Policy analyst Noelle Pedersen examines the One Big and Beautiful Bill Act and its sweeping cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, and related health programs, analyzing how the legislation disproportionately impacts people with disabilities and low-income communities. The article explores how reduced federal support, new eligibility restrictions, and work requirements may erode access to essential care while shifting financial and administrative burdens onto states and vulnerable families.

Policy analyst Aidan Light examines California’s repeal of criminal penalties for chronic truancy under the More Help Not Less Act of 2025, analyzing the shift from punishment to support in addressing school absenteeism. The article explores the academic and social consequences of chronic absence, the role of parents and schools, and whether a human-centered approach can better serve vulnerable students while improving attendance outcomes.

Policy analyst Sahil Shah examines how artificial intelligence and semiconductors have become the core battleground in the competition between the United States and China, analyzing the use of export controls as both a security tool and a form of economic leverage. Shah questions whether these restrictions are slowing China’s technological rise or accelerating its push toward self-sufficiency.

Policy analyst Hayes Chitty examines the U.S. strike on Iranian nuclear facilities under Operation Midnight Hammer, analyzing the ethical, constitutional, and strategic debates surrounding American intervention. The article questions whether U.S. actions reflect legitimate security concerns or an effort to preserve diplomatic leverage by limiting Iran’s position in global negotiations.

Policy analyst Sam Farnsworth examines the renewed U.S. “Pivot to Asia,” analyzing how rising competition with China is reshaping American grand strategy. The article considers how conflicts involving Russia and Iran are being managed within this shift, arguing that prolonged proxy wars and expanding militarization may reflect deliberate strategic choices rather than temporary crises.

Policy Analyst Imani Castillo Yee examines President Trump’s executive order on election procedures, questioning how measures framed as election integrity challenge constitutional limits on executive power. The piece also considers the court’s response and what the order could mean for voting access and federal authority.

Policy analyst Kate Ferenchick examines President Donald Trump’s contrasting approaches to the Israel–Palestine conflict and the Russia–Ukraine war, analyzing how personal ties and political incentives shape his foreign policy. The piece questions why Trump has pursued a peace framework in the Middle East while offering shifting and inconsistent responses to the war in Ukraine.

Policy analyst Ani Weimar examines whether a lasting peace between Israel and Palestine is possible, analyzing the historical roots of the conflict and recent efforts to end the violence. The article weighs the promise of proposed peace frameworks against the political and security challenges that continue to hinder long-term stability.

Policy analyst Nivedita Giani examines why voluntary corporate codes of conduct have failed to end sweatshop labor, analyzing the limits of self-regulation in global supply chains. The article considers whether binding international rules and enforceable labor standards offer a more effective path forward.

Policy analyst Nisha Shenoy examines the rise of Universal Basic Income and Guaranteed Income pilot programs across the United States, analyzing what a decade of experiments reveals about poverty, employment, and financial stability. The piece also considers whether the proven benefits of unconditional cash transfers can be sustainably scaled at the national level.

Policy analyst Ava Medure examines the rise of Russell T. Vought and his transformation of the Office of Management and Budget into a powerful engine for expanding executive authority. The piece explores how Vought’s revival of impoundment and efforts to centralize budgetary power challenge constitutional limits, congressional authority, and the long-standing balance of American democracy.

Policy analyst Karli Oppenheimer examines California’s Proposition 50, weighing its short-term democratic benefits against the long-term risks it poses to fair redistricting and electoral integrity. The piece questions whether responding to partisan gerrymandering with counter-manipulation ultimately protects democracy, or undermines the principles it seeks to defend.

Policy analyst Madeleine Sleeper examines the El Segundo Chevron refinery explosion and the public health risks it exposed, questioning whether existing monitoring systems and regulatory responses adequately protect surrounding communities. She also considers what the incident reveals about environmental justice, corporate accountability, and gaps in current policy.

Policy analyst Tess Gallagher examines the Trump administration’s “Big Beautiful Bill” and its impact on higher education, questioning how cuts to federal funding and the reclassification of professional degrees threaten graduate students and the future workforce. Tess also considers what these policies reveal about shifting government priorities and the long-term consequences for academic freedom and social mobility.

Policy analyst Nate Watts examines political polarization today through the lens of the past, asking what insight the Civil War and our founding fathers have for the situation we as highly polarized Americans face in 2025. Nate also touches on recent examples of political violence, and how wisdom from America’s history can guide us through it.

Policy analyst Katherine Ferenchick investigates the motives of Pam Bondi and Donald Trump, who promised the public a release of the long-awaited Epstein files. Yet when the time came, with Bondi in charge of the Department of Justice as Attorney General, and Trump as President, no action was taken. Why? This is the question that this piece aims to answer.

Policy analyst Saoirse O’Lionain explores the value and dangers of a gerrymandered California, a tactic both parties have used to their advantage in elections. When it comes to diversity, it may prove to create a more representative California. This policy analyst has an opinion. Read it here!