Business & Economics
Blog
Spending Watch
SB 222 Will Weaken California’s Economy and Reduce State Revenues
SB 222 Will Weaken California’s Economy and Reduce State Revenues Wayne Winegarden and Nikhil Agarwal March 2025 The destructiveness of the Eaton and Palisades fires were unprecedented. According to the Anderson School of Management at UCLA, the recent Los Angeles wildfires caused up to $164 billion in property and capital ...
Wayne Winegarden and Nikhil Agarwal
March 13, 2025
Blog
The Gordon Chang Report–The U.S. Can Control the ‘World’s Light Switch’
READ THE PDF The U.S. Can Control the ‘World’s Light Switch’ It’s a “LNG and drilling free-for-all.”[1] That’s how the energy industry sees President Donald Trump’s actions this Valentine’s Day. Trump on February 14 promised to open up more than 600 million offshore acres to oil and gas drilling, signed ...
Gordon Chang
March 12, 2025
Business & Economics
Fast food minimum wage’s predictable result: Fewer jobs, even higher prices to come
Wouldn’t it be nice if the government could make everyone richer simply by passing laws that increase our income? Unfortunately, our world doesn’t work that way. When government chooses winners, someone loses, and nothing illustrates this better than when lawmakers set wage floors, as they did with California’s $20 fast-food ...
Kerry Jackson
March 11, 2025
Business & Economics
PRI All-Star Panel discusses State of the Union speech
This week is our special All-Star Panel of former speechwriters reviewing Pres. Donald Trump’s speech to Congress. Lance Izumi, PRI’s Senior Director of Education, was chief speechwriter to Gov. George Deukmejian and Attorney General Ed Meese; Tim Anaya, PRI’s Vice President of Marketing & Communications, was speechwriter to Governor Arnold ...
Pacific Research Institute
March 10, 2025
Blog
Spending Watch
Backfilling Lost Federal Education Funding Will Cost California Dearly
Backfilling Lost Federal Education Funding Will Cost California Dearly Wayne Winegarden February 2025 The erratic actions of the Trump Administration are undoubtedly making it more difficult for states to budget for the upcoming 2026 fiscal year. The knee-jerk reaction from many California politicians is to call for more taxes on ...
Wayne Winegarden
February 27, 2025
California
Read the latest about California's ineffective government homelessness programs
A Website About Being Transparent That Isn’t
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration has launched a new initiative – accountability.ca.gov – which it characterizes as “bring(ing) together thousands of locally reported data points to provide a clear picture of local communities’ work on California’s most pressing issues, including homelessness.” In case your stomach is full after eating that word ...
Tim Anaya
February 26, 2025
Business & Economics
Robust Tech Company Investment Show The Folly Of Trump’s Tariffs
On February 24th, Apple announced that, over the next four years, the company will invest $500 billion into U.S. advanced manufacturing and high-tech initiatives such as artificial intelligence and silicon engineering. Additionally, the company expects to hire 20,000 people over this time frame. These investments will make important contributions to ...
Wayne H Winegarden
February 25, 2025
Business & Economics
Tariffs Harm American Consumers, Manufacturers and the Economy, Warns New Study
SACRAMENTO – Recently enacted and proposed tariffs will have devastating consequences for American families, businesses, and the overall economy, according to a new study by the Pacific Research Institute. The report, authored by economist Dr. Wayne Winegarden, finds that tariffs will lead to higher consumer prices, increased manufacturing costs, and ...
Wayne Winegarden
February 25, 2025
Business & Economics
Overuse of Executive Orders is a Problem
President Donald Trump has been issuing executive orders at a breakneck pace, keeping campaign promises to the delight of supporters. But be careful what you wish for. Trump won’t be in office forever. Read the entire op-ed in The Sacramento Bee.
