President’s Update 2020 President’s Year-End Update

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

PAUL E. SINGER

VICE CHAIRMAN

MICHAEL J. FEDAK

CHAIRMEN EMERITI

ROGER HERTOG RICHARD GILDER*

PRESIDENT

REIHAN SALAM

ANDREW CADER

ANN J. CHARTERS

ANTHONY P. COLES

RAVENEL B. CURRY III

TIMOTHY G. DALTON, JR.

KENNETH B. GILMAN

HARVEY GOLUB

MAURICE R. GREENBERG

FLEUR HARLAN

MICHAEL A. KAUFMAN

ROGER KIMBALL

WILLIAM KRISTOL

THOMAS E. MCINERNEY

REBEKAH MERCER

JAY H. NEWMAN

NICK OHNELL

RUSSELL PENNOYER

ROBERT ROSENKRANZ

NATHAN E. SAINT-AMAND, MD

THOMAS W. SMITH

DONALD G. TOBER

BRUCE G. WILCOX

KATHRYN S. WYLDE

*In memoriam 2 CITY JOURNAL AT 30...... 17 ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT...... 24 HEALTH CARE...... 26 K–12 EDUCATION...... 28 CIVIL SOCIETY...... 30 NEXT-GENERATION ENGAGEMENT...... 32

11 8 Race and Identity 14 in America Policing and The Post-Covid America’s multiethnic Public Safety composition has Urban Future As protests swept the always been both Covid-19 has placed 20 country this summer, a source of great cities under intense An Opportunity the debate over national strength and stress. In many places, Agenda for policing in America profound challenges. it has also revealed took a radical turn. In debates on race and long-standing issues America While some voices identity, Americans in city government. America cannot afford called for a defunding are arguing about Fiscal duress is made an economic recovery of the police, violent the very definition worse by bloated as halting and tepid as crime ticked up in of what it means to budgets. Remote the one that followed cities across America. be an American. Our education is failing the Great Recession. The Manhattan scholars have argued to reach those most MI’s scholars have laid Institute developed for a color-blind ideal in danger of falling out plans to harness and disseminated many of citizenship that behind. To preserve America’s energy of the foundational recognizes everyone’s their dynamism and abundance, open the ideas of proactive inherent equality and vibrancy, city leaders higher-education sector policing that tamed rejects all claims to across the country to new providers, and crime in the 1990s unique privileges. need to recommit provide free-market and 2000s. Now we themselves to building health-care reforms. are committed to lean but effective making the case for public sectors. effective policing and protecting those hard- earned gains.

Visit manhattan-institute.org to see video and bonus content 3 2020 President’s Year-End Update

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT Dear friends and supporters,

America has elected a new believe that the threats to American short supply. At MI, we will con- president. President-elect Biden dynamism and liberty are real, but tinue to champion the color-blind faces several interlocking crises: we reject pessimism and fatalism in ideal that rejects racial prejudices the Covid-19 pandemic and all its forms. as well as racial preferences. attendant economic recession, rising disorder in our cities, and This is a country that desperately racial and social polarization needs to reinvigorate economic that is straining our country’s growth. Throughout history, the civic bonds. America’s ability to surest route to sustainable growth respond to these challenges with has been the preservation of open We at MI believe that renewed dynamism will determine and competitive markets, and we at the threats to American whether we remain the world’s MI intend to defend economic free- premier power in the 21st century. dom as the cornerstone of American prosperity. This is a country whose dynamism and liberty At this hinge point in our country’s cities are home to some of the history, the Manhattan Institute’s world’s most innovative industries are real, but we reject (MI) work is indispensable. Since and most ineffective governments. our founding, we have been If urbanites are running out of pessimism and fatalism dedicated to fostering economic patience with administrations that in all its forms. choice and individual responsibility. promise too much and deliver too Yet these values are increasingly little, they may begin demanding under threat. Some observers fresh ideas from their elected offi- Our work will play out across years even believe that they will become cials—ideas that we are singularly and decades, not just one election fringe ideas in a country that is equipped to provide. This is also a cycle. But 2020 was a milestone in becoming more urban and diverse, country founded on the rejection MI’s defense of the institutions and and in which millennials constitute of tribal divisions; yet unity and principles that undergird Ameri- the largest voting bloc. We at MI patriotic feeling seem to be in can exceptionalism. In the wake of

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the summer’s protests and riots, innovative energy market with one readership and podcast audience, shortsighted officials in city after dominated by command-and-con- increasing 84% and 47%, year- city embraced starkly antipolice po- trol regulation, senior fellow Mark over-year, respectively. Our scholars sitions, only to see a rise in violent P. Mills explains how America’s published op-eds in every major crime. In response, MI launched the energy abundance could reinvigo- national newspaper and spoke Policing and Public Safety Initia- rate American manufacturing. From (virtually) to thousands of young tive, which draws together leading K–12 education to taking control people through MI on Campus, academics, practitioners, and MI of our public debt and more, MI’s Young Leaders Circle, and the Adam experts, including Heather Mac scholars are developing workable Smith Society. While continuing Donald and Rafael A. Mangual, to ideas to foster upward mobility and to maintain a high standard of make the case for data-driven polic- economic opportunity for all. excellence in our core research ing to ensure that America’s cities and journalism, we are continually remain safe places to live, work, breaking new ground and and raise a family. expanding our reach in new media, from YouTube to Instagram. On the national level, many polit- ical leaders and opinion makers We are gratified All this work is made possible by have argued that the government your generous support. We want should take the lead on econom- that MI’s ideas are to thank you for being part of ic recovery. This would be a path our community and for standing toward statism and sclerosis, and reaching newer and with the Institute and our shared we believe that there is a better values in what has been a trying way. Instead of taking another step larger audiences than year. The work ahead of us will be toward the government takeover of ever before. challenging and prolonged, but health care, for example, MI senior we are confident that with your fellow Chris Pope has a plan to support, America and its great remove the government-imposed We are gratified that MI’s ideas centers of commerce and creativity barriers that prevent many peo- are reaching newer and larger will emerge stronger than ever. ple from purchasing affordable audiences than ever before. Our health care on their own. Instead of flagship publication, City Journal, replacing America’s dynamic and enjoyed a banner year for its online

7 2020 President’s Year-End Update

POLICING AND PUBLIC SAFETY America’s long-simmering debate protecting life and property. In Min- frenetic pace of writing and televi- over policing and race boiled over neapolis, where the city council has sion appearances. Her three op-eds this summer with a wave of pro- passed a resolution to abolish the in the Wall Street Journal in summer tests, an alarming number of which city’s police department, shootings 2020 sparked an ongoing conver- devolved into riots and looting. Met have more than doubled this year; sation with the paper’s readership, with a crisis requiring courageous across all of America’s large cities, who responded to Mac Donald with public leadership, too many city violent crime is up 20% from the several letters to the editor, many leaders instead outsourced their 2015–19 average. echoing her concerns and some thinking to activists who quickly objecting vociferously. From Fox’s transformed “defund the police” When disorder broke out in Ameri- prime-time programs to public from a protest chant into a policy ca’s cities, no institution responded radio, the viewers and listeners goal. Against a backdrop of shat- with more urgency or resolve than who engage with Mac Donald are tered storefronts and burning cars, MI—an effort led by two of our treated to rigorous analyses indiffer- television anchors and pundits outstanding fellows, Heather Mac ent to the taboos and free from the solemnly informed Americans that Donald and Rafael Mangual. In the illusions that inhibit so many other their country suffered from an tumultuous three months follow- scholars of policing and crime. epidemic of racist over-policing. We ing George Floyd’s death in police are already seeing the consequenc- custody, Mac Donald—MI’s Thomas Mangual, for his part, has been es of the ensuing turn away from W. Smith fellow and a City Journal tireless in sharing his perspective, government’s foundational task of contributing editor—maintained a including with liberal and urban

8 audiences most in need of it. Across their only exposure to policing vilification of police officers was his 11 op-eds, including placements comes in the form of viral videos recognized early on by Mac Donald, in the Washington Post and Wall seized on by activists and the media. who documented this trend in her Street Journal, seven MI events, and So while policing reform groups and 2015 New York Times best-selling a bevy of appearances on television de-incarceration activists invoke book, The War on Cops. In the years and radio, Mangual has thoroughly “systemic racism” in arguments since, through her prodigious output explained the role that Broken Win- to ban cash bail or decriminalize of essays, op-eds, speeches, and dows policing, larger police forces, petty crime, Mangual reminds us media appearances, Mac Donald has and incarceration played in halving that almost all urban murders are argued that sweeping condemnations crime in America between 1991 and committed by people who were of the police do a good job of 2015. It’s clear that policing in Amer- lightly punished for an earlier, deterring high-quality candidates ica is among the most contentious and seemingly more innocuous, from matriculating at police and important debates unfolding in crime. Beyond his writing for City academies but very little to our public life. As the debate contin- Journal and other outlets, Mangual weed out the small number of bad ues, MI will draw on our immense has engaged with policymakers actors within departments. stock of institutional and intellec- of all ideological stripes who seek Of course, the main charge lobbed tual capital, using our research and his counsel on how to maintain against police departments is not that arguments to beat back misleading proactive policing in a hostile media they are incompetent but that they yet pervasive narratives. environment. His work has led him are intentionally prejudiced. to the White House, where he gave Mac Donald has brought her Though many are in the habit of testimony before its Commission characteristic fearlessness to this saying that “cities” experience on Law Enforcement, and to high- fraught conversation, where she has crime waves, in truth it is poor and profile public events with the NYPD, been joined by other freethinkers minority neighborhoods that bear such as his conversation with interested in challenging the the brunt of the violence. Last year, Commissioner Dermot Shea. In all established wisdom of liberal opinion. homicide was the leading cause of these diverse venues, Mangual has death for young black men—and it laid out the case for safety as the For example, in an October 6 virtual claimed more lives than the other precondition for upward mobility event, “Vox Clamantis in Deserto: nine leading causes combined. in urban America. Heather Mac Donald and Glenn Americans have bought into the Loury on Policing, Race, and Ideo- misleading notion that the problem That protests against police logical Conformity,” Mac Donald is ubiquitous police racism because misconduct frequently turn into the and renowned Brown University

October 6: Brown University professor Glenn Loury joined Thomas W. Smith fellow Heather Mac Donald to discuss their views on policing, race, and ideological conformities.

