Scholar Commentary

Recent debates over America’s immigration policy are exposing a deep rift in conservative politics. In the Utah Senate debate earlier this year, Mitt Romney referred to U.S. policies that separated immigrant parents from their children at the border as a “dark chapter”

After more than a year of searching and debating, Amazon announced this week that it will split its new headquarters, or “HQ2,” between Queens, New York and D.C.’s Northern Virginia suburbs. Within hours after the announcement, self-described democratic socialist and

On September 12, a group of Democrats announced that they plan to prevent Republican reforms to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) through Democratic electoral victories in 2019. Republicans view these reforms as necessary for the ESA to be more effective, pointing out

Following the boom in oil production from the hydraulic fracturing revolution, environmental protection outstripped energy independence as the major selling point of US biofuels policy. The ethanol mandate continues to grow and includes 15 billion gallons that can be

The announcement of plans to ease the nation’s fuel economy standards (known as Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards, or CAFE) triggered numerous defenses of the regulation. CAFE, which began as a program to reduce oil consumption, is now almost always justified

Proposition 7 which is to be voted on next month would repeal California’s Daylight Saving Time Act, thus ending the annual ritual of “springing forward” and “falling back” for nearly 40 million people. If passed Prop. 7 would set the state’s clocks permanently to

Christopher Koopman from the Center for Growth and Opportunity at Utah State University joins State Senator Howard Stephenson and Utah County Republican Party Vice Chair Josh Daniels to talk about the center and his research work on “permissionless innovation.” See

The Renewable Fuel Standard is a federal mandate that requires fuel suppliers to blend a minimum percentage of ethanol fuel into gasoline. Professor William F. Shughart II and CGO Graduate Research Fellow Arthur R. Wardle write about the negative environmental and

CGO Graduate Research Fellow Arthur R. Wardle writes about several detrimental environmental impacts associated with a national mandate for ethanol production that was designed to be a boon to the environment. Read the full piece as it was published by The

Net metering allows solar panel users to transfer surplus power to the public-utility grid and receive compensation for it. CGO Research Manager, Josh T. Smith, writes about the problems with certain net metering policies and how this cost shift can hurt lower-income

CGO Research Director Megan Hansen writes that many landowners want to help save endangered species as long as it is not harming their own livelihood.

Of Rockets and Robotics: The Regulation of Emerging Aerial Technology Cato Institute Conference Innovations in aerial technology present regulators, lawmakers, and entrepreneurs with numerous challenges and opportunities. Although there have been advances in

Republicans and Democrats in Congress are each proposing reforms to the Antiquities Act of 1906. CGO Research Director Megan E. Hansen and PhD student Jordan Lofthouse write that Congress should act to limit executive power over National Monuments. Read the full

AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez Policies that aim to effectively prevent fires not only will protect homes from future fires, but will save lives and taxpayer funds in the long run. CGO Researchers Josh T. Smith and Camille Harmer write that giving fire managers more

AP Photo/David J. Phillip Professor Michael Giberson, of Texas Tech University and CGO Undergraduate Research Fellow Halea Walker explain the negative effects of Texas’s emergency price gouging law and the perverse

Professor William F. Shughart II and Josh T. Smith write that data suggests soda taxes are not an effective way to inspire healthy behavior, they merely increase the cost of soda. California enacted a law banning future taxes on soda. Read the full piece as it was

The Federal Aviation Administration’s main objective is to mitigate risk. This mentality, argues CGO Senior Director of Strategy and Research Christopher Koopman, can inhibit innovative thinking. For the U.S. to regain its place as an aviation innovator the FAA needs

Various bans on plastic straws are backed by good intentions, yet, these efforts could be tailored to better causes. Alternatives to plastic straws can have larger environmental footprints than their plastic counterparts and usually have much higher costs. Meaningful

The Congressional Western Caucus introduced 9 bills in July that shift endangered species conservation to a different, more bottom-up approach. These bills increase information sharing between individuals, tribes, local governments, and private organizations. They also

AP Photo/Reed Saxon CGO researchers Josh T. Smith and Jesse Baker write about crime statistics in the debate about DACA recipients (Dreamers) and crime. Dreamers are productive members of society and data suggest they are

Banning plastic products would hurt small business owners, have little effect on ocean pollution, and their alternatives require the use of more fossil fuels and electricity. William F. Shughart II and Camille Harmer argue that rather than banning the symptom

AP Photo/Senate TV In 2011, politicians were banned from using earmarks. Aaron Hedlund, an assistant professor at the University of Missouri, and visiting Senior Fellow at the CGO maintains this policy results in citizens

William F. Shughart II, Senior Editor at the Center for Growth and Opportunity at Utah State University, is interviewed by Hayek Program scholar Jayme Lemke. See original posting.

CGO’s Research Director, Megan Hansen, discusses the effects certain regulations can have on both the environment and the economy. Due to red tape, only 3 percent of existing dams with small-scale hydropower potential produce power in the United States. Although some

AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty Josh Smith, Research Manager for the CGO, writes about other ways to reduce carbon emissions than renewable portfolio standards (RPS). States with RPS mandates have increased electricity prices with

Josh T. Smith, Research Manager at the Center for Growth and Opportunity at Utah State University, takes part in a discussion on Renewal Portfolio Standards (RPS).

On June 29, 2018 CGO Research Director Megan E. Hansen joins other panelists from The Heritage Foundation and Southern Utah University at a Public Lands Discussion featuring Senator Mike Lee hosted by The Sutherland Institute.

AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli The Trump administration proposed a policy aimed at helping suffering coal and nuclear power plants by requiring utilities to purchase electricity from these plants. CGO researchers, Camille Harmer and Josh T. Smith, write about the

AP Photo/John Locher In May 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the federal prohibition on sports gambling. With many states making changes to accommodate the Supreme Court’s decision, one thing is clear: Legal sports gambling is here to stay. CGO Director of

AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli In May 2018, the California Energy Commission took another step toward requiring all new homes under three stories to have solar panels installed beginning in 2020. Currently, only between 15 and 20 percent of new single-family homes in