Matthew Fleming
February 13, 2025
Business & Economics
Housing Unaffordability Is A Policy Choice Not A Technology Problem
Trying to deflect the blame for the growing problem of housing affordability, politicians across the country are channeling their inner Captain Louis Renault and “rounding up the usual suspects”. In this case, the usual suspects are property landlords using algorithmic software to better understand the local market dynamics. Read the ...
Wayne H Winegarden
February 11, 2025
Spending Watch
SB 222 Will Weaken California’s Economy and Reduce State Revenues
SB 222 Will Weaken California’s Economy and Reduce State Revenues Wayne Winegarden and Nikhil Agarwal March 2025 The destructiveness of the Eaton and Palisades fires were unprecedented. According to the Anderson School of Management at UCLA, the recent Los Angeles wildfires caused up to $164 billion in property and capital ...
The Gordon Chang Report–The U.S. Can Control the ‘World’s Light Switch’
READ THE PDF The U.S. Can Control the ‘World’s Light Switch’ It’s a “LNG and drilling free-for-all.”[1] That’s how the energy industry sees President Donald Trump’s actions this Valentine’s Day. Trump on February 14 promised to open up more than 600 million offshore acres to oil and gas drilling, signed ...
Fast food minimum wage’s predictable result: Fewer jobs, even higher prices to come
Wouldn’t it be nice if the government could make everyone richer simply by passing laws that increase our income? Unfortunately, our world doesn’t work that way. When government chooses winners, someone loses, and nothing illustrates this better than when lawmakers set wage floors, as they did with California’s $20 fast-food ...
PRI All-Star Panel discusses State of the Union speech
This week is our special All-Star Panel of former speechwriters reviewing Pres. Donald Trump’s speech to Congress. Lance Izumi, PRI’s Senior Director of Education, was chief speechwriter to Gov. George Deukmejian and Attorney General Ed Meese; Tim Anaya, PRI’s Vice President of Marketing & Communications, was speechwriter to Governor Arnold ...
Spending Watch
Backfilling Lost Federal Education Funding Will Cost California Dearly
Backfilling Lost Federal Education Funding Will Cost California Dearly Wayne Winegarden February 2025 The erratic actions of the Trump Administration are undoubtedly making it more difficult for states to budget for the upcoming 2026 fiscal year. The knee-jerk reaction from many California politicians is to call for more taxes on ...
Read the latest about California's ineffective government homelessness programs
A Website About Being Transparent That Isn’t
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration has launched a new initiative – accountability.ca.gov – which it characterizes as “bring(ing) together thousands of locally reported data points to provide a clear picture of local communities’ work on California’s most pressing issues, including homelessness.” In case your stomach is full after eating that word ...
Robust Tech Company Investment Show The Folly Of Trump’s Tariffs
On February 24th, Apple announced that, over the next four years, the company will invest $500 billion into U.S. advanced manufacturing and high-tech initiatives such as artificial intelligence and silicon engineering. Additionally, the company expects to hire 20,000 people over this time frame. These investments will make important contributions to ...
Tariffs Harm American Consumers, Manufacturers and the Economy, Warns New Study
SACRAMENTO – Recently enacted and proposed tariffs will have devastating consequences for American families, businesses, and the overall economy, according to a new study by the Pacific Research Institute. The report, authored by economist Dr. Wayne Winegarden, finds that tariffs will lead to higher consumer prices, increased manufacturing costs, and ...
Overuse of Executive Orders is a Problem
President Donald Trump has been issuing executive orders at a breakneck pace, keeping campaign promises to the delight of supporters. But be careful what you wish for. Trump won’t be in office forever. Read the entire op-ed in The Sacramento Bee.
Housing Unaffordability Is A Policy Choice Not A Technology Problem
Trying to deflect the blame for the growing problem of housing affordability, politicians across the country are channeling their inner Captain Louis Renault and “rounding up the usual suspects”. In this case, the usual suspects are property landlords using algorithmic software to better understand the local market dynamics. Read the ...