December 30, 2025

Now, on to the news…

Progressives and conservatives alike increasingly agree that American government is failing to deliver what citizens need. New building developments get marooned in years of environmental reviews. A morass of federal regulations—from minority-owned business contracting requirements to “environmental justice” rules—impedes construction. America is known for its dynamism, but a regime designed to democratize development decisions has effectively made it impossible to build.

Using the analogy of a restaurant with its “front of house” (the service, meals, and prices) and “back of house” (the kitchen where the food gets made), John Ketcham argues that sclerosis is government’s back-of-house problem. Voters have repeatedly signaled their discontent with the status quo, but American government at every level—with its thicket of rules and regulations—is increasingly incapable of delivering change.

Read Ketcham’s analysis of the problem and his proposed solution here.

Playwright Tom Stoppard died on November 29 at 88. His death marks “the loss of a truly unique talent,” Hadley Arkes writes, “one combining serious moral insight with the most urbane wit and high comedy.” Arkes reflects on Stoppard’s life and work here.

The Manhattan Institute is proud to serve as the Principal Institutional Partner for the Sun Valley Policy Forum’s 2026 Winter Summit in the iconic resort town of Sun Valley, Idaho on February 11, 2026.

We are thrilled to join Joe Lonsdale and MI senior fellow Christopher F. Rufo for an evening on principled leadership and the future of American institutions in an AI-driven era. Please click here to learn more about the Sun Valley Policy Forum and our partnership and to purchase tickets at a discounted rate for friends of the Manhattan Institute.

“‘Ronald Reagan’s administration took notice when Asian Americans began accusing universities of prejudice decades ago.’ Not to slight one of America’s political giants, but taking notice is one level of leadership. Taking action, as Trump’s administration is doing, is a higher risk and leadership level altogether.”

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Reasonable person, commenting on anti-Asian discrimination in university admissions

Photo credit: Luiz C. Ribeiro/New York Daily News/Tribune News Service via Getty Images