• Complicating the process and increasing the cost of applying, CON laws create barriers for healthcare facilities to open or expand.
• States with CON laws have 30% fewer hospitals, and consequently, 10% higher variable costs in general acute hospitals, 20.6% higher expenditures per capita, higher Medicare and Medicaid costs, and worse quality of care.
• States that do not have CON see expanded access, lower costs, and improved care compared to states that do. Removing CON means that providers will be able to respond to the needs of their patients, and all Americans will have an easier time finding the care they need in their community without breaking the bank.

By: Miranda Spindt

• As “the fastest-spreading technology in human history,” artificial intelligence has transformed education, enhancing students’ ability to cheat and allowing them to forsake critical thinking.
• Use of AI should be approached carefully, as smartphones and technology have had a measurable negative impact on children, serving as a distraction in classrooms and contributing to a decline in mental health.
• If utilized with discernment, AI allows teachers to differentiate instruction through bespoke worksheets and engaging teaching aids.

By: Neeraja Deshpande

• Critical minerals (CM), including aluminum, bismuth, cobalt, copper, nickel, and silicon, are essential for a wide scope of products from renewable energy technologies to defense mechanisms.
• In contrast to the U.S., the Chinese Communist Party produces 60% of the global supply of CM and processes 90% of REE.
• The U.S. has just one operational rare earth mineral mine, and about 70% of America’s REE imports came from China between 2020 and 2023.

By: Gabriella Hoffman & Meaghan Mobbs

• Indexing capital gains for inflation would “unlock capital for investment, increase wages, create new jobs, and grow the economy,” by incentivizing “investors to realize gains on their investments.”
• According to 2018 estimates by the Tax Foundation, indexing capital gains for inflation would grow the economy by approximately $22 billion over the long run.
• Proposed taxes on unrealized gains would be an economic disaster for asset holders, entrepreneurs, and the federal government.

By: Patrice Onwuka

• A 2024 report attributes over 100 allegations of sexual exploitation to UN peacekeepers.
• The UN lacks a definition of “women,” which has limited its ability to consistently and coherently protect women’s rights globally.
• Due to its bureaucratic structure and reliance on member states to police themselves, the UN remains unable to hold offenders accountable and champion positive change.

By: Meaghan Mobbs