9 2020 President’s Year-End Update

economist and new MI senior fellow Of course, the quest to improve Washington Free Beacon. Glenn Loury dissected why so many and defend policing from its most Lehman, who joined the Institute academics have converged on a strident and misguided critics this November as an adjunct fellow, consensus position on race and po- must include reforms to weed out will be a valuable contributor to licing that flies in the face of a long officers who do abuse their power. the Institute’s work on crime and substantial empirical tradition. In articles for National Affairs and and policing. Loury has resisted this consensus the Washington Post, MI senior since he became the first black ten- fellow Daniel DiSalvo called for a Recognizing that the fight over ured professor of economics at Har- reset in the collective bargaining policing in America is still in its vard in the 1980s. Described as a agreements between police forces opening round, MI is preparing to “thorn in the side of the civil rights and cities. Reforms should ensure redouble its efforts to grapple with establishment” by the New York that police officers retain their con- emerging perils and opportunities. Times, Loury’s life story is a tes- stitutional right to due process but In October 2020, we launched the tament to the power of individual lose “code of silence” protections, Policing and Public Safety Initia- initiative. Loury’s academic ascent including having their disciplinary tive, directed by Hannah Meyers, began at Southeast Junior College records expunged every two years, a veteran of the NYPD intelligence in Chicago, where he would show as was the long-standing practice bureau and an expert on counter-ex- up for morning classes straight in Cleveland. As DiSalvo makes tremism. As part of the initiative, we from his overnight shift at a print- clear, working in good faith to will conduct empirical research on ing plant. A decade later, he had improve officer accountability is an leading policing issues, such as use received a Ph.D. in economics from important first step toward revital- of force, bail reform, incarceration MIT, where he studied under Nobel izing the police-community bonds levels, and much more. We have laureate Robert Solow, and a job that strengthen communities and also been convening events with offer from Harvard. Loury is a chal- make policing safer for everyone. practitioners, scholars, in-house lenging thinker whose ideas defy It is also a necessary condition for experts, and public leaders. The ini- neat categorization; but through rebuilding officer morale, which tiative began with the first annual collaboration with MI, he is able to has been decimated in cities across George Kelling Lecture, delivered reach a wider public audience that the country as officers have been by former NYPD commissioner and stands to benefit from his scholar- vilified during protests and in the giant of crime-fighting William Brat- ship and rigor. Loury’s conversation media. The wave of officer retire- ton, during which he reminded us: with Mac Donald was a case study ments sweeping the country and its “The police are the public, and the in how scholarly insights can be put implications for crime levels has public are the police.” into conversation with journalistic been a recurring topic of interest experience to provide fresh and for our incoming fellow Charles original insights, something that Fain Lehman, a reporter covering Mac Donald’s readers have come to criminal justice and drug- and expect from her work. social-policy issues for the

“The police are the public, and the public

are the police.” October 5: Senior fellow Rafael Mangual interviewed former NYC police commissioner William Bratton on proactive policing at our Policing and Public Safety Initiative inaugural event. WILLIAM BRATTON 10 June 19: Prior to joining MI, fellow Coleman Hughes testified before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties hearing on H.R. 40, the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for RACE AND African-Americans Act. IDENTITY IN AMERICA “If we now have a moral obligation editor Coleman Hughes testified organizations. That embrace has to care more about certain lives before Congress on the question of meant a rejection of the principles than others based on skin color, reparations for black Americans. of color-blindness and equal justice or based on racial-historical for all that America, at its best, has bloodguilt, then everything that The racialized worldview that stood for and advanced. With the I thought I knew about basic Hughes was criticizing—the notion nation’s core principles at stake, morality—and everything that the that race is the essential component MI has redoubled its efforts to beat world’s philosophical and religious of human identity and should be back racialized thinking—and the traditions have been saying about a primary concern of public policy academic theory behind it—and common humanity, revenge, and and the law—has been embraced by offer an agenda that can help all forgiveness since antiquity—should elite institutions with breathtaking Americans, regardless of race, be thrown out the window.” So MI speed, from universities to color, or creed, build proud and fellow and City Journal contributing corporations to legacy media self-determined lives. MI advances

11 2020 President’s Year-End Update

its mission by elevating thinkers problems. While black Americans is that challenges emanating from who counter sweeping assertions do face very real challenges in within the black community cannot with data and analytic rigor and their lives and communities, he be fixed by a benevolent state. whose lived experiences defy the finds that the data simply does not Since joining MI as a senior fellow lazy stereotyping of a homogenous support fatalism or radicalism. In a in 2015, Riley has consistently and disempowered black viral essay for Quillette, “The Case highlighted the black community’s community. for Black Optimism,” Hughes notes long tradition of self-empowerment, that our current system has been which too often gets undermined by In the past few years, the color- delivering substantial progress for a hypertrophied welfare state that blind ideal has gained an eloquent black Americans. Since the turn crowds out religious institutions, and brave champion in Coleman of the 21st century, he observes, community groups, and many other Hughes. While Hughes was an the incarceration rate for black forms of community initiative. In undergraduate at Columbia (he men aged 18–29 has declined 72%, “Thomas Sowell Has Been Right graduated in spring 2020), he the teen pregnancy rate for black from the Start,” a column in the grew disenchanted with the hyper- women has fallen 63%, and 37% of Wall Street Journal, Riley argues racialized worldview of campus black Americans aged 25–34 have that successful charter networks progressives, which struck him less some type of degree from a higher- do more to dismantle the legacy as an assault on white supremacy education institution—meaning of racism than all the country’s and more as a rebuke of Martin that young black Americans now diversity workshops combined. Luther King, Jr.’s vision for a post- have higher educational attainment Indeed, amid the fervent calls to racial America. Hughes quickly than the average German. rectify America’s historical sins, raised his sights above campus there has been a conspicuous lack squabbles to the larger political The importance of black self- of interest in reforming public and social landscape, prompting empowerment has been a recurring services to better serve the poor, Washington Post columnist Megan theme of the work of MI senior even though doing so would go a McArdle to note in 2018 that Hughes fellow Jason L. Riley. Riley, who long way toward empowering had emerged as a “thinker to be has been a member of the Wall black Americans. reckoned with.” Indeed, Hughes’s Street Journal editorial board since arguments earned the attention of 2005 and writes a weekly column Calls for reparations, the New Congress, which called him, before for the paper, has consistently York Times’ 1619 Project, and the his 24th birthday, to testify on the and unapologetically rebutted racial rhetoric of the past year wisdom of reparations for black the argument that white racism all bear the hallmarks of critical Americans. At the hearing, Hughes remains the main impediment to race theory (CRT), a school of spoke about his grandparents’ black advancement in America. thought that rejects the notion oppression under Jim Crow and The uncomfortable corollary to this of racial progress, believes that his opposition to trying to get truth, which Riley has elaborated the public debate is an exercise justice for yesterday’s injustices in two of his books, Please Stop in arranging power hierarchies at the expense of solving today’s Helping Us and False Black Power?, rather than probing for truth,

12 and flouts many of the standard CRT is no longer confined to dollar “power and privilege sexual conventions of civil discourse. It the college campus, however. orientation workshops” attended is the logical conclusion of the Its influence is spreading in the by NASA engineers. In response to intellectual project begun on education system to the K–12 level. Rufo’s reporting and the massive college campuses in the 1960s, a In Buffalo public schools, for public attention that it received, the project about which Heather Mac example, fifth-graders are asked to White House issued an executive Donald has long sounded the consider the wisdom of organizing order on September 22 prohibiting alarm. In the autumn 1995 edition society in nuclear family units federal agencies and contractors of City Journal, Mac Donald’s essay and whether this traditionalism from mandating trainings that “Law School Humbug” identified contributes to our racial tensions. “promote race or sex-stereotyping CRT as a foundational assault on Senior fellow Max Eden, who or scapegoating.” Rufo has liberalism. “From its onset,” she has done consequential research continued to cover the topic in wrote, “critical race theory has into changes in school-discipline City Journal and other national singled out the First Amendment policies, has begun to cover the for particular scorn: free speech, rise of CRT at elementary and the theory argues, is nothing more secondary schools. Eden is now than a tool of the powerful to hard at work preparing resources to oppress the weak. The marketplace allow concerned parents—who want MI will be undeterred of ideas will never correct racist their children to be comfortable in views, the theorists claim, because a diverse and multiracial America in exposing the divisive racism silences its victims. but still believe in the color-blind Therefore, censorship is needed.” ideal—to resist administrators who nature of critical race In the decades since, Mac Donald are on an ideological crusade. has been a powerful and energetic theory and defending critic of victimhood ideology, diving CRT had also been quietly exerting into the campus fray to stand up an influence on the training of color-blindness. for students who want a traditional federal employees and employees liberal arts education, even when of government contractors. But outlets. This is an issue on which it means getting shouted down that has—at least for now—been the incoming Biden administration and protested at such schools as formally ground to a halt, thanks will likely face pressure to reverse Bucknell, Penn, and Claremont largely to the work of City Journal course, but MI will be undeterred McKenna. Her 2018 book, The contributing editor Christopher in exposing the divisive nature of Diversity Delusion, remains an Rufo. In a series of articles critical race theory and defending invaluable resource for parents, for City Journal, Rufo alerted color-blindness. students, and even faculty seeking Americans to what goes on in to understand the intellectual roots the diversity trainings funded by of campus radicalism and to oppose their tax dollars, shining a light, its current manifestation. for example, on the half-million-

