Mercatus Policy Download

What do felt hats, flamethrowers, soybeans, and aluminum all have in common? They're all potential targets for new tariffs in the escalating trade dispute between the United States and China. For some time, the US has been trending towards freer and more open trade, culminating the North American Free Trade Agreement and efforts to finalize the Trans‑Pacific Partnership. But that trend may have co...

Many US companies need to move data across borders, and it’s not just the ones you think. In addition to social media and tech firms, traditional companies like payment processors, logistics companies, and physical manufacturers also provide digital services across countries. This makes them subject to data localization requirements, one of the key emerging issues in trade and trade agreements. Ge...

While the US health care debate focuses on insurance and funding, many people struggle to schedule a doctor visit in timely manner. In rural areas, simply finding a doctor nearby can be a challenge. Nationwide there could be a shortage of somewhere between 40,800 and 104,900 physicians by 2030. Access to health care, in other words, means more than having insurance. How to address this doctor shor...

Congress is attempting small reforms to Dodd‑Frank. Once the dust settles on the Crapo bill, it's going to be awhile before we hear from them again on the matter. The future of financial regulator policy now lies with the agencies. So what should be on the agenda? Highlights: A new idea for CFPB reform. The table agrees the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is the place to watch. And J.W. Verre...