Benchmark Blog

Connecting islands of conservation

Establishing urban green spaces and a nationwide wildlife corridor system would help conservation efforts of wildlife and natural habitats.

Public opinion on immigration in a nation of immigrants

How has public opinion shifted over the years on immigration? Matthew Wright and Morris Levy explain in this blog post.

Why immigration policy needs more enlightened nationalism

What is enlightened nationalism and why should it be at the forefront of immigration conversations? Alexander Kustov explains in this blog.

The promise of rural broadband

Brian Whitacre’s essay on rural broadband is the second in a series on broadband. He discusses the effect on rural areas.

How universities can enable more immigrant-started companies

What are GEIR programs and why should every U.S. university have one? David Jung and Josh Smith explain in this blog post.

Labor shortages in broadband are likely to slow deployment

In the infrastructure bill, over $60 billion goes to expanding broadband. Dawson explains why labor shortages could slow down deployment.

How much will each state receive in broadband funding from the $1T infrastructure bill?

In the infrastructure bill passed, $42.45 billion is headed to the states for broadband projects. About how much will each state get?

Retraining for Green Initiatives

President Biden has set a goal of carbon-free energy production in the U.S. by 2035. What does that mean for certain energy producers?

Do social media platforms extract value from consumers?

How much do consumers value social media? Will Rinehart, analyzes the data and shows how much users get from using social media.

Deregulation before subsidies: Order matters

Sometimes, the order in which you do things matters. Senior Research Fellow Eli Dourado explains in a blog post.

When immigrants are and aren’t afraid of reporting crime

Research on crime reporting and immigration policies suggests that policymakers can protect public safety best by welcoming immigrants.

A progress report on the Emergency Broadband Benefit program

Last year, Congress set aside $3.14 billion to help low-income households pay for broadband service and devices. What can we learn?

The approach to drone regulation that will change air space management

The ideal drone regulation balances innovation and traffic system efficiency. How can this be achieved practically without stifling progress?

Immigrants are the wrong targets

Florida has recently taken a hardline approach to state immigration policy. This CGO benchmark explains why this might backfire.

What a pathway for immigrants can do

Pathways for legal immigration will give policymakers a handle on today’s immigration problems and benefit the entire country.

The state of data privacy in 2023

If states continue to pass privacy laws, data privacy regulation in 2023 will create a disjointed online environment for everyone involved.

Afghan refugees are no threat to public safety

Amidst the US Afghan withdrawal, concern grows over how bringing refugees to the country could impact public safety.

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?

Bring back hydrogen lifting gas

According to one estimate, there are around 25 blimps worldwide. What will it take to bring back these majestic beasts of the sky?

Bringing ecotourism to crowded national parks

As national parks groan under the weight of growing crowds, policymakers need to consider their priorities.

Urban conservation is key to achieving Biden’s 30×30 initiative

How a few changes to our conservation policy can benefit both the environment and people who live near urban centers of biodiversity.

Putting internet policy back into perspective

Our regulators need insight into past failings, courage to break from those ways, and conviction to face the troubles we face next.

Jobs are the wrong target for the energy transition

Everyone wants jobs, and with a low-carbon energy transition underway, they especially want energy jobs. But is this a good idea?

The key to Biden’s 30×30 is private land

As Biden sets out on his conservation agenda, policymakers should consider how to leverage private lands’ immense conservation potential.

The digital divide, digital equity, and the nature of the problem

The lesson from policymakers is clear. Cost might be a barrier for some, but lowering cost doesn’t get a lot of people newly connected.

Reducing bureaucratic touchpoints in market-based regulation

What are bureaucratic touchpoints and why do they matter? The renewable fuel standard gives us a in-depth look at why this can cause issues.

Competing for people

Our restrictive immigration policies mean the U.S. is losing out on high-skilled workers who are sorely needed here.

Is the sun setting on rooftop solar?

How can public policy keep up with the rapid advances in solar technology? And what we should do about rooftop solar subsidies?

Crises are times of non-complacency

"If the human species ends before we can spread sustainably across several star systems, I think it will be because of complacency."

Out of the weeds and into the skies

The FAA has made efforts to prevent clear safety concerns. Its recent endeavors include pilot certification tests and drone registration.