13 2020 President’s Year-End Update THE POST-COVID URBAN FUTURE

On September 17, MI senior fellow helped American cities get back on The purpose of the polls was not to and Harvard University economist their feet by showing what worked in figure out what must be done—that Edward L. Glaeser delivered the the Big Apple. From Broken Win- is derived from our research and our James Q. Wilson Lecture from … his dows policing to the charter-school principles—but to better understand home in Cambridge, Massachusetts. movement, ideas developed by MI how we might do it. Our ability to carry on digitally proved effective in New York and were underscored one of the then shared across the country. The major takeaways? New Yorkers central themes of Now, through our newly are attached to some of their core Glaeser’s lecture: cities launched New York City: public services (notably, the subway are once again at Reborn initiative, we system and police force), frustrated risk of seeing their are laying out a new by the performance of others (only economic models vision for what New 21% of New Yorkers are satisfied undermined by a York City needs to do to with the public school system), combination of new ensure that its best days and incredulous about how such a technologies and poor remain ahead. Through mediocre public sector costs so much governance. Just as the research, policy journalism in taxes (75% of New Yorkers want highways of mid-century (including in City Journal), and to see their tax bill lowered). And enabled manufacturers to disperse public events, we intend to educate among high-earning New Yorkers, across the country, remote work is and inform New Yorkers heading into who account for a disproportionate weakening the place-based ties of what will be an enormously conse- share of the city’s tax base, there is knowledge industries. Layered over quential 2021 mayoral election. If New creeping interest in parting ways with this technological revolution are near- York can weather the current storm, Gotham: as of summer 2020, 44% of term, Covid-related challenges—the reform-minded leaders in cities coun- New Yorkers earning over $100,000 trepidation that people feel toward trywide will heed its example. had thought about leaving the city mass transit, the enormous reduction in the previous four months. The of the in-person service sector, and Urban political leaders, who have results have helped us determine the disappearance of quintessential embraced the most extreme position the priorities of New York City: urban amenities like plays, concerts, on issues ranging from public safety Reborn and are shaping the larger and other nightlife—and long- to taxation, are increasingly out of conversation about the city; the festering issues such as unaffordable step with their constituents, who are polls were covered in 12 national housing, overgrown public sectors, interested in better government rather publications, including ineffective schools, polarization than more government. This was the the Wall Street Journal, over policing, and a political system resounding finding of polling that National Review, dominated by narrow interests. MI conducted this year. MI partnered New York Post, with Echelon Insights and the Siena and Fox Business, Taken together, these forces represent College Research Institute to conduct as well as across a threat to 21st-century urbanism, two polls of New Yorkers, asking them local and national including in MI’s home city of New about the state of the city and their broadcast York. During the last urban crisis, MI views on potential paths forward. stations.

14 The chief problem that New York’s counting on Washington’s generos- another remnant of a different political leadership faces is that ity to secure its future. Put simply, era in city life. Condensing and it has built a government that can MI does not believe that the world’s rationalizing the zoning code would support itself only when the city leading city should be in the busi- allow more taxpaying businesses and country are at the top of the ness of begging for handouts. and residents to call New York business cycle. In 2017, MI senior home. It should also be the first fellow and City Journal contribut- The first place to jump-start an step in a broader liberalization of ing editor Nicole Gelinas wrote a economic recovery is New York’s New York City’s land-use policies, column, “De Blasio Is Spending NY antiquated zoning code. In these which, as Kober has chronicled for into Trouble,” laying out the ways de dire circumstances, MI senior fellow City Journal, drive up the cost of Blasio was squandering New York’s Eric Kober, a longtime veteran of the living, push out families, and force economic boom and leaving the city NYC Department of City Planning, low-wage workers into far-flung and unprepared for a downturn. Rath- argues that reforming the zoning overcrowded housing. er than modernize the city’s aged code is as close to a silver bullet Improving the quality of life in cities infrastructure, the mayor was using as city leaders are going to find. will require a new and more effective tax windfalls to fund an across- Kober’s report “Barrier approach to urban homelessness. the-board wage hike for to Recovery: How Over the last decade, the street city employees, which New York City’s homeless population increased raised labor costs 20%. Obsolete Zoning by 18% in San Francisco, 35% in In the years since, he Prevents Property Seattle, 50% in Los Angeles, and has grown the city’s Owners from 59% in New York, injecting disorder workforce by 20,000 Reusing Land into these cities’ business districts, employees. Gelinas and Buildings,” mass transportation systems, did not foresee New which was and residential neighborhoods. York’s economy being adapted for two But street homelessness is more derailed by a super-virus op-eds in the New symptom than sickness. Until cities from a Chinese wet market, York Post, notes that commit to addressing severe mental but she was certain that there would the zoning code is loaded with illnesses and drug addictions among be some crisis and that New York’s arbitrary rules. Building owners this population, the expensive, fiscal house was not sturdy enough are legally required to provide a ballyhooed programs that their to meet it. Now the city is facing an certain number of parking spots leaders have advocated will provide estimated 6% budget shortfall—con- to tenants, though the number of middle-class jobs to service providers sidering that 25% of private-sector New Yorkers who use a car as their and little else. jobs have been lost, this official esti- primary means of transportation mate is almost certainly too optimis- has fallen dramatically since the Unfortunately, instead of address- tic—and its overtaxed citizenry has rule was written in mid-century. ing the underlying causes of street no interest in bearing the burden of The zoning code also dictates homelessness, city governments have chronic mismanagement. In a rerun how large a hardware store can decriminalized behaviors associated of the 1970s, New York is once again be relative to a grocery store, yet with street living (encampments, drug

15 2020 President’s Year-End Update

use, shoplifting) and poured ever more Over the past several begin a long-overdue money into social services. New York months, MI has been reform project. City has ramped up its spending on building on Jaffe’s homelessness such that, in 2019, the proud legacy by New York’s subway city spent $55,000 per homeless New responding to the system is famously Yorker. Over the last three years, MI threat that Covid-19 shoddy compared partnered with the late DJ Jaffe, an presents to the with those of peer outstanding scholar of mental health homeless population. cities in Europe and policy and advocate for the severely Trying to prevent the East Asia, but even mentally ill, who worked alongside spread of the pandemic heavy rail networks senior fellow Stephen Eide to argue within a community that is elsewhere in America put for a paradigm shift in how we think disconnected from information, in Gotham’s public management to about the homelessness. Jaffe came to generally poor health, and plagued shame: New York spends four times this cause—which would be his life’s by drug and mental health issues is more than any other American rail calling—when he and his wife took an extremely tall order. Senior fellow system on maintenance per track mile. over the care of his schizophrenic sis- Stephen Eide, however, offered a Now the MTA faces an estimated $3.2 ter-in-law, revealing all the ways New plan of action for New York and other billion shortfall. Improving service York State’s services fail the seriously similarly situated cities in his report while cutting costs is no easy feat, but mentally ill. “Homelessness and Covid-19: Assess- as MI fellow Connor Harris points out, ing the Response and Planning for the the MTA has been so poorly run for so Across his career and during his time Reopening.” Thankfully, as Eide noted long that there is some low-hanging at MI, Jaffe fought to increase hospital in a National Review op-ed, the worst- fruit to be picked. In his policy brief capacity for the seriously mentally ill, case scenarios have thus far been “Five Cheap Ways to Improve NYC renew the civil commitment process, averted, but he is keeping close watch Subway Operations,” Harris enumer- and shift mental health dollars away and intervening in the public debate ated some of these no-brainer fixes, from wellness initiatives and toward as needed. including moving more of the track the treatment of debilitating diseases. maintenance work to the overnight Jaffe’s efforts secured some import- It is hard to envision a growth agenda hours to bring down costs and install- ant victories; in New York, he was an for New York City that doesn’t include ing platform barriers on subway tracks indispensable part of the campaign an overhaul of its public transpor- to keep people and objects off the to pass Kendra’s Law and was a tation system. Already plagued by tracks. His research formed the basis muckraking critic of Mayor de Blasio’s long wait times, overcrowded cars, of two op-eds, appearing in City and ThriveNYC initiative. At the national and a sclerotic pace of new building State and the transit-oriented publica- level, he mounted a campaign against and repairs before the pandemic, the tion Streetsblog. the Institutions for Mental Disease system must also survive the fallout (IMD) exclusion, a provision in the of Covid-19, which has deterred many American cities are at a crossroads, 1965 Medicaid law that prohibits states New Yorkers from using public trans- and the obstacles strewn in their path from funding care for mentally ill portation. In an op-ed for the New are formidable. But we should have adults so long as those adults are in York Times, Nicole Gelinas invited faith that urbanites can see when hospitals or treatment facilities with readers to imagine New York City if ideas are failing all around them. Beset more than 16 beds. After Jaffe present- it did not find a way to narrow the by soaring housing costs and failing ed on the topic in December 2019 at gap of the MTA’s predicted $14 billion schools, by rising crime and oppres- the White House’s conference “Trans- shortfall across two years: the results, sive taxes, cities are struggling to forming Mental Health Treatment to she wrote, would be service cuts to the succeed despite their governments. As Combat Homelessness, Violence & subway and bus lines, more crowd- the realities of poor urban governance Substance Abuse,” the Trump admin- ing on the remaining trains, further increasingly come to light, people in istration announced its intention to exodus in response to that overcrowd- cities may find a renewed openness ease the exclusion. Jaffe’s work will ing, and fare hikes for those with no to MI’s research and ideas. As the endure through these accomplish- choice but to continue riding New Wall Street Journal’s James Freeman ments, his pathbreaking writings, and York’s more crowded and less conve- wrote in his feature on MI’s research, the countless mental health advocates nient public transportation system. “America’s biggest city may now be inspired by his example and touched Rather than proceed down this path of home to a rising number of budding by his kindness. cascading failures, the MTA can conservatives who’ve been mugged by the reality of leftist governance.”

