The Post-Pandemic Economy

Richard Epstein examines the economic issues coming to the fore with the end of the COVID pandemic: a sluggish labor market, inflation fears, tax increases, and the future of American infrastructure.

Vaccines, Public Health, and Intellectual Property

Richard Epstein dissects the recent proposal to remove patent protection for COVID vaccines as a way to make them more affordable for the developing world — and explains why the patent system is one of the most underappreciated sources of American dynamism.

Biden’s Tax-and-Spend Excesses

Richard Epstein analyzes a raft of progressive tax proposals: big increases to capital gains and corporate tax rates, plus the continuing quest to repeal the cap on state and local tax deductions. Then a look at the other side of the ledger: what consequences should we expect from the Biden Administration’s torrent of new spending proposals?

Anti-Discrimination Laws vs. Freedom of Association

Richard Epstein analyzes the Equality Act, a progressive proposal that would expand the definition of sex discrimination and set the stage for a legal battle between trans activists and advocates for religious liberty.

Amazon and Organized Labor

Richard Epstein analyzes why a recent effort to unionize an Amazon facility in Alabama went down to a lopsided defeat, parses congressional Democrats’ new labor legislation, and explains why the zero-sum mindset behind private-sector union efforts are likely to fail.

Infrastructure Delusions

Richard Epstein analyzes the Biden Administration’s sweeping infrastructure proposal, including its attempts to redefine transfer payments as vital public investments, its push for widespread adoption of electric vehicles, and its suggestion that corporations should be subject to a global minimum tax.

College Sports at the Supreme Court

Richard Epstein analyzes a Supreme Court case that could force the issue of whether college athletes should be paid to a head.

Property Rights, Takings, and Unions

Richard Epstein analyzes Cedar Point Nursery v. Hasid, a case recently argued before the Supreme Court on whether labor unions should be allowed onto private land against the owners’ will. Along the way, he provides a masterclass in private property law, a look at the development of special legal protections for organized labor, and a reflection on how his legendary book Takings changed the debate over private property rights.

What’s in H.R. 1?

Richard Epstein analyzes ‘The For the People Act,’ a centerpiece of congressional Democrats’ legislative agenda. Though it purports to be a voting rights bill, he argues, the contents are a staggering mix of bad policy and unconstitutional federal overreach.

The Great Eviction Freeze