Friday - April 3, 2026
Think Tanks

Here's a look at documents from think tanks

Featured Stories

Center of the American Experiment Issues Commentary: How Gov. Walz Hiked Taxes on Minnesota's Middle Class
GOLDEN VALLEY, Minnesota, April 2 -- The Center of the American Experiment, a civic and educational organization that says it creates and advocates policies, issued the following commentary on April 1, 2026, by economist John Phelan:

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How Gov. Walz hiked taxes on Minnesota's middle class

Yesterday, I noted that the average earner pays more state tax in Minnesota than in 42 other states. This is something which, Minnesota Department of Revenue (DOR) analyses show, got worse while Tim Walz has been governor.

The DOR produced a "Tax Incidence Analysis" for the 2019 Special Session Tax Bill ... Show Full Article

Center of the American Experiment Issues Commentary: Feeding Our Future - 8th Sentence Handed Down
GOLDEN VALLEY, Minnesota, April 2 -- The Center of the American Experiment, a civic and educational organization that says it creates and advocates policies, issued the following commentary on March 31, 2026, by policy fellow Bill Glahn:

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Feeding Our Future: 8th sentence handed down

Feeding Our Future defendant Zamzam Jama was sentenced this morning to six months in jail for her role in the free-food scandal. Prosecutors had requested a sentence of 16 months in prison.

She was one of six defendants from the extended Jama family, associated with the Brava Restaurant of Rochester.

The six ... Show Full Article

Center of the American Experiment Issues Commentary: Sneaky Workaround to Minnesota's Conversion Therapy Ban
GOLDEN VALLEY, Minnesota, April 2 -- The Center of the American Experiment, a civic and educational organization that says it creates and advocates policies, issued the following commentary on March 31, 2026, by policy fellow Matt Dean:

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A Sneaky Workaround to Minnesota's Conversion Therapy Ban

Democrats Push Private Lawsuits to Counter Supreme Court Decision

In a landmark 8-1 decision issued on March 31, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Chiles v. Salazar that Colorado's ban on "conversion therapy" for minors violates the First Amendment when applied to talk therapy. The Court held ... Show Full Article

Center of the American Experiment Issues Commentary: Mass Shooting Sentence Exposes Our System's Unwillingness to Incapacite Offenders
GOLDEN VALLEY, Minnesota, April 2 -- The Center of the American Experiment, a civic and educational organization that says it creates and advocates policies, issued the following commentary on March 31, 2026, by public safety policy fellow David Zimmer:

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Mass shooting sentence exposes our system's unwillingness to incapacite offenders

A recent downward departure in the sentencing of a mass shooting defendant in Minneapolis, illustrates how woefully inadequate our criminal justice system is at following through with meaningful terms of incapacitation.

The backdrop

In the summer of 2023 ... Show Full Article

Center of the American Experiment Issues Commentary: How Many Kids Who are Behind in Reading 'catch' Up?
GOLDEN VALLEY, Minnesota, April 2 -- The Center of the American Experiment, a civic and educational organization that says it creates and advocates policies, issued the following commentary on March 31, 2026, by policy fellow Catrin Wigfall:

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How many kids who are behind in reading 'catch' up?

For the fourth year in a row, Minnesota's third-grade reading scores have declined. While COVID didn't create this crisis, it exposed and exacerbated it. And Minnesota is finally being forced to confront what should have been addressed years ago.

We have known for decades that early literacy is the ... Show Full Article

Ceres welcomes recommendations from Arizona Energy Taskforce to advance a cleaner, more competitive economy
BOSTON, Massachusetts, April 2 [Category: ThinkTank] -- Ceres, a non-profit organization that is mobilizing companies and investors to take stronger action on climate change, water scarcity and global sustainability challenges, posted the following news release:

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Ceres welcomes recommendations from Arizona Energy Taskforce to advance a cleaner, more competitive economy

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Ceres applauds Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs and the Arizona Governor's Office of Resiliency for their leadership in releasing a series of reports today