16 Thank you for three decades of loyal readership.

17 2020 President’s Year-End Update

Since the first issue of City Journal hit newsstands in 1990, the magazine has championed MI’s vision of safe, economically dynamic, and culturally vibrant cities. At the time, these attributes were in short supply in urban America, which was then dominated by neighborhood decline, failing schools, and rising violent crime. City Journal soon became a primary organ of urban reform, and the ideas championed in its pages proved indispensable to turning the tide. The magazine continues to offer ideas for

$ 6.50 the economic and cultural renewal of our AUTUMN 2020 cities, and its mission remains as critical as CITY JOURNAL ever. In a year dominated by the pandemic and urban disorder, New Yorkers and all Americans were desperate for the latest information and analysis from a source VOL. 30, NO. 4 The Chump Effect James B. Meigs they trusted. Editor Brian C. Anderson Rise of the Muni-Socialists and the entire team met the Steven Malanga City Journal The Bias Fallacy Heather Mac Donald moment, publishing more articles in the “Burn It Down” Christopher F. Rufo

first three quarters of this year than in any Gotham’s YearNicole from Gelinas Hell

A The Crypto State? full year in the magazine’s history. UTUMN 2020 Bruno Maçães

10/1/20 22:37

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What happens in American cities City Journal’s 30th year in print was Almost as stunning as the facts will have a significant influence a banner one for the magazine, on the ground in Seattle was how on the nation’s future. America’s with readers drawn to its deeply the country’s major media outlets status as an economic superpower reported stories told in crisp, were largely ignoring the real story depends on its high-tech industries economical prose. Take, for of what was happening there. in Seattle, Los Angeles, Austin, example, contributing editor The New York Times depicted Boston, and, of course, New York. Christopher Rufo’s “Anarchy in CHAZ as a charming commune Healing the country’s social and Seattle,” his account of Seattle’s run by idealistic, if rebellious, political wounds will require new famed Capitol Hill Autonomous youth—until the paper of record economic models in midsize cities Zone (CHAZ), a six-block stretch published a harrowing account like Flint, Buffalo, and Akron as that the city government ceded of a neighborhood plagued by well. And all cities, regardless of to left-wing anarchists. Rufo’s shootings, roving militias, and size or region, need to rededicate reporting confirmed timeless truths merchants unable to operate their themselves to public safety, about human nature and society: businesses. City Journal readers sustainable balance sheets, and the alternative to the rule of law is understood what was happening six policies that encourage stable not spontaneous cooperation but weeks earlier. families and strong communities. the arbitrary rule of the strong.

18 FY 2020 BY THE NUMBERS Throughout this challenging year, Heather Mac Donald, Coleman PAGEVIEWS City Journal has covered the corona- Hughes, Nicole Gelinas, Kay 18.7 MILLION virus pandemic across all aspects— Hymowitz, John Tierney, Edward medical, economic, and governmen- Glaeser, Rafael Mangual, Seth 10 BLOCKS DOWNLOADS tal. Taking a long-term view in “The Barron, and Theodore Dalrymple. 500,000 Crisis’s Impact on Budgets,” City Anderson and the City Journal BROADCAST HITS Journal senior editor and George team are always on the lookout for 300 M. Yeager Fellow at the Manhattan new talent and emerging voices to Institute Steven Malanga described include in its pages, such as Martin LINKS TO how many cities and states never Gurri, Bruno Maçães, and Brian 780 CITY JOURNAL CONTENT filled the budget holes and pension Patrick Eha. liabilities that emerged during the Great Recession, leaving them even In 2020, across the print magazine, initiative, City Journal will survey more vulnerable to a shock like the website, and 10 Blocks podcast, the political, policymaking, and one we’re living through now. As more people than ever engaged cultural landscape and offer fresh Covid-19 caseloads ticked up in the with City Journal’s work. The ideas to move the city forward. early fall and as many places, from website has garnered 18.7 million The magazine is already rolling Brooklyn to the United Kingdom, pageviews from 9.8 million unique out stories under New York City: considered returning to lockdowns, viewers—54% and 84% gains, year- Reborn each week. Highlights of contributing editor John Tierney over-year, respectively. Many of the series—including a substantial published “A Failed Experiment,” these pieces go on to republication number of feature-length articles— showing how the effects of lock- and adaption in outlets including will appear in a special print issue downs have been devastating for the Wall Street Journal, New York of the magazine in early 2021, well school-age children, those bat- Post, Los Angeles Times, and New in advance of the election. tling serious diseases other than York Daily News. Ten Blocks has av- Covid-19, hourly employees, and eraged 40,000 downloads a month, small-business owners—all in ex- a 47% increase from last year. At change for near-negligible benefits. the same time, City Journal has been a pioneer in nonprofit jour- In working to influence the policy nalism, sticking with substantive debate, City Journal understands stories and in-depth reporting at a that it must reach audiences that do time when many media outlets have not yet share its views—but could. abandoned those values in pursuit Under the leadership of editor Brian of clicks. City Journal has brought C. Anderson, the magazine works those values into the world of new hard to reach skeptical readers: media more successfully than any it thoroughly presents opposing other publication. points of view, grounds arguments in empirical evidence, conducts Eventually, New York City will turn original reporting, and assumes an the page on Covid-19. With a may- intelligent and informed audience. oral election approaching in 2021, The magazine’s stable of talented the city will need to make weighty and urbane contributing editors decisions about its future. As a and frequent contributors includes part of MI’s New York City: Reborn 40,000+ 19 2 monthly downloads episodes

Coleman Hughes and Rafael Mangual discussed the riots across urban America and their implications for public order, policing, and race relations. 19 2020 President’s Year-End Update AN OPPORTUNITY AGENDA FOR AMERICA The past four years saw a sea inner workings of their government account of how the country arrived change in the federal judiciary. have come to know the leaders of here, recounting how Congress has Between 2017 and 2020, the Trump the CDC and FDA as familiar TV abdicated its authority, the admin- administration appointed new personalities, underscoring the istrative state has expanded its judges at an unprecedented pace, impact that these agencies have on reach, and the invisible system of amounting to 24% of the federal every American’s life. Many of these regulation-through-litigation has bench. Trump also put three justices people are intelligent and dedicat- entrapped businesses. onto the Supreme Court, giving the ed professionals, but the agencies high court a majority of justices they head and work for are plagued Copland discusses the relinquish- committed to interpreting the Con- by structural problems divorced ing of congressional authority at stitution and Bill of Rights based from any one person’s competence the federal level (of the 300,000 on their plain language, rather than federal crimes on the ledger, 98% through confected and convoluted were written through administra- legal theories. Over time, the leg- tive action rather than legislation) islative branch has ceded lawmak- and the insidious pattern of “pred- ing authority to its executive and Americans were left atory federalism,” wherein large judicial counterparts in a distortion states like New York and California of the original constitutional design. fuming at people regulate businesses in Texas and But this transformation of the feder- Arkansas by threatening to close al bench presents an invaluable op- whom they had not their markets to products that don’t portunity for the judiciary to restore elected and would meet their state’s standards. the rule of law by reining in admin- The Unelected is not simply a tale of istrative rulemaking, respecting the have no opportunity to despair, however, as Copland charts separation of powers, and taking a path to restoring our government federalism seriously. As the courts replace or otherwise to its constitutional structure. This, embark on this important project, he counsels readers, will require they gain an invaluable resource in hold to account. a judiciary that is willing to insist senior fellow James R. Copland’s that Congress reclaim its constitu- new book, The Unelected: How an or good intentions. So when the tional powers from the executive Unaccountable Elite Is Governing CDC failed to ship out Covid-19 test branch, rather than promulgating America. Copland’s book combines kits in a timely fashion, or when vague and unobjectionable man- an indictment of our current system the FDA slow-walked approval for dates and leaving it to civil-service of outsize administrative authority private labs to do their own test- employees to translate those into with a plan to return to our constitu- ing, Americans were left fuming at real policy. Copland’s timely mes- tional form of government. people whom they had not elected sage is already making waves in the and would have no opportunity legal world, earning advance praise Over the last six months, Ameri- to replace or otherwise hold to ac- from Leonard Leo, cochairman of cans previously uninterested in the count. Copland’s book is an erudite

20 “Copland identifies multiple aspects of the regulatory state that are fairly opaque and unaccountable but wield considerable unchecked power over Americans, who should expect elections to matter more.”

— LEONARD LEO, CO-CHAIRMAN, FEDERALIST SOCIETY FOR LAW AND PUBLIC POLICY STUDIES

“IN THIS MASTERFUL HISTORY, JIM COPLAND SHOWS HOW THE LAW OF THE LAND BECAME MORE LIKE THE LAW OF THE JUNGLE. WHO’S RESPONSIBLE? THAT’S THE PROBLEM— NOBODY.”

— PHILIP K. HOWARD, AUTHOR, THE DEATH OF COMMON SENSE; FOUNDER, COMMON GOOD

“How do unelected power players exploit law and regulation to call the shots in American government and policymaking, while often doing very well for themselves in the process? Jim Copland knows more about this subject than almost anyone—and after you read this book, you will know too.”

— WALTER K. OLSON, AUTHOR, THE LITIGATION EXPLOSION; SENIOR FELLOW, CATO INSTITUTE

WWW.MANHATTAN-INSTITUTE.ORG/THEUNELECTED 21 2020 President’s Year-End Update

Rising Spending–Not Falling Revenues–Drives the Long-Term Deficit

35%

30%

25% 31.2% 20.0% Federal Spending (1950) (1960–2019) 20%

18.6% 15% (2050) 17.3% Tax Revenues (1960–2019)

Percentage of GDP Percentage 10% (17.8% if 2017 tax cuts are extended) 5%

0% 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050 Fiscal Year

Source: CBO 2020 Long-Term Budget Outlook

the Federalist Society, who called left. Riedl’s prudent perspective has The Covid-19 crisis did not prompt it “valuable reading for anyone gained a large following on Capitol only a fiscal response. The Federal committed to a republican form of Hill. In January 2020, he offered Reserve also became involved, pur- government,” and a glowing review testimony to the Senate Homeland chasing private debt, establishing a by Mark Pulliam in Law and Liber- Security Committee in connection credit facility for midsize businesses, ty, who wrote: “Copland offers the with Senator Romney’s efforts to and pushing out dollars to cash- clearest and most succinct summa- identify America’s debt burden as a strapped central banks around the ry of these complicated subjects national security risk. world. The Fed’s actions during the that I have ever seen.” pandemic have led to calls for the Today’s increasingly assertive deficit bank to assume a permanently larger Among the most urgent problems doves argue that because there was role in economic policy, from taking facing the new Congress and admin- no sovereign debt crisis or runaway on more power in financial regu- istration is that America carries the inflation during the Obama years, lation to using monetary policy to largest debt-to-GDP ratio since the we should not pay attention to those reduce minority unemployment. MI’s close of the Allied victory in World scholars, such as Brian Riedl, who Shadow Open Market Committee War II. MI senior fellow Brian Riedl, raised concerns about America’s (SOMC), which monitors the Fed’s long a leading voice explaining the deteriorating fiscal position at that own Federal Open Market Committee major drivers of the national debt time. Yet just because America did (FOMC), has taken up these import- and offering sensible paths back to not follow Greece into default in 2011 ant questions in its two conferences fiscal sustainability, made his case does not mean that mounting deficits this year. Bringing together leading in 2020 through 31 articles, three are harmless—far from it. As the fed- scholars of monetary policy and full-length research reports, and eral government moves deeper into former Fed board members, the countless conversations with law- the red, it becomes more and more SOMC emphasized the danger of makers and staffers in the Capitol. susceptible to rising interest rates, permanently expanding the Federal Riedl debated America’s fiscal health which would make servicing our Reserve’s mandate to include parti- with the former head of the Council debt prohibitively expensive. Riedl is san goals. of Economic Advisers in the Obama an important voice for Republicans White House, Jason Furman, in a and Democrats alike who don’t want The gargantuan levels of new spend- conversation that has reverberated to see America live at the whims of ing proposed by many Democrats, around economic circles right and financial markets. including President-elect Joe Biden,

