The Issues

Economic Freedom

Jefferson Journal: Renting Private Rooms Makes Sense

The General Assembly is debating how best to allow private homeowners to rent their extra bedrooms on a short term basis. That decision may be made this year or next,...

Mike Thompson
February 23, 2016

Reforming Health Care and Reducing Costs

As I write this, the status of major the health care reform passing the General Assembly is in doubt. It seems that the heavy-handed lobbying of the hospitals might keep...

Mike Thompson
February 17, 2016

Autonomous Vehicles' Disruptive Potential for Transit

In discussions about the ultimate effects of fully autonomous vehicles (robo-taxis), the least attention is being paid to their likely impact on traditional mass transit. To be sure, some suggest...

Bob Poole
February 17, 2016

Lousy Economic Growth Results from Government Actions

America’s abysmal 0.7% economic growth during the fourth quarter of 2015 meant the annual growth rate was an anemic 2.4% … and average annual growth for the six-year Obama era...

Jefferson Forum
February 17, 2016

Reagan’s Still Right – Bottom-Up Job Creation In Virginia

By Mark Obenshain and Kirk Cox “We who live in free-market societies believe that growth, prosperity and, ultimately, human fulfillment are created from the bottom up, not the government down.”...

Jefferson Forum
February 3, 2016

Sparks Will Fly

Step aside Medicaid expansion. The big uproar in the General Assembly this year is over who gets the final say over the shape of Virginia’s Clean Power Plan: General Assembly Republicans...

Jefferson Forum
February 3, 2016

Economic Growth Slower Than We Want

Modest economic growth? Get used to it, according to the latest 10-year projection from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. With the annual pace of employment growth much slower in this...

Jefferson Forum
February 3, 2016

Testimony: Time to Reform COPN Laws

Thomas Jefferson Institute President Michael Thompson offered testimony February 4 to encourage dramatic reform of Virginia’s Certificate of Public Need law, an outdated provision that is raising the cost of...

Mike Thompson
February 3, 2016

Jefferson Journal: Time to Reform State Hospital Regulations

Virginia lives under an out-of-date Certificate of Public Need (COPN) law originally enacted at the urging of the federal government in an effort to contain health care costs. The federal...

Mike Thompson
February 3, 2016

Jefferson Forum concentrates on policies that affect everyday life in Virginia

Economic Freedom

Lower taxes and fewer regulations

Education Freedom

More choices for Virginia families

Energy Freedom

Reliable, affordable energy

Worker Freedom

Protecting Virginia’s right-to-work tradition

These are the building blocks of a more competitive and prosperous Virginia.