The hottest Public Policy Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Education Topics

The Death of the Public Library. Plus. . .

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 932 implied HN points • 09 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. Public libraries are facing significant decline, often becoming homeless shelters, which discourages families and students from using them. It's sad to see a place that was once a community hub turn into something else.
  2. People are becoming victims of identity theft, and this issue is tied to illegal immigration as some migrants need fake Social Security numbers to work. This adds another layer to the ongoing immigration debate.
  3. Mark Swidan, who was wrongfully detained in a Chinese prison, is struggling to rebuild his life back in America after his release. His story highlights the challenges faced by people who have endured long imprisonments.

Monthly Roundup #27: February 2025

Don't Worry About the Vase • 2060 implied HN points • 17 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. Trust your instincts about people. If something feels off, it's often right to be cautious.
  2. Effective communication is important. It's better to express your true feelings rather than making up excuses.
  3. Having a strong sense of agency can help you take control of your life. Imagining what actions a more capable person would take can inspire you to act differently.

Reading Abundance from China

ChinaTalk • 933 implied HN points • 01 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. American culture often struggles to imagine a 'good life' that includes public spaces and urban living. This limits progress on ideas that promote communal and sustainable lifestyles.
  2. The way environmental assessments are done in both China and the U.S. can miss important broader impacts and local effects, which leads to a narrow understanding of policy outcomes.
  3. Both the U.S. and China need to stop idealizing each other's successes and instead understand their unique challenges. Viewing one another through filtered lenses can lead to misunderstanding and missed opportunities.

Why homes are ‘filtering’ up the market from the poor to wealthier buyers

Erdmann Housing Tracker • 168 implied HN points • 15 Dec 25
💼 Business Public Policy
  1. Average statistics hide big differences: the typical American family looks better off on paper, but many households feel worse and a substantial share have declined year after year.
  2. With too few new homes being built, existing houses are effectively ‘filtering’ up the market from poorer to wealthier buyers, which squeezes lower-income families out of housing options.
  3. The result is a unique, musical‑chairs problem where families compete for a fixed housing stock, and the only durable fix is increasing the supply of new housing so homes can better match families’ needs.

Power to the People

Comment is Freed • 76 implied HN points • 18 Jan 26
📰 News Public Policy
  1. Labour is shifting toward a communitarian approach with Pride in Place, aiming to rebuild local civic life instead of just delivering top-down, technocratic fixes.
  2. Evidence from Big Local shows long-term, flexible, community-led funding that protects local space, follows local instincts, and helps projects spread can grow social capital, improve outcomes, and attract more investment even with modest per-person spending.
  3. Top-down managerial programmes can upgrade buildings and services but struggle to create lasting community power or emotional buy-in, so Pride in Place should avoid reverting to technocracy and prioritise methods that build pride, agency and momentum.
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NYC Trades Prosperity for Socialism

Points And Figures • 1012 implied HN points • 25 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. Cities like NYC are experiencing negative effects from far-left policies, which might harm their economic futures.
  2. People worried about the potential financial crash in NYC can expect municipal bonds to dramatically lose value, especially if these policies continue.
  3. Wealthy individuals and businesses may leave NYC for better opportunities elsewhere, making life tougher for those who can't afford to move.

Economists and Dentists

In My Tribe • 789 implied HN points • 18 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. Experts can be grouped into three types: practitioners, analysts, and activists. Practitioners solve real-life problems, like dentists fixing teeth.
  2. Analysts, like economists, use models and data to understand complex issues but don't deal directly with physical reality. Their insights can vary depending on how they view the world.
  3. Activists often push personal beliefs under the guise of analysis. It's important to differentiate them from honest analysts to maintain trust in expert opinions.

How writing about nineteenth-century cities changed my mind

The Works in Progress Newsletter • 39 implied HN points • 06 Feb 26
💾 History Public Policy
  1. Planning matters: nineteenth-century cities show that deliberate street networks and unified transport planning solved collective action problems and produced better urban outcomes. People even chose covenanted neighbourhoods, showing real demand for development control.
  2. Ownership type isn't the main issue: both municipal and private providers ran good infrastructure when systems were funded by user fees and allowed to be profitable. Those incentives and the risk of bankruptcy kept suppliers responsive and efficient.
  3. Monopolies can be useful for infrastructure: single operators often gave better coordinated, expandable networks and profitable supply than chaotic competition. Time-limited concession systems — where cities owned assets but hired private operators — combined the benefits of competition with monopoly coordination.

