Topic: Government

People standing in line with face masks Research Brief / Politics

A Tool for Uncovering Voter Suppression

Smartphone data reveals that wait times at the polls are much longer for black people

Person walking by a train with Uber logo Research Brief / Ride-Sharing Services

Is Uber the Answer to Public Transit’s Last-Mile Problem?

And if so, who’s going to pay?

Two male workers walking in storage room Feature / Unemployment

Government Coverage of Payrolls Could Cost Less than Jobless Benefits

Analysis also suggests a more rapid economic recovery by keeping workers and employers allied

Illustration of dollar bills folded into a Staff of Hermes Research Brief / Health Care

Medicare Could Save by Subsidizing Providers’ Capital Spending

Projects that make health care delivery more efficient require upfront financial help

Politicians looking at a report Feature / Government

Might More Lobbying Groups, Rather than Fewer, Be Good for Industry and the Public?

Make the influence industry more competitive, a theoretical study suggests

Aerial shot of a port Forecast / International Trade

The Dollar: That Other Trade Problem

A strong currency makes U.S. exports harder to sell, even outside of China

Illustration of office buildings with a silhouette of a figure holding their arms out Research Brief / Taxes

Businesses Vastly Overestimate the Likelihood of Being Audited

Should tax-collecting agencies keep audit activity secret to discourage cheating?

People with luggage Research Brief / Economy

Modern Monetary Theory: Fiasco in Latin America, Option in U.S.?

The populist model, embraced by some on the American left, resembles policy that helped torpedo some smaller economies

TV News anchor Research Brief / Politics

Municipal Pension Crisis Made Worse by Democrats in Close Elections

Sixty years of data suggest retirement obligations rise after Democrats scrape into office

Illustration of bond certificates as a boat in the ocean filled with water Research Brief / Bond Market

A ‘Safer’ Treasury Bond

The government’s floating rate notes feature an added measure of security: higher interest earnings in times of rising rates

Male prisoners in a prison yard Research Brief / Politics

Do Private Prisons Lead to Higher Incarceration Rates?

Researchers take on the difficult job of isolating for-profit prisons from a host of other factors

Monochrome photo of people standing in line for bread Research Brief / Banking

What Makes a True Financial Crisis?

Data back to 1870 show similarities in the worst banking system shocks — focusing on loose lending before a meltdown

FDA building Feature / Health Care

A Tool to Make FDA Drug Approval Practices Transparent

Researchers aim to help the agency, drug companies and patients better understand the complex authorization process

Marijuana dispensary Feature / Taxes

Setting the Tax Rate on Legal Marijuana: Consumption, State Revenue and the Black Market

Taxes not high enough? An examination of Washington’s experience even suggests state ownership of pot stores might boost the public coffers

Highspeed rail Forecast / Housing

Impact of High-Speed Rail: Surprising Data on Real Estate Prices

In Japan, speedier commutes let workers live farther from jobs, taking some pressure off high-priced housing markets

Yellow prescription bottles Research Brief / Health Care

Exploring the Relationship between Off-Label Prescriptions and Clinical Trials

A study looks at how changes in FDA labeling affect pediatric utilization of drugs