers, showing the power of private individuals in politics.
  2. Historically, checks and balances were designed for government leaders but not for wealthy private individuals like Musk. This raises concerns about whether the U.S. is becoming an oligarchy, where a few rich people like him have too much influence.
  3. The American people ultimately hold the power over Musk's influence. If enough people oppose his actions and lose trust in him, he could lose his sway in politics, demonstrating the importance of public opinion.

Zohran Mamdani's Luxury Beliefs

Rob Henderson's Newsletter • 9810 implied HN points • 25 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. Luxury beliefs are opinions that wealthy people have. They make them look good but can cause real problems for poorer people.
  2. Zohran Mamdani, a young mayoral candidate, has plans like freezing rents and offering free public buses. But these ideas might hurt the people he claims to help, like the working class.
  3. Many working-class voters see Mamdani as out of touch. His proposals sound nice but seem unrealistic, much like a student promising free pizza without knowing who pays for it.

Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 6962 implied HN points • 06 Aug 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) seems to be struggling with credibility due to past incidents, like sharing sensitive information with a select group. This raises questions about trust in their data.
  2. The firing of the BLS commissioner after a poor jobs report indicates how political pressures can influence statistical agencies. This can lead to skepticism about the accuracy of economic data.
  3. Major revisions in employment figures suggest that previous job reports may have been misleading. This could impact political campaigns and public perception of the economy.

‘Policing’ is not a dirty word, and women and girls need to reclaim our ‘frontline policing’ role of female spaces.

A B’Old Woman • 599 implied HN points • 13 Aug 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. Policing our spaces is important for women and girls. It helps ensure safety and comfort in female-only areas.
  2. Women should feel empowered to challenge anyone they think shouldn't be in their spaces. It's about safeguarding and taking back control.
  3. The term 'policing' can be seen positively as a way to keep spaces safe, rather than something negative or harsh. Women need to reclaim this role for their own security.

Nobody knows how to stop humanity from shrinking

Noahpinion • 26647 implied HN points • 22 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. Humanity faces a big problem with declining population and aging, which is not getting enough attention. As birth rates drop, we risk having fewer young people to support our growing older population.
  2. The U.S. now relies heavily on immigration to maintain its population. Many other parts of the world are experiencing the same low birth rate trends, making future immigration uncertain.
  3. Fertility rates are continuously declining globally, and no one knows how to stop this trend. A smaller, older population could threaten the quality of life and economic stability.

Trudeau was a poor steward of Canada's economy

Noahpinion • 22118 implied HN points • 08 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. Trudeau's government struggled to improve Canada's economy, especially with inflation and low business investments. Many Canadians felt disappointed as they saw little change during his leadership.
  2. There was a notable shift in public opinion about immigration in Canada under Trudeau, with concerns over housing and integration rising. As a result, many Canadians became less supportive of high immigration rates.
  3. Canada's economic growth didn't keep up with other countries, notably the U.S., since Trudeau took office. Many believe this issue stems from long-term problems with productivity and investment that were not effectively addressed by his administration.

Against The Generalized Anti-Caution Argument

Astral Codex Ten • 26154 implied HN points • 22 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. Being cautious and warning about potential risks is important, even if past warnings seem wrong. These warnings can still highlight dangers that may eventually happen.
  2. Just because someone has made incorrect predictions in the past does not mean we should ignore future concerns. Some risks gradually increase over time, like health issues or the dangers of powerful technologies.
  3. It's crucial to maintain a balanced approach to assessing risks. We should not let past inaccuracies cause us to dismiss all warnings, as they can help us stay alert to genuine threats.

Humilitism

In My Tribe • 1184 implied HN points • 15 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. Humilitism is the view that no one can have a highly accurate understanding of complex social systems, so people should be humble about their political knowledge and judgments.
  2. It rejects confident technocratic elites and crisis-driven politics, preferring to treat social issues as problems with trade-offs rather than urgent calls for sweeping solutions.
  3. Humilitism is distinct from labels like conservative, libertarian, or populist — you can hold strong opinions yet still accept fallibility and worry about the fragility of social order.

Inside The Trump-Affiliated Outfit Trying to Repeal The Affordable Care Act

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 559 implied HN points • 12 Aug 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. There's a group trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act, led by people connected to Trump. They believe that Obamacare has failed and want to make major changes.
  2. Bobby Jindal, a key figure in this group, argues that patients should have more control over their healthcare choices, but this could risk leaving some people without proper coverage.
  3. Critics say Obamacare has actually helped many Americans get health insurance, and there's evidence suggesting that healthcare costs have not risen as much as claimed by its opponents.

Health NZ puts the ‘men’ in menstruation.

A B’Old Woman • 759 implied HN points • 31 Jul 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. Health NZ's new policy claims that menstruation is not just for women, stating that people of all genders can menstruate.
  2. Many people are surprised and upset by this policy, feeling it's confusing and not in line with most people's understanding of gender.
  3. There are concerns about how this affects cultural beliefs, especially in Māori culture, which emphasizes the sacredness of women's experiences.