AIER is pleased to announce as part of its ongoing research efforts the formation of the Public Choice and Public Policy Project. Modeled on the success of the Sound Money Project, this project creates a network of scholars that will offer regular commentary and in-depth analysis on public policy using the tools of Public Choice Economics.
Public Choice was described as “politics without romance” by Nobel Laureate James Buchanan. Buchanan along with an exceptional group of scholars that included fellow Nobel Laureate Elinor Ostrom, as well as Kenneth Arrow, Duncan Black, Gordon Tullock, Anthony Downs, William Niskanen, Mancur Olson and many others worked to create an approach to understanding public policy based in the realities of what government can and cannot achieve.
As the heirs to the broad legacy of the founders of Public Choice, the innovative scholars who make up this project seek to understand the reality of government decision making and the consequences those decisions have on all of our lives. This group of scholars seeks to suggest alternatives to the romantic political notions that often dominate policy discussions.
Ryan Yonk
Director of The Public Choice and Public Policy Project
Senior Research Faculty, American Institute for Economic Research
Project Fellows
Phillip W. Magness
Phillip W. Magness is Senior Reseach Faculty and Interim Research and Education Director at the
Peter T. Calcagno
Dr. Peter T. Calcagno is a professor of economics and Director of the Center for
Raymond J. March
Raymond March is a faculty fellow at the NDSU Center for the Study of Public Choice
Michael Thomas
Michael Thomas is an Associate Professor of Economics at the Heider School of Business and
Audrey Redford
Audrey Redford is the Assistant Professor of Economics at Western Carolina University She earned her
Diana W. Thomas
Dr. Diana Thomas is an Associate Professor of Economics and Director of the Institute for
Abigail Devereaux
Abigail is an incoming research fellow at the Institute for the Study of Economic Growth
Byron B. Carson, III
Byron Carson is an Assistant Professor of Economics and Business at Hampden-Sydney College, in Hampden-Sydney,
Ryan M. Yonk
Ryan M. Yonk is Senior Research Faculty at the American Institute for Economic Research. He
Abigail R. Hall Blanco
Abigail Hall Blanco is a Research Fellow at the Independent Institute and an Associate Professor
Jeremy Jackson
Jeremy Jackson is a professor of economics in the Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics
Crystal Taylor
Crystal Taylor is the Director of Public Policy at the DeVoe L. Moore Center at
Siri Terjsen
Siri Terjsen is Associate Dean of Research & External Relations and Phil Smith Professor of
Adam Martin
Adam Martin is an associate professor of agricultural and applied economics in the College of
David Mitchell
David Mitchell is an associate professor of economics at the University of Central Arkansas and
Veeshan Rayamajhee
Veeshan Rayamajhee is an assistant professor of economics in the Department of Agribusiness and Applied
William Shughart
William F. Shughart II is the J. Fish Smith Professor in Public Choice at Utah
Ravi Roy
Ravi Roy is an associate professor of political science at Southern Utah University and the
Michael Giberson
Michael Giberson is an associate professor of practice at Texas Tech University and a faculty
Randy Simmons
Randy Simmons is a professor of political economy and Director of the Institute of Political
Bobbi Herzberg
Bobbi Herzberg is a Distinguished Senior Fellow for the F. A. Hayek Program in Advanced
Public Choice and Public Policy Project Articles
Adam Smith, Capitation, and the Nonsense That Is the Proposed Wealth Tax
“While the economic implications of this proposal are sufficiently flimsy to discount its claimed purpose of revenue generation, the proposed wealth tax faces a greater obstacle to its adoption: it is blatantly unconstitutional.” ~ Phillip W. Magness
The FDA is Back and Coming after Smart Socks
“Considering the FDA regulates nearly 40 percent of all consumer products, its recent actions are a strong cause for concern. As a health economist, I’ll be monitoring the situation closely.” ~ Raymond J. March
Gain of Function Controversy Demands Greater Scrutiny for Government-Funded Science
“Not every failure of government-funded science is as pervasive as the high-carb diet, as ghastly as the lobotomy, or as controversial as gain of function experiments. But the risk remains as long as the government remains a major funding source for research.” ~ Raymond J. March
