Research Library

This October the U.S. and Mexico agreed on a new bilateral security program, but "unless the United States and Mexico pursue domestic structural reforms ... both nations risk backsliding to the failures of the drug wars," writes MGA student and Drug Policy guest contributor Sidney Phillips.

"Perhaps surprisingly, the latest national data published by the U.S. Department of Labor suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic has not given small businesses greater cause for concern over the cost of health care benefits," writes McNair scholar Alisha Small. Read her post on the Baker Institute Blog.

The authors explore the costs and benefits of a legalization program, contending that to realize the full benefits of comprehensive immigration reform and deter future unauthorized immigration, a broad and inclusive legalization program is needed.

As the judicial battle over Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s ban on mask mandates continues, the authors argue that the most effective way to protect children from COVID-19 is to require masks in schools. Click below for their full list of policy recommendations, including what exceptions should be made, and when and how to end school mask requirements.

A new study confirms that online doctor appointments via video are more effective than audio-only sessions. Read why in the December 2021 Health Policy Research newsletter.

A team of experts recommends community-based strategies for increasing vaccine acceptance in the USA as a means for controlling the COVID-19 pandemic.

A new source of revenue — taxes on digital advertising — is gaining momentum at the state level. This brief reviews the case for and against digital ad taxes, and trends to look out for as developments unfold.

"The COVID-19 effect is likely to reduce the demand for public transport in favor of lower density alternatives," write the authors. Their study considers links between commuters' demographic factors and incidence of disease transmission, as well as the environmental implications of decreased ridership on public transport.

"In the U.S., Latinos are disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. A critical step to reduce the spread of COVID-19 is diagnostic testing," write scholar Luz Garcini and co-authors. This research article identifies the barriers and facilitators that must be addressed in order to implement accessible, effective testing.

In this working paper, the author examines the economic effects of enacting a proposal by the Biden administration to tax long term capital gains at ordinary income tax rates for those with taxable income above $1 million and tax unrealized gains at the time of death for single (joint) filers with more than $1 million ($2 million) in unrealized gains. A similar version of the report was prepared with the financial support of the Center for Freedom and Prosperity Foundation.