If They Don't Believe They're Enemies, Why Should You?

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 2267 implied HN points • 10 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. If leaders from opposing sides, like Trump and Obama, can be friendly, it makes you question why others believe they have to fight constantly.
  2. Many supporters have strange contradictions in their beliefs, like claiming to support America first while backing a foreign country's interests.
  3. There's a serious gap in understanding the real conflict, where one side is portrayed as a victim while the other is seen as the oppressor, making it crucial to recognize the true relationships and not just the narratives.

Jed Rubenfeld: Is Trump’s Takeover of D.C. Lawful?

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 667 implied HN points • 12 Aug 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. Trump has declared a crime emergency in D.C. and taken control of the police department, saying crime is out of control. This decision has raised a debate about its legality.
  2. D.C.'s attorney general argues that there is no crime emergency and claims Trump's actions are unnecessary and unlawful. This shows a clear disagreement about the situation in the city.
  3. Because D.C. has unique governance rules, Trump has more power there compared to other cities. This means he might legally be able to act as he is, at least for now.

Open Thread 355

Astral Codex Ten • 2821 implied HN points • 11 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. It's a space for discussing anything you want, whether that's asking questions or sharing ideas.
  2. There's a new post about when to vote for a less favorable candidate to influence better ones.
  3. Keep the conversation friendly and avoid excessive self-promotion in the comments.

Christmas in the Gulag. Trudeau in Trouble. How the Drone Theories Stack Up. Plus. . .

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 2346 implied HN points • 17 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. There are many Americans wrongfully detained overseas. Some families are fighting to bring their loved ones home for the holidays.
  2. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is facing serious political trouble. His government could collapse after the resignation of his key ally.
  3. There are mysterious drone sightings in New Jersey, and no one knows for sure who's flying them. Some believe it could be foreign governments, while others think it could be our own.

Taking Institutional Neutrality Seriously on Campus

The Honest Broker Newsletter • 1050 implied HN points • 27 May 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. Neutrality in universities sounds good but is hard to achieve in reality. It can lead to messy situations where it's unclear what position is acceptable or not.
  2. Some universities have shifted towards being more politically active, which can hurt their public support. People want universities to serve all views, not just those of a few.
  3. The way universities handle controversial topics needs strong leadership. It’s important for leaders to find a balance between being neutral and supporting necessary public health or social issues.

Will Trump Keep Public Lands in Public Hands?

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 899 implied HN points • 24 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. Public lands should stay accessible to everyone, regardless of wealth. This access allows people to enjoy nature and various activities.
  2. Trump previously promised not to sell off public lands, which was surprising for a real estate developer. It's important to see if he keeps this promise in his next term.
  3. While logging public lands can help manage forests, selling them off is a serious issue. Once sold, these lands will be developed and unavailable for future public enjoyment.

The Right’s 1939 Project. Plus. . .

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 769 implied HN points • 16 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. There's a growing movement on the right that challenges America's role in World War II and the postwar world. This new group is trying to reshape how history is understood.
  2. Progressives today are facing criticism for straying from their original goals, which some believe are hurting meaningful progress.
  3. President Biden's use of an autopen to sign official documents is seen as a distraction from bigger issues his administration is facing.

It's A Centrist Country

Points And Figures • 746 implied HN points • 22 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. Gerrymandering is a big issue because it reduces competition in elections. This means that extreme candidates get more chances to win, while moderate voices struggle to be heard.
  2. Some voting rules, like mail-in ballots and early voting, may sound fairer, but they can end up making things less fair and allowing for manipulation. High turnout isn't always the goal; sometimes, it's about who controls the process.
  3. Cleaning up voter rolls and pushing for transparency, like voter ID laws, are seen as important steps for honest elections. Different political parties often have different views on these issues, leading to debates about fairness.