22 are not only problematic because of since repealed it because wealth been disadvantaged by the cult of America’s worsening fiscal position. taxes are enormously inefficient to higher education. They also respond to “crises” that enforce and frequently succeed only are, in many instances, greatly exag- in redistributing wealth from entre- Rather than more government gerated, if not wholly imagined. On preneurs to tax lawyers. subsidies for traditional degrees, the campaign trail, Biden frequently America’s young people would ben- invoked the notion of an American efit much more from new education “retirement crisis,” purportedly ow- models that prepare them for job ing to the decline in defined-benefit opportunities more quickly and pension plans. Yet America’s seniors efficiently. In an event with Yahoo are in far less precarious a situation Rather than more Finance, Akers discussed ideas to than the president-elect suggested. allow more business-model innova- In a report, “Are Americans Prepared government subsidies tion in the education sector. Right for Retirement?” senior fellow and now, the underserved segment of City Journal contributing editor Alli- for traditional degrees, the market comprises those who are son Schrager notes that defined-ben- willing to forgo the amenities—new efit pensions, even at their high-wa- America’s young campus centers and micro-targeted ter mark in the 1970s, covered only academic departments—that many 38% of American workers. Today, people would benefit colleges offer to lure the children in contrast, a majority of America’s of well-to-do parents in favor of workforce has access to a 401(k) or much more from new a low-cost, no-frills education some similar defined-contribution offering them an in-demand skill. It plan. Among today’s retirees, the education models is time we let these options prolif- picture is heartening, with Amer- erate, insist on full disclosure from icans in their seventies in every that prepare them for schools so that prospective students quintile of the income distribution know what they are paying for, and earning more than similarly situat- job opportunities then let consumers decide which ed Americans in 2000. The poverty options best meet their needs. It is rate among the elderly is also at its more quickly and a testament to Akers’s empirically historical low. grounded and pragmatic approach efficiently. that she was asked to discuss her For those looking for ways to finance work with members of the Trump a dramatic expansion of the welfare administration’s Domestic Policy state, wealth taxes have emerged Over the last decade, a narrative of Council as well as with former New as a fashionable option, particu- millennial immiseration has taken York mayor Michael Bloomberg’s larly among those who insist that hold. At the center of their plight, we campaign-policy staff. wealth inequality constitutes a major are told, is a crushing mountain of problem in American society. Par- student debt, which justifies calls ticipating in a debate sponsored by for policies such as “free college.” Bloomberg and Intelligence Squared, The underlying assumption is alongside former Treasury Secretary misleading, explains Akers, who Lawrence Summers against former has shown that the debt burden is labor secretary Robert Reich and overwhelmingly concentrated on former Greek finance minister Yanis holders of advanced degrees, who Varoufakis, Schrager explained why remain well positioned to pay it the preoccupation with redistribut- down over time. Policies for “free ing wealth—as opposed to helping college” would disproportionately people escape poverty—is misguided. benefit this group, the majority Drawing on a report that she coau- of which does not need the thored with MI senior fellow Beth help. A far greater concern of August 28: Senior fellow Beth Akers joined Akers, Schrager notes that two-thirds policymakers ought to be the half Yahoo Finance to break down the reasons that the cost of a college of the European countries that had of the population who are not education has skyrocketed. a wealth tax in place in 1990 have college-bound and who have

23 2020 President’s Year-End Update ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT

Writing for TechCrunch, senior Before making a $4 trillion bet on the environmental orthodoxy into public fellow Mark Mills reminded us of a country’s future, perhaps we should policy, stands as a cautionary tale. central truth for our digital economy: give more thought to the challenges In autumn 2020, Californians battled while our energy needs are becom- and pitfalls inherent in a rapid tran- rolling power blackouts, govern- ing less visible, they are not, in fact, sition to renewable energies. Mills’s ment-mandated energy reductions declining. In mid-century America, report “Mines, Minerals, and ‘Green’ (during a heat wave), and devastat- the iconic image of U.S. business was Energy: A Reality Check” does exactly ing wildfires. MI adjunct fellow Jon- a smokestack belching black clouds that. Mills notes that while batteries, athan Lesser, in his report “Playing into the air as a factory churned solar panels, and wind turbines don’t with Fire: California’s Approach to beneath it. Today, many of us are require hydrocarbon—at least not in Managing Wildfire Risks,” noted that working from home, manipulating their final form—they do require a the state’s policies on controlled spreadsheets and pixels rather than mind-boggling amount of minerals, burns and forest maintenance inter- auto parts or steelworks. But Mills almost all of which would come from act with the dreadful management notes that the energy needed to run abroad, and which require a large of Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) two hours of Zoom sessions is greater carbon footprint to extract in the first Company to turn a manageable than the fuel that an individual place. The Green New Deal would do problem into an annual catastrophe. would have consumed on a four-mile for many unsavory regimes around train ride. Even as America’s econ- the world what the oil shock of 1973 omy becomes more digitized and did for the Gulf states: less dependent on heavy industry, give them an injection America’s electricity and mineral of cash to solidify their needs will only continue to rise. MI’s authority and fuel their energy team is communicating to the adventurism abroad. public that efforts to wean America And for all our trouble, off our most powerful sources of we would be left with energy (oil, natural gas, and nucle- an energy infrastruc- ar) are incompatible with robust ture that produces far economic growth and fly in the face more physical waste of the laws of physics. than the entirety of the current global We are increasingly told that a Green economy, a point that New Deal, or some watered-down the secretary of energy version of it, would both move our made in an op-ed in the economy to a more sustainable Orange County Regis- footing and launch a renaissance ter, citing Mills’s work. of blue-collar employment. This is merely the latest in a string of bold California, the state predictions and seductive promises that has gone the from the environmental movement. furthest in converting

September 22: Senior fellow Mark Mills and author Daniel Yergin analyzed the energy landscape of the modern world.

24 “Today, many of us are working from home, manipulating spreadsheets and pixels rather than auto parts or steelworks. But Mills notes that the energy needed to run two hours of Zoom sessions is greater than the fuel that an individual would have consumed on a four-mile train ride.”

ENERGY NEEDED TO RUN

Two Four hours of mile Zoom train sessions ride

25 2020 President’s Year-End Update

“The dysfunction of the health- care sector, where government inserts itself into every nook and cranny, has left the industry in an untenable position. It can either take steps toward the rest of the economy by embracing markets and competition; or it can march toward a single-payer system, where price controls and bureaucrats would have to make up for the lack of competition and incentives to innovate.”

26 HEALTH CARE

Since the turn of the 21st century, people from the private medical As Pope makes clear, in the 80% health-care costs have risen 150% system. After garnering attention in of the American economy that is faster than economy-wide inflation. the Capitol and the White House, not health-care spending, consum- For those who still receive health Pope’s proposal was included in er choice and robust competition insurance from their employer, such the Trump administration’s funding reign. Because of that, Americans increases have prevented many from request two weeks later. have seen technological break- seeing rising wages, as additional throughs and dramatically declin- compensation gets diverted toward Chris Pope’s larger-ticket vision for ing prices. The dysfunction of the insurance. The share of people with health-care reform shows that pro- health-care sector, where govern- employer-provided insurance, more- ponents of free markets don’t just ment inserts itself into every nook over, has also fallen dramatically oppose bad policy; they also stand and cranny, has left the industry in over the last 20 years, from 68% to ready to enact good ideas. In his an untenable position. It can either 58% of the population. Some slice issue brief “Principles for Building take steps toward the rest of the of this group has moved on to the Better Health Insurance,” which economy by embracing markets and Medicare or Medicaid rolls, but most was adapted for the summer issue competition; or it can march toward are now shopping for insurance on of National Affairs, Pope lays out a a single-payer system, where price the individual market, where they framework for health-care reform. controls and bureaucrats would find policies that are prohibitively He makes a convincing case that have to make up for the lack of com- expensive for middle-class families. market reformers should focus their petition and incentives to innovate. This means that a growing number efforts on the individual market- of people have experienced shop- place, since the poor and elderly are As we head into a new year, we’re ping for plans before realizing that covered by Medicaid and Medicare, excited to be bringing Randall none makes sense for them or their and, for all the flaws of employ- Lutter on board. The former senior families. Put simply, the need for er-sponsored insurance, businesses science and regulatory advisor in free-market thinkers to offer a posi- are still willing to compete for talent the Office of the Commissioner tive vision for health-care reform is with generous health-care packages. of the U.S. FDA, he is an expert nonnegotiable. Thus, the individual market ends in pharmaceutical markets, drug up serving people who are working pricing, medical supply chains, MI senior fellow Chris Pope has put but are independent contractors or and much more. Lutter’s firsthand forth both an insightful diagnosis at firms that are too small to offer experience in government will be a of our current health-care woes and insurance. Right now, an ill-consid- major asset as we chart a practical a path toward broader coverage, ered provision of the ACA prevents path for pro-market reforms. less regulation, and more robust insurance companies offering plans competition. Currently, health care in the individual market from offer- suffers from too much government ing lower rates to those who sign up intervention in the industry, which before they get sick, forcing costs stifles new technologies and new to go up for everyone. America, business models, both of which Pope argues, should follow Austra- could flatten the cost curve. When lia’s and Germany’s lead and allow the pandemic was at its height in insurers to offer lower premiums to the spring, Pope published a piece enrollees who sign up before they in The Hill imploring Congress to are sick and who maintain continu- make its aid to the hospital system ous coverage. This would then allow contingent on hospitals no longer public subsidies to be concentrated engaging in surprise billing of on those whose preexisting condi- October 20: Senior fellow Chris Pope testified before the U.S. House Ways and patients, a practice that is not only tions make their insurance prohibi- Means Committee’s Oversight wrong but that alienates many tively expensive. Subcommittee on the state of the Affordable Care Act.

