Benchmark Blog

We’re better together

With an aging population and lower birthrates in the U.S., how do we ensure the long-term economic growth doesn't fall with it?
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Competing for people

Our restrictive immigration policies mean the U.S. is losing out on high-skilled workers who are sorely needed here.
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Out of the weeds and into the skies

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), currently the regulatory body in charge of the skies, has made efforts to prevent clear safety concerns. Its most recent endeavors include pilot certification tests and drone registration requirements.
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Our most overlooked tool for environmental improvement

It’s tempting to meet our biggest environmental challenges with equally big solutions that often come from the top down and are elegantly crafted to fit every situation. But meeting our most daunting environmental challenges will require more tailored solutions that consider the unique circumstances of time and place.
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Crowdsourcing conservation

America has a wealth of natural assets that deserve to be managed carefully using the best available data. In order for agencies to achieve that goal, they need to provide clearer guidance on what regulations apply to crowdsourced projects and embrace partnerships with private groups.
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Digital platforms and government actors

The debate over Free Speech on the Internet is a touchy issue, especially when we start talking about social media platforms and forums for democratic debate. Seemingly, everything boils down to a single question: Do you have a First Amendment right to social media, or not?
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An in-depth look at the broadband infrastructure bills

Acolytes claim that massive broadband expenditures will close the digital divide, but all of the plans are unabashedly focused on infrastructure. In reality, only a small part of the digital divide will actually be solved by making broadband infrastructure available everywhere.
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How local policy matters for immigrants

Immigrants should be able to trust the police. On March 17, the Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP) sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas asking him to end partnerships between Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and local police departments.
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Fixing America’s wildfire problem: a tale in two parts

It’s time to start managing for fire, not against it. While a global pandemic may have overshadowed them, wildfires across the U.S. reached record levels in 2020. Nationally, 47,000+ fires burned over eight million acres, creating the third-largest burn area in the last decade.
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A Year Online

Productivity gains came at a premium to personal well-being. In the year since many of us were pushed into remote work arrangements article after article have popped up to declare that remote work and flexible work arrangements are the “future of work.”
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