Fatalism, Beliefs, and Behaviors During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Little is known about individual beliefs concerning the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Still less is known about how these beliefs influence the spread of the virus by determining social distancing behaviors. To shed light on these questions, we conduct an online experiment with participants in the US and UK.
Featured
nber
Using Big Data to Estimate Consumer Surplus: The Case of Uber
Using almost 50 million individual-level observations and a regression discontinuity design, we estimate that in 2015 the UberX service generated about $2.9 billion in consumer surplus in the four U.S. cities included in our analysis.
epw
Assessment of the Honest and Open New EPA Science Treatment Act of 2017
A testimony before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
AEI
Regulating Our Way to Freedom?
Information wants to be free, or so it is said. But information isn’t of much use unless people have access to it.
Articles & news
Federal News Network 2018
Opportunity is knocking: Create an evidence-based culture with new policymaking law
Co-written with Robert Shea, about the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act.
the washington post 2018
Many mocked this Scott Pruitt proposal. They should have read it first.
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt proposed a rule to improve transparency in science.
brookings 2018
Congress must establish clear, equitable internet rules now
What will Congress actually do to keep the Facebook crisis from happening again?
BROOKINGS 2017
How not to regulate the new economy
Co-written with Robert Metcalfe. Today’s regulators must react to fast-paced technological change like ridesharing services offered by Uber and Lyft.
brookings 2017
Playing the long game on regulation
On the campaign trail (and during his recent post-election thank you tour), President-elect Trump said: “We’re going to get rid of the regulations that are just destroying us.”
Nature 2013
Ronald Harry Coase
(1910-2013)
Nobel-prizewinning economist whose work inspired cap-and-trade.
us news 2013
Internet Sales Tax Is a Bad But Necessary Idea
We seem to be stuck with high sales taxes, and Congress needs to level the playing field.
us news 2013
Where Heritage Got Immigration Reform Wrong
Immigrants generally create income in both the country they migrate to and the one they’ve left behind.
us news 2013
The Wireless Revolution Is Alive and Well
There’s no need for regulators to ruin the wireless model.
us news 2013
European Climate Policy: Up in Smoke?
The design of the European Trading System was deeply flawed.
us news 2013
The Next Steps for U.S. Internet Regulation
A new Brookings E-book examines the issues and possible solutions to today’s Internet regulation challenges.
Financial times 2013
The folly of Britain’s immigration policy
Dear David Cameron, I am a professor at Oxford university. I am told you received a first class honours degree here in philosophy, politics and economics, so I’m hoping you can help me out.
us news 2012
Bonds, Social Impact Bonds
Foreign aid projects would find more success if payment depended on a successful outcome and true social impact.
us news 2012
Mobile Wireless: No Rest for the Weary
The telecom superstars may not be able to maintain their dominance in the market.
us news 2012
Transparency in Foreign Aid Matters
It is important to be able to see how and where governments and nonprofits spend their international development funds.
us news 2012
Regulators Should Get Real About Google and the IT Industry
Regulators need to understand that temporary market share does not equate to enduring market power.
us news 2012
When Less is More: A Tale of Two Kinds of Regulation
The light regulation and subsequent success of the Internet prove regulation in telecommunications is losing relevance.
us news 2012
The United Nations Should Not Regulate the Internet
The United Nations is not the appropriate forum from which to impose regulations on the Internet.
wsj 2012
How Much to Escape From Heathrow?
Co-written with Peter Passell. Been through London’s Heathrow Airport lately? It’s never been any sane traveler’s idea of a fun place to visit.
wsj 2012
Google’s Turn to Quake?
Breaking News: Facebook is planning to go toe-to-toe with Google, challenging its supremacy in Internet search. Or maybe not.
wsj 2011
Is Google-Motorola the Next Antitrust Case?
The Justice Department is going to court to stop the proposed merger of AT&T and T-Mobile USA.
FORBES 2011
Toilet Training
Co-written with Peter Passell. Whatever you think about Rand Paul, you’ve got to admit that his off-the-cuff remarks provide an entertaining alternative to the snoozathons offered up by other senators.
politico 2011
Can you hear AT&T now?
Co-written with Peter Passell. With its announced $39 billion acquisition of T-Mobile USA, AT&T shows it is eager to compete big-time in the innovation game.
forbes 2011
4G Meets Common Sense
Co-written with Peter Passell. MetroPCS, you may or may not know, is a regional wireless carrier that has created a viable market niche with cheapish, no-contract, all-you-can-talk/text plans — and in the process, put competitive pressure on the big carriers.
FORBES 2011
Donating for Dollars
Co-written with Peter Passell. We’re not entirely sure what we think of Gov. Haley Barbour’s bizarre condition for pardoning the Scott sisters, who had been serving life sentences for a crime committed when they were teenagers.
voxeu 2011
Thinking Through the Climate Change Challenge
This column presents a 10-point guideline for climate change policy co-authored by 26 attendees that focuses on designing policies that are credible, easily monitored, and easily enforced.
forbes 2010
Whack-a-Mole Price Controls
Co-written with Peter Passell. So, what do you think of the Federal Reserve’s regulation of bank “interchange” fees, mandated by the financial reform law?
FORBES 2010
Big Numbers, Small Numbers
Co-written with Peter Passell. Mobile telecom devices (basic cell phones, smartphones, wireless tablets) are everywhere these days, and anybody who’s paying attention knows that business has grown from big to awesome at the refresh rate of an active-matrix organic light-emitting diode screen.
forbes 2010
Plan B, No Make that Plan C, for Climate Change
Co-written with Peter Passell. What a difference a few years can make. With a committed president in the White House and solid Democratic majorities in Congress, climate change legislation based on a market-friendly cap-and-trade system seemed a slam dunk.
forbes 2010
Will the Next Internet Revolution Be Televised?
Co-written with Peter Passell. Someday, you’ll be able to turn on your TV and view any movie or show ever recorded anywhere with the tap of a few keys.
AEI 2009
The Problem with Backing into Policy
President Obama promised to get serious about climate change, and with the signals coming from the Environmental Protection Agency, it looks like he means it. That’s both good news and bad.
AEI 2009
Regulating Our Way to Freedom?
Information wants to be free, or so it is said. But information isn’t of much use unless people have access to it.
AEI 2008
The FCC’s $19 Billion Baby
The Federal Communications Commission has completed its auction for a big swath of electromagnetic spectrum in the 700 megahertz frequency range that was recently reclaimed from television broadcasters.