27 2020 President’s Year-End Update K–12 EDUCATION

For decades, MI has been working Critics of charter schools frequently pandemic has also shown the endur- to expand the educational options contend that the improved outcomes ing value of institutions driven by available to parents in urban areas, that they achieve reflect something shared beliefs and a shared mission, where too many poor children are other than their ingenuity and hard managing the transition to remote trapped in chronically failing schools. work. Indeed, charter schools are education and physical distance The case for choice applies to the full regularly accused of “skimming” the much better than many public school range of educational options, from best students from the public school systems. Domanico presented a larger making traditional public schools system, stacking the deck in their fa- vision for the reinvigoration of paro- more effective and rigorous to empow- vor and harming the students left over chial education, calling for all but the ering charter networks and allowing in the public system. This charge is best-situated parish schools to form parochial schools to compete on an particularly common in jurisdictions networks (a common practice among even playing field. While MI’s goals where charters are widely deployed, charter schools) and incorporate more and commitments remain unchanged, such as Newark, New Jersey, where laypeople and education experts into the policy landscape has evolved over charter schools serve a third of the the administrative hierarchy. time. Today, rather than try to extin- city’s 55,000 public school students. guish the charter sector altogether (it MI senior fellow Marcus Winters, The federal government’s expanded has had too many high-profile suc- in his report on the effect that large role in primary education has also cesses for that to be a tenable strat- charter networks in Newark have had come at the expense of local and state egy), opponents of charter schools on the city’s public school system, authority, diminishing ordinary citi- argue that charters have reached the has convincingly demonstrated that zens’ say in devising education policy. natural limit of their growth, lest their charter networks serve their students Senior fellow Andy Smarick, who continued expansion start to canni- as well as those remaining in the pub- joined MI in spring 2020 and is former balize resources and students from lic system. Particularly at a time when president of the Maryland State Board the public school system—a glib idea so many cities and communities face of Education and a veteran of George with a potential to do real harm. resource constraints, charter schools, W. Bush’s Domestic Policy Council, which tend to operate at a lower is one of the country’s most nuanced The challenges facing parochial per-pupil cost, offer a low-cost way to thinkers in the education-policy schools have changed alongside the improve educational performance. world and an incisive defender of city’s demographics as well. In earlier federalism. Aside from sounding the eras, parochial and religious schools Parochial and religious schools alarm on federal overreach, another predominantly served children from received a boost from the Supreme trend that Smarick and MI plan to middle-class families, which pro- Court’s decision in Espinoza v. monitor closely is the use of racial- vided these schools the financial Montana Department of Revenue, ized thinking to discredit standard- wherewithal to also serve poor and which forbade states from excluding ized testing. It is now a mainstream newly arriving immigrant families. religious schools from programs that position to denounce standardized The continued exodus of middle-class would fund other forms of private testing as an expression of “white- families, especially middle-class education. As MI director of educa- ness,” a puzzling turn of phrase Catholics, has left urban parochial tion Ray Domanico laid out in an that demoralizes and discriminates schools in a precarious position. MI op-ed for the New York Post, this is a against black and Latino students. believes that ensuring a healthy mar- particularly fortuitous development This line of thinking is driving efforts ket means ensuring multiple healthy at a time of acute fiscal distress for to change admissions standards for competitors. We are committed to an many parochial schools. The sector magnet high schools in New York and agenda that strengthens each of these has been shrinking for some time, but Seattle. Rather than let the education educational options and lets students the coronavirus has put that distress- reform movement get mired in the and their families choose the best ing trend on fast-forward, forcing 98 politics of ethnic resentment, MI is match for their needs. Catholic schools to close permanently presenting a vision for pluralism, since the pandemic began. But the choice, and opportunity for all.

28 This September, MI teamed up with Rasmussen Reports to conduct a poll posing questions relating to school choice and charter schools to likely voters in PA, OH, WI, MI, and NC

MI-Rasmussen Survey Questions and Responses (% from all and black respondents)

Does giving parents the right to choose the school that their child attends raise or lower the overall quality of K–12 education for students?

Pennsylvania Ohio Wisconsin Michigan North Carolina All Black All Black All Black All Black All Black Raise 49% 57% 49% 43% 46% Raise 49% 57% 49% 43% Lower 19% 10% 18% 19% 20% Lower 19% 10% 18% 19% Neither 19% 17% 20% 23% 22% Neither 19% 17% 20% 23% Not Sure 13% 16% 12% 15% 12% Not Sure 13% 16% 12% 15% Does your state give parents too much, too little, or the right amount of choice when deciding where their children will attend school?

Pennsylvania Ohio Wisconsin Michigan North Carolina All Black All Black All Black All Black All Black Raise 8% 4% 9% 6% 11% 7% 10% 11% 8% 9% Lower 37% 45% 30% 40% 29% 40% 29% 34% 39% 39% Neither 38% 30% 39% 31% 42% 34% 39% 33% 34% 35% Not Sure 18% 22% 22% 23% 18% 19% 23% 22% 19% 17%

“The case for choice applies to the full range of educational options, from making traditional public schools more effective and rigorous to empowering charter networks and allowing parochial schools to compete on an even playing field.”

29 2020 President’s Year-End Update

“Each year, since 2001, we’ve recognized organizations and their leaders that embody much of what makes America an exceptional nation. They’re local, but they address needs and problems found across the country. They’re small, but they set big examples. They do so through private means, with charitable support, and through volunteer labor.” CIVIL SOCIETY As government has expanded over year-round character building and the groundbreaking book Bowling the last half-century, America’s civic mentorship to foster-care youth Alone. The 2020 Civil Society muscles have atrophied. Citizens from New York City and Los Angeles, Awards celebrate local leaders who have come to expect more from a nonprofit library in rural New remedy the problems that Putnam their government and less from one Mexico that provides critical services insightfully describes as contributing another. For nearly 20 years, the to thousands in its region, and a to the decline in America’s sense Manhattan Institute has worked to classical music education program of community and social capital in arrest this trend and support the in El Paso, Texas, that provides a recent decades. civil society institutions that do so pathway to academic and career much to instill bourgeois virtues. success for immigrant children. In addition to the awards, the This is the goal of our Civil Society One of the honorees, Invisible Institute launched its second cohort Awards, which recognize nonprofit Hands, was created by three New of Civil Society Fellows this fall, organizations and their leaders York City–based twentysomethings whose success in transforming their who develop effective solutions to who organized thousands of young own neighborhoods positions them our nation’s most pressing public volunteers to deliver groceries and to influence the public debate on problems with the help of volunteers medicine to those at high risk for a variety of social challenges. To and private philanthropy. contracting Covid-19 during the help them get their message out, worst of the pandemic. the program provides the fellows This year, MI reviewed hundreds of with education, media training, these organizations and selected This year’s awards ceremony also and promotional opportunities to five inspiring winners for our annual featured notable presenters from advance their causes and inspire $25,000 Civil Society Awards. The Carnegie Hall and the Dollywood others around the country to take 2020 awardees include: a faith- Foundation, as well as Oscar- action. For example, earlier this year based program in Ohio that provides nominated actor Carol Kane, Civil Society Fellow Sharpel Welch weekly training and support for those among others. One keynote and her organization, Community suffering from dementia and their speaker was Harvard professor and Renewal International, in Shreveport, caregivers at no cost to participants, leading scholar on civil society Louisiana, were featured by CBS an organization that provides Robert Putnam, who authored Sunday Morning News for their

30 Awardees EMBUDO VALLEY LIBRARY & COMMUNITY CENTER With the help of more than 60 volunteers, this nonprofit public library offers educational programs, cultural events, and critical services— from access to potable water to free, reliable WiFi—to more than 8,500 people living in rural New Mexico.

TOCANDO MUSIC PROJECT inspiring Friendship House program. The El Paso Symphony Orchestra’s Tocando program uses classical music education to Sharpel’s Friendship House is a home empower children of immigrants growing to her family, the seven neighborhood up in challenging conditions near the children they are helping to raise, U.S.-Mexico border. To date, it has paved the way for future academic and career success and many other area kids who for nearly 300 students. view Friendship House’s youth and educational programs as a refuge. INVISIBLE HANDS Founded in New York City at the height of the This year’s fellows are hard at work coronavirus pandemic, this mutual aid group on similarly inspiring work. Take organized 10,000 volunteers to deliver more Brandon Chrostowski of EDWINS than $1 million in groceries and medicine to their most vulnerable neighbors—fighting both social Leadership & Restaurant Institute isolation and food insecurity. in Cleveland, Ohio, who trains 100 students every year, all formerly LIFE: A DEMENTIA incarcerated individuals, in the FRIENDLY FOUNDATION culinary arts. While most cities have With three locations in Lorain County, Ohio, declining need for blue-collar manual LIFE provides weekly programming—including education, training, and a support network— labor, dining and hospitality has that improves the quality of life for those living been a growth industry for every with dementia and their caregivers—all at no city in America. The path from ex- cost to participants. offender to sommelier is long, but with Chrostowski’s guidance, it is THE FELIX ORGANIZATION navigable—and we look forward to With the help of more than 100 volunteers and philanthropic support, Felix has provided helping him expand his reach. life-changing experiences through its year-round programming and five summer camps for more than 10,000 foster-care children living in New LIVE: Sinclair Broadcast Group | The 2020 Civil Society York City and Los Angeles. Awards, winner profile videos, and MI’s historical awards footage were featured on STIRR, a streaming service owned by one of the nation’s largest TV broadcasters.