My Stationary Bandit Podcast

Bet On It • 55 implied HN points • 21 Jan 26
🎙 Podcasts Public Policy
  1. The post highlights pioneering podcast episodes, noting an early show with Dwarkesh and a recent one with Isaac LaGrand.
  2. The latest conversation explores fresh, largely novel questions about state capacity, monoculture, and related topics.
  3. Listeners are invited to enjoy the episode, subscribe, and hope for more engaging conversations in the future.

The decline continues

Disaffected Newsletter • 1998 implied HN points • 23 Jul 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. People are feeling more demoralized and hopeless in their daily lives. This feeling is like a constant annoying noise that they can't ignore, affecting their mood.
  2. Everyday behavior and rules of civility are declining. There seems to be a lack of respect and common courtesy in public spaces, making it a more dangerous and frustrating environment.
  3. Many people don't seem to agree on following basic rules anymore. This breakdown of etiquette is leading to confusion and chaos in social interactions, like drivers not knowing how to handle intersections.

Mr. Witty Goes To Washington

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 339 implied HN points • 01 May 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. Andrew Witty, the CEO of UnitedHealth Group, is facing tough questioning from Congress about a serious hacking incident that affected payments to doctors and hospitals. This is a crucial moment for him as lawmakers want clear answers.
  2. UnitedHealth's revenue has grown significantly, making it one of the largest companies in the U.S. healthcare system. Witty might downplay the company’s size, but it has grown from $87.1 billion in 2009 to $371.6 billion last year.
  3. Witty may argue that the company’s large financial resources help in recovering from incidents like the hack. However, critics suggest that such wealth is a result of harmful business practices that strain healthcare providers.

Transit Passes Are Better But Free Fares Are Good Too.

The Discourse Lounge • 778 implied HN points • 01 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. Free bus fares can help low-income riders by eliminating their transportation costs, but transit passes specifically for low-income households might be a better solution.
  2. While free fares can increase bus ridership and reduce conflicts over fare payments, they may not significantly attract non-transit users and can strain transit services due to higher demand.
  3. Unlike libraries and school buses, public transit is heavily used and needs user fees to maintain services, but both free fares and low-income transit passes can support those who struggle financially.

The Audit - 2025

Comment is Freed • 119 implied HN points • 23 Dec 25
🌍 World Politics Public Policy
  1. The new government is squeezed by a big fiscal gap and a cautious, unclear political approach, which has left its leaders unpopular and vulnerable to internal challenges.
  2. The rise of Reform on the right and a more unified, charismatic Green party has reshaped UK politics, making low-turnout results driven by enthusiastic voters more decisive and threatening the Conservatives' old coalition.
  3. Populist leaders are consolidating power through executive action, courts, tariffs and immigration control, and the bigger political fights ahead will centre on the radical right, changing information habits, climate and technology — but outcomes will differ by country so context matters.

An Appreciation of Joe Stiglitz

Something to Consider • 139 implied HN points • 03 Jul 24
💼 Business Public Policy
  1. Markets work best when everyone has the same information, but that's rarely the case in reality. Stiglitz shows us how imperfect information affects economic decisions.
  2. Share-cropping has its own risks and benefits. It allows landlords to provide safety nets for tenants, but it can also limit tenants' work incentives.
  3. When companies pay higher wages, they can improve worker effort and reduce turnover. This is known as the efficiency wage theory, which explains why some businesses might choose to hire fewer employees at higher salaries.

All politics is local politics.

Matt’s Five Points • 279 implied HN points • 17 May 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. Politics at all levels looks similar. If you've been part of a local group making decisions, like a PTA or HOA, you can understand Congress better because the same dynamics are at play.
  2. Everyone hates losing in a decision-making process. Whether it's about Congress or choosing a family restaurant, people dislike the feeling of not getting their way.
  3. Members of Congress are just regular folks from your community. They're not superheroes and often deal with the same frustrations and challenges you see in local meetings.

I Support Viewpoint Diversity

Justin E. H. Smith's Hinternet • 691 implied HN points • 16 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. Viewpoint diversity is important, especially in universities. It's good when people have different ideas and opinions.
  2. There are issues with hiring practices that prioritize a single viewpoint. Universities should focus on diverse thoughts instead of only hiring those who fit a specific mold.
  3. The Hinternet is evolving, with new opportunities for collaboration and creative projects. They are looking for a cartoonist and someone skilled in machine learning.

Free buses? And returning to Brazil.

Chris Arnade Walks the World • 815 implied HN points • 03 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. Buses are the main way people get around in many US cities, especially where there aren't good train systems. They help connect all parts of the city and are important for public transport.
  2. There's a debate about making bus rides free, but some believe this could make buses seem less valuable. Charging even a small fee can encourage respect for the service and keep things safer.
  3. Buses should serve everyone, but making them free could lead to more issues. It's key to strike a balance so buses remain a good option for all riders.

The AP1000 Loan Debacle

Gordian Knot News • 227 implied HN points • 14 Nov 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. The loan to Westinghouse for nuclear plants could harm competition and make it harder for other companies to survive in the market. Taxpayer money is being used to support a major competitor, which is unfair to newcomers.
  2. The real issue in US nuclear power is a confusing and strict regulatory system that doesn't help the industry. Instead of fixing the regulations, the government is just making things worse by giving public money to Westinghouse.
  3. Standardizing nuclear plant designs might sound good, but the focus should really be on making regulations better. The AP1000 design isn't the best, and relying on it will create more problems for the nuclear industry.

Make Europe Great Again

Alex's Personal Blog • 65 implied HN points • 19 Jan 26
💼 Business Public Policy
  1. OpenAI is betting that scaling compute drives revenue and is now pushing practical adoption, including monetizing free tiers with ads.
  2. Software valuations have bifurcated: AI-first startups with extreme growth get huge private valuations, while many post-IPO SaaS firms face single-digit public multiples, so new companies must show outlier growth to attract funding.
  3. Recent U.S.–Europe tensions could boost demand for European cloud, AI, defense, and energy tech, helping Europe retain talent and spur a regional tech resurgence.

A ‘Loco Gringo’ Takes On the Mexican Cartels

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 2147 implied HN points • 19 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. Sheriff Roy Boyd is taking action against human smugglers by coordinating with other sheriffs in Texas. This teamwork is helping to reduce the influence of cartels.
  2. One day, Boyd spotted a truck filled with smuggled migrants and decided to chase it down. He acted quickly to catch the smugglers, even involving his young son.
  3. Boyd's experience shows the importance of community policing and how local law enforcement can tackle big problems like human trafficking.

February 2, 2026

Letters from an American • 37 implied HN points • 03 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. After a very long stretch without a break, a night off is finally being taken.
  2. Rest is accepted reluctantly because waiting for a 'slow day' would mean never getting any time off.
  3. The plan is to pause and come back fresh tomorrow, with a note about how quickly time passes from January's full moon to February.

Issue 22: Why Europe doesn’t have a Tesla

The Works in Progress Newsletter • 18 implied HN points • 19 Feb 26
🎭️ Culture Public Policy
  1. Rigid employment rules in many European countries make firing very costly and discourage firms from taking big, risky bets. That reduces the chance of breakthrough companies emerging, though some countries manage to balance worker protections with flexibility.
  2. Vaccine science has advanced enormously — we can now see microbes at atomic detail and build vaccines in new ways — so we’re in a golden age of vaccine development. Future breakthroughs will depend on continued investment and support.
  3. Market-style reforms in communist countries usually failed because they didn’t create quick, broad winners and threatened inflation and instability. Without reforms that build fast coalitions of beneficiaries, changes were often watered down or reversed.

Disaffected: Episode 158

Disaffected Newsletter • 659 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. There's a sense that many people in the West are out of touch with reality. This disconnect can lead to serious problems for society.
  2. President Biden is showing signs of memory issues, and this has been highlighted in a recent report. It raises concerns about his ability to remember important events.
  3. There are alarming trends in society, like extreme actions taken by some parents regarding their children's health. This suggests we may be facing significant social issues.

Transcript - America This Week, June 13, 2026: "Trumpship Troopers: New Riot Footage and the No Kings Protests."

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 865 implied HN points • 14 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. Protests may happen again, similar to 2020, following a local incident that has sparked public outrage. People are getting ready for protests nationwide.
  2. A recent video by Tulsi Gabbard warns that we are closer to nuclear war than ever. She discusses the massive destruction a modern nuclear bomb could cause.
  3. The current political climate is creating tension between nuclear powers, and there are real fears about escalating conflicts. Many are not fully aware of the dangers that come with nuclear threats.

A Big Year for Big Lies. Plus. . .

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1966 implied HN points • 31 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. There have been many claims about Joe Biden's sharpness and involvement in his son's business dealings that turned out to be false. This has raised questions about honesty in politics.
  2. The immigration debate is filled with tension, especially among Indian Americans, as some face backlash for supporting figures in the MAGA movement while still holding onto their cultural identities.
  3. There's a growing push for educational standards that include teaching young children about gender identity. This has sparked discussions about what topics should be appropriate for kids in school.

What Will Happen If the Right Wins Absolutely?

God's Spies by Thomas Neuburger • 135 implied HN points • 16 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. The Hard Right is not a single movement but many competing factions with different goals. These include religious conservatives, law-and-order authoritarians, white supremacists, pro-money libertarians, endless-war hawks, and tech billionaires.
  2. The different factions are mainly united by a shared hunger for power and control rather than a common program. They will compete until one group consolidates enough authority to impose its agenda on the others.
  3. Tech-backed elites are currently best positioned to realize an intrusive, anti-democratic vision of the state. Their money, tools, and aura of futurism make a surveillance-heavy, transhumanist security state a plausible outcome if they prevail.

German police raid a libertarian's home for the crime of calling civil servants "parasites," advise him to "Think carefully about what you post in future"

eugyppius: a plague chronicle • 215 implied HN points • 14 Nov 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. A German man was raided by police for calling government workers 'parasites' on social media. This shows how seriously some countries take speech related to the government.
  2. The police not only confiscated his phone but also subjected him to detailed identification procedures. This indicates a harsh approach to regulating online speech.
  3. The police warned him to be careful about what he posts in the future, suggesting ongoing surveillance and control over free speech. This highlights concerns about freedom of expression in Germany.

Equity Meme, Dominance Disputes, Voter Preferences

Rob Henderson's Newsletter • 965 implied HN points • 27 May 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. Alpha male chimpanzees can become too aggressive, leading lower-ranking males to team up against them. In extreme cases, they might even kill the dominant male.
  2. In the last century, men have grown much taller and stronger than women, possibly because women prefer taller, more muscular men.
  3. Voter preferences have changed, with white voters remaining stable in their choices while nonwhite voters have increasingly leaned towards the Republican party.

President Biden proposes $2,000-a-year limit on prescription drugs

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 519 implied HN points • 08 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. President Biden wants a yearly cap of $2,000 on prescription drug costs for everyone, not just seniors. This could help many people afford their necessary medications.
  2. This proposal builds on a previous law that already caps costs for Medicare recipients, showing a commitment to reducing healthcare expenses for all.
  3. The success of this plan relies on public support and overcoming resistance from insurance companies, who may argue it could lead to higher costs elsewhere.

$10 Trillion Stolen Right Under Our Noses

COVID Reason • 1784 implied HN points • 28 Aug 23
💰 Finance Public Policy
  1. Over $10 trillion was spent on the COVID-19 pandemic, with $6 trillion from CARES Act and $4 trillion from Biden's administration.
  2. Money was stolen through fraud and embezzlement during COVID relief, with the effects leading to inflation and societal wealth disparity.
  3. The spending spree due to the pandemic led to significant financial losses, missed opportunities, and wealth redistribution, impacting many aspects of people's lives.

Should a Government Help People Die?

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 2142 implied HN points • 27 Nov 24
🏥 Health Politics Public Policy
  1. Jamie Hale needs constant care due to his serious health issues and feels grateful for the National Health Service's support. Without it, he worries he might not be alive today.
  2. Hale is aware that his medical care costs a lot and feels like a financial burden on the system. This awareness makes him think deeply about his value and how society sees it.
  3. He strongly opposes the assisted suicide bill in the UK, worried it might pressure vulnerable people like himself to end their lives. He fears this could gradually lead to more extreme measures against disabled and disadvantaged individuals.