31 2020 President’s Year-End Update NEXT-GENERATION ENGAGEMENT

A lot of ink has been spilled trying intellectual underpinnings of In addition to on-campus to understand why socialism has capitalism. Modeled after the programming, MI brings members so much purchase among millen- Federalist Society, the mission of the together from across chapters and nials and their now college-aged Adam Smith Society is to help ensure cities, helping them network with successors in Generation Z. Much that America’s next generation of similarly interested MBA students, of the problem pertains to their leading capitalists are also articulate professionals, scholars, and business education: young people receive defenders of the system. This year leaders. In February 2020, this very little exposure to the nature of provided countless case studies of took the form of our conference capitalism as a moral system. The “woke capitalism” at work, as some “Healthcare 2040: Business Model next generation of people on the of America’s leading businesses Innovation in Healthcare,” where path to leadership in government, threw their cash and resources attendees heard from keynote business, and society ought to behind the trendy cause of the speaker and former FDA chairman hear the best of that idea—and the day. Some of that reflects shrewd Scott Gottlieb on the future of Manhattan Institute, through its MI judgment—using social issues to precision medicine; and from on Campus, Young Leaders Circle, curry favor with politically-minded Matthew Cook, executive director and Adam Smith Society programs, consumers—but in other cases, of strategic projects for Gilead enables just that. businesses sincerely profess the idea Sciences, on the state of research that their mission is social change into rare diseases. In December 2019, At business schools across the while profit-making is a secondary we convened members in Jackson country, future leaders of the concern. Such attitudes undermine Hole, Wyoming, for a discussion American private sector are taught America’s economic competitiveness of the future of financial services, the how of American capitalism and threaten to take social policy out with former MI book fellow and without the why. Through our 42 of the democratic sphere. Defending Columbia Business School professor chapters (on campus and for young the traditional understanding of Charles W. Calomiris. In November professionals), the Manhattan the role and purpose of business is 2019, members were in Edinburgh, Institute’s Adam Smith Society a first-order concern of the Adam Scotland, to discuss Adam Smith’s gives future business leaders Smith Society, as our events and writings on ethics and economics in an education in the moral and speakers demonstrate. his home city.

32 Even after the pandemic began, opportunity to meet monthly to postelection analysis by Victor Davis the Adam Smith Society program network and hear lectures from Hanson of the Hoover Institution continued, pivoting to a virtual authorities at the forefront of and a talk by author, congressman, format that gave students access policy and culture. In early 2020, and former Navy SEAL Dan to the same lineup of great speak- for example, they heard Wall Crenshaw on his homage to grit, NEXT-GENERATIONers and business leaders. Within a Street Journal editor Mary O’Grady Fortitude: American Resilience week of New York’s lockdown, the and Venezuelan activist Andrés in the Era of Outrage. We plan to Adam Smith Society was live with Guilarte discuss how Venezuela return to hosting in-person events its first virtual event. Since then, has devolved, under socialism, as soon as we can in spring 2021. our members have heard from the from a prosperous democracy to an entrepreneur Scott Gottlieb, Wash- impoverished dictatorship. Feedback from YLC’s membership ington Post columnist George Will, (now 270 and growing) remains ENGAGEMENT and MI’s own Nicole Gelinas and YLC also pivoted to virtual events strongly positive. A longtime mem- Allison Schrager. Despite all the early this year. Since March, we ber, Colette Arredondo, had this to disruptions that 2020 has thrown have hosted nine virtual events, say about her experience: “I joined into campus and city life, the Adam ranging from an interview with the Young Leaders Circle and its Smith Society was able to secure author Jonah Goldberg on the future advisory committee more than ten banner membership growth this of the conservative movement, years ago, and it’s been one of the year, with total membership across to writer Douglas Murray of The best things I’ve done with my time campus and professional chapters Spectator discussing Brexit and in New York. I remember that the growing by 64%. Europe’s ongoing culture wars. first lecture I went to was by Niall YLC offered a bonus September Ferguson, and I immediately knew MI’s Young Leaders Circle (YLC) event: a preview of the Supreme that this was a dynamic group that provides a forum where more than Court’s coming term, with I wanted to be a part of.” 1,400 local young professionals participants including, among working in finance, law, media, others, MI senior fellow James tech, and related fields have the Copland. Our fall slate includes

Industry Connect Introducing Industry Connect— exclusive programming for Smith Soc professional members. This new virtual event series connects our members to free-market ideas, industry leaders, and each other! Industry Connect presents the free-market perspectives on pressing issues affecting key industries today, featuring dynamic conversations with top business leaders and policy experts from health care to finance, and technology to energy.

33 2020 President’s Year-End Update MANHATTAN INSTITUTE BY THE NUMBERS

34 I rely on MI for the deep thinking and forward-looking policy prescriptions they provide, For 20 years, the Alexander Hamilton Award Dinner has been the Manhattan which inform my activities. Institute’s signature event. This year, with the COVID-19 pandemic, we held our I know MI research will be first all-virtual event to great success. based on principles we all The 2020 Alexander Hamilton Awards were presented to Leonard Leo and share and will not be shaped Eugene Meyer of the Federalist Society; by pressure to be PC. and Daniel S. Loeb of Third Point LLC.

Daniel S. Loeb CEO, Third Point LLC

I am especially honored to receive the Alexander Hamilton Award. I am a longtime admirer of the This is because the Manhattan Institute exemplifies Manhattan Institute. Since 1977, the type of serious discussion and analysis we desperately you have helped to foster a society need and receive far too little of these days. where all people can flourish. Eugene Meyer Leonard Leo President and CEO of the Federalist Society Co-chairman and former executive vice president of the Federalist Society

35 2020 President’s Year-EndMANHATTAN Update INSTITUTE EXPERTS

BETH AKERS BRIAN C. ANDERSON SETH BARRON MICHAEL KNOX BERAN CLAIRE BERLINSKI SENIOR FELLOW EDITOR, CITY JOURNAL ASSOCIATE EDITOR, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, CITY JOURNAL CITY JOURNAL CITY JOURNAL

CHARLES W. CALOMIRIS BRANDON CHROSTOWSKI JAMES R. COPLAND THEODORE DALRYMPLE DANIEL DISALVO BOOK FELLOW CIVIL SOCIETY FELLOW; SENIOR FELLOW; CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, SENIOR FELLOW EDWINS Leadership & DIRECTOR, LEGAL POLICY CITY JOURNAL Restaurant Institute

RAY DOMANICO MAX EDEN STEPHEN EIDE RICHARD A. EPSTEIN BRANDON FULLER SENIOR FELLOW; DIRECTOR, SENIOR FELLOW SENIOR FELLOW; VISITING SCHOLAR VP, RESEARCH & PUBLICATIONS EDUCATION POLICY CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, CITY JOURNAL

NICOLE GELINAS EDWARD L. GLAESER ARPIT GUPTA VICTOR DAVIS HANSON CONNOR HARRIS SENIOR FELLOW; SENIOR FELLOW; ADJUNCT FELLOW CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, FELLOW CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, CITY JOURNAL CITY JOURNAL CITY JOURNAL

MICHAEL HENDRIX STEPHANIE HESSLER PETER W. HUBER HOWARD HUSOCK KAY S. HYMOWITZ DIRECTOR, STATE AND ADJUNCT FELLOW SENIOR FELLOW SENIOR FELLOW AND WILLIAM E. SIMON FELLOW; LOCAL POLICY CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, CITY JOURNAL CITY JOURNAL 36 MANHATTAN INSTITUTE EXPERTS

ANDREW KLAVAN ERIC KOBER JOEL KOTKIN JONATHAN LESSER HEATHER MAC DONALD CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, SENIOR FELLOW CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, ADJUNCT FELLOW THOMAS W. SMITH FELLOW; CITY JOURNAL CITY JOURNAL CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, CITY JOURNAL

STEVEN MALANGA RAFAEL A. MANGUAL JIM MANZI E. J. MCMAHON JUDITH MILLER GEORGE M. YEAGER FELLOW; SENIOR FELLOW; DEPUTY DIRECTOR, SENIOR FELLOW ADJUNCT FELLOW ADJUNCT FELLOW; SENIOR EDITOR, CITY JOURNAL LEGAL POLICY; CONTRIBUTING CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, EDITOR, CITY JOURNAL CITY JOURNAL

MARK P. MILLS JAMES PIERESON CHRIS POPE BRIAN RIEDL JASON L. RILEY SENIOR FELLOW SENIOR FELLOW SENIOR FELLOW SENIOR FELLOW SENIOR FELLOW

MEGAN ROSE CHRISTOPHER F. RUFO ELOISE SAMUELS ALLISON SCHRAGER FRED SIEGEL CIVIL SOCIETY FELLOW; CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, CIVIL SOCIETY FELLOW; SENIOR FELLOW; SENIOR FELLOW; Better Together CITY JOURNAL New Jersey Orators, Inc. CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, CITY JOURNAL CITY JOURNAL

GUY SORMAN HARRY STEIN JOHN TIERNEY JACOB L. VIGDOR MARCUS A. WINTERS CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, ADJUNCT FELLOW SENIOR FELLOW CITY JOURNAL CITY JOURNAL CITY JOURNAL

37 2020 President’s Year-End Update

Nicole Stelle Garnett, John P. Murphy This year, MI is thrilled to Foundation Professor of Law at Notre Dame Law School, will join MI as welcome outstanding an adjunct fellow working on urban education. Before entering academia, new thinkers to our roster Garnett clerked for Associate Justice Clarence Thomas of the United States of scholars. NICOLE STELLE Supreme Court. GARNETT

Coleman Hughes joins as a Eric Kaufmann, a professor of politics fellow and contributing editor at Birkbeck College, University of to City Journal. Hughes has London, and the author of the 2019 emerged as one of our nation’s Whiteshift: Populism, Immigration, most interesting voices on and the Future of White Majorities, the hot-button issues of race, will join us as an adjunct fellow diversity, and free speech. working on issues of race and COLEMAN HUGHES ERIC KAUFMANN national identity.

Daniel Kennelly, former senior Charles Fain Lehman is a reporter managing editor of The American for the Washington Free Beacon, Interest, brings 15 years of editing covering criminal justice, policing, experience and an expertise in and social policy. Lehman will join covering politics, policy, and culture MI as an adjunct fellow working on to City Journal, where he joins as policing and public safety. associate editor. DANIEL KENNELLY CHARLES FAIN LEHMAN

Glenn Loury, Merton P. Stoltz Randall Lutter, former senior science Professor of the Social Sciences and regulatory advisor in the Office of at Brown University, joins MI as a the Commissioner of the U.S. FDA and senior fellow with an initial focus on a veteran of the Council of Economic affirmative action, the black family, Advisers, joins as a senior fellow to and black patriotism. continue his research on health care and innovation. GLENN LOURY RANDALL LUTTER

Hannah Meyers will direct our new Andy Smarick, former president Policing and Public Safety Initiative. of the Maryland State Board Meyers served for five years with of Education and a veteran of the intelligence bureau of the NYPD George W. Bush’s Domestic Policy before transitioning to an NGO, where Council, will focus his research on she led its research efforts into education policy and civil society. counter-extremism.

MANHATTAN INSTITUTE NEW TALENT MANHATTAN HANNAH MEYERS ANDY SMARICK

38 Manhattan Institute annually publishes research reports on topics related to key issue areas. This body of work—authored by our resident fellows, associated scholars, and outside experts—has shaped RESEARCH the thinking of policymakers, thought leaders, the media, and the general public.

Reforming New York City’s Barrier to Recovery: How New York City’s Obsolete NYC Student Achievement: What State Public Retirement System Zoning Prevents Property Owners from Reusing and National Test Scores Reveal John Hunt Land and Buildings Ray Domanico REPORT, October 15, 2020 Eric Kober REPORT, March 26, 2020 REPORT, July 15, 2020 Issues 2020: What’s Wrong with a Wealth Tax Reforming New York’s Bail Reform: Allison Schrager and Beth Akers Mines, Minerals, and “Green” Energy: A Public Safety–Minded Proposal ISSUE BRIEF, October 8, 2020 A Reality Check Rafael A. Mangual Mark P. Mills ISSUE BRIEF, March 5, 2020 School Choice: Public Opinion in REPORT, July 9, 2020 Five Battleground States The Earning Curve: Variability and Overlap in Ray Domanico and Brandon McCoy The Declining Case for Municipal Recycling Labor-Market Outcomes by Education Level ISSUE BRIEF, September 30, 2020 Howard Husock Connor Harris REPORT, June 23, 2020 REPORT, February 26, 2020 Issues 2020: Are Americans Prepared for Retirement? Do Charter Schools Harm Traditional Public Issues 2020: Progressive Proposals Allison Schrager Schools? Years of Test-Score Data Suggest Prop Up the Professional Class ISSUE BRIEF, September 29, 2020 They Don’t Brian Riedl Marcus A. Winters ISSUE BRIEF, February 25, 2020 Taking Control: How the State Can Guide REPORT, June 9, 2020 New York City’s Post-Pandemic Fiscal Recovery The Cost-of-Thriving Index: Reevaluating the E. J. McMahon Advanced Opportunities: How Idaho Is Reshaping Prosperity of the American Family REPORT, September 24, 2020 High Schools by Empowering Students Oren Cass Max Eden REPORT, February 20, 2020 A Survey of New York City’s High-Income Earners: REPORT, May 26, 2020 The Future of Work and the Quality of Life A Statistical Profile of New York’s K–12 Michael Hendrix Zoning, Taxes, and Affordable Housing: Educational Sector: Race, Income and Religion ISSUE BRIEF, September 16, 2020 Lessons from Bloomberg’s Final Term Ray Domanico Eric Kober REPORT, February 19, 2020 Taking the Strain Off Medicaid’s Long-Term REPORT, May 20, 2020 Care Program Why Deficits Still Matter Chris Pope Homelessness and Covid-19: Assessing the Brian Riedl REPORT, September 10, 2020 Response and Planning for the Reopening ISSUE BRIEF, February 12, 2020 Stephen Eide Taking the City’s Temperature: What New Yorkers ISSUE BRIEF, May 14, 2020 North Carolina’s OPEB Experiment: Say About Crime, the Cost of Living, Schools, Defusing the State Debt Bomb and Reform Reimagining Rikers Island: A Better Daniel DiSalvo Michael Hendrix Alternative to NYC’s Four-Borough Jail Plan REPORT, February 6, 2020 ISSUE BRIEF, September 1, 2020 Nicole Gelinas REPORT, May 13, 2020 Issues 2020: Charter Schools Boost Results for A New Approach for Curbing College Tuition Disadvantaged Students and Everyone Else Inflation The Economics of Urban Light Rail: A Guide for Max Eden Beth Akers Planners and Citizens ISSUE BRIEF, January 28, 2020 REPORT, August 27, 2020 Connor Harris REPORT, May 5, 2020 Scaling Up: How Superstar Cities Out to Sea: The Dismal Economics Can Grow to New Heights of Offshore Wind De Blasio’s Budget: Putting Off the Aaron M. Renn Jonathan A. Lesser Tough Decisions REPORT, January 23, 2020 REPORT, August 25, 2020 Eric Kober ISSUE BRIEF, April 30, 2020 De Blasio’s Mandatory Inclusionary A Plan to Make Medicaid Fair, Focused, Housing Program: What Is Wrong, and Accountable Coronavirus Budget Projections and How It Can Be Made Right Chris Pope Brian Riedl Eric Kober REPORT, August 20, 2020 ISSUE BRIEF, April 29, 2020 REPORT, January 16, 2020

Principles for Building Better Health Insurance A Strategy for Reopening Charter Schools in Newark: Chris Pope New York City’s Economy The Effect on Student Test Scores ISSUE BRIEF, August 5, 2020 Arpit Gupta and Jonathan M. Ellen Marcus A. Winters ISSUE BRIEF, April 28, 2020 REPORT, January 15, 2020 Five Cheap Ways to Improve NYC Subway Operations Housing First and Homelessness: The Texas Pension Review Board: Connor Harris The Rhetoric and the Reality A Model for Nationwide Reform ISSUE BRIEF, July 30, 2020 Stephen Eide Josh B. McGee REPORT, April 21, 2020 REPORT, January 14, 2020 Test-Based Promotion and Student Performance in Florida and Arizona Playing with Fire: California’s Issues 2020: Rent Control Does Not Paul Perrault and Marcus A. Winters Approach to Managing Wildfire Risks Make Housing More Affordable ISSUE BRIEF, July 28, 2020 Jonathan A. Lesser and Charles D. Feinstein Michael Hendrix REPORT, April 7, 2020 ISSUE BRIEF, January 8, 2020

39 2020 President’s Year-End Update

Why Invest in MI? An investment in the Manhattan Institute (MI) is a demonstration of belief in the principles and moral ideals that our scholars advance: economic choice; individual liberty; the rule of law; free markets; and responsible governance. Your contribution also represents a uniquely American approach to social engagement, in which private citizens, foundations, and organizations direct their resources to the causes of their choosing. MI’s trustees, scholars, and staff deeply value this trust, your contribution, and the confidence it signifies. When you give to MI, your generosity turns intellect into influence.

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Membership Supporting the Manhattan Institute through membership, the NYC Reborn Council, or the Trustee’s Circle can unlock access to various benefits, including invitations to events, a subscription to MI’s City Journal, and MI books. Young professionals who join MI’s Young Leaders Circle have access to monthly lectures and receptions and receive additional benefits at the Advisory Committee level. MBA students and professionals who join MI’s Adam Smith Society have access to a series of benefits depending on the level of dues. For questions about membership with MI, Young Leaders Circle, or the Adam Smith Society, please contact MI’s development office.

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REIHAN SALAM, President ILANA GOLANT, Chief Operating Officer BRIAN C. ANDERSON, Editor, City Journal BRANDON FULLER, Vice President, Research & Publications

Manhattan Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Contributions are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law. 40 41 ABOUT THE MANHATTAN INSTITUTE The mission of MI is to develop and disseminate new ideas that foster greater economic choice and individual responsibility.

POLICY RESEARCH Manhattan Institute advances growth-oriented, evidence-based public-policy solutions to some of the most pressing economic and urban issues. Covering such areas as health care, urban economics, K–12 education, public safety, and public budgets, MI scholars shape the policy landscape by authoring reports, essays, and books; testifying at government hearings; commissioning qualitative surveys; and reaching the public directly through earned media.

Since our founding in 1977, MI’s policy prescriptions have been influential in changing the country for the better—from tax and regulatory reform to laying the groundwork for the end of the crime wave in the 1990s. As the policy landscape evolves, MI is developing new ideas to unleash the potential of our cities and allow all Americans to live safe, prosperous lives.

MI’s scholarship on criminal justice and urban revitalization is at the heart of both our legacy and our future. The Policing and Public Safety Initiative, launched in 2020, is home to our work on urban policing, which treats public safety as an imperative while soberly evaluating potential reforms to the criminal-justice system. The New York City: Reborn project, also launched in 2020, seeks to preserve the best attributes of our home city by combining detailed knowledge of the city’s policy landscape with creative, courageous reforms.

JOURNALISM

In addition to amplifying the work of MI scholars through op-eds, podcasts, TV, radio, books, and social media, the Institute has published digital and print commentary for more than three decades through its own magazine, City Journal.

City Journal was founded in 1990 as an intellectual and journalistic response to New York’s downward spiral and to the illness of the American city generally. Called “the best magazine in America” by the Wall Street Journal’s Peggy Noonan and “the great Fool Killer in the arena of urban policy” by the late novelist Tom Wolfe, City Journal has advanced ideas in response to the challenges facing urban America in order to make cities safe, entrepreneurial, and vibrant.

Books by MI scholars often spark national conversation and reframe the public debate, from Charles Murray’s seminal Losing Ground to Heather Mac Donald’s prescient best-seller The War on Cops and the late DJ Jaffe’s Insane Consequences.

NETWORKS

MI is home to an expansive community of networks. Through our event programming, special projects, and next-generation groups, we regularly convene current and future leaders from academia, public policy, journalism, civil society, and the professional world. Our signature annual events such as the Alexander Hamilton Awards, have honored former presidents, governors, philanthropists, police commissioners, sitting presidential cabinet members, and remarkable local civic leaders making a difference in their communities.

Via outreach both on- and off-campus, MI has developed initiatives to engage with and support the next generation of leaders. Through our MI on Campus program, MI fellows lecture at U.S. colleges and universities. The Adam Smith Society, an association of MBA students at top business schools across the globe, promotes debate and discussion about the moral, social, and economic benefits of capitalism. Adam Smith Society alumni enjoy a growing network of city-based professional chapters. And our NYC-based Young Leaders Circle convenes a network of young professionals with an interest in public policy.

An investment in the Manhattan Institute is a demonstration of belief in the intellectual and moral ideals that our scholars advance: economic choice; individual liberty; the rule of law; free markets; and responsible governance. MI’s trustees, scholars, and staff deeply value this trust, your contribution, and the confidence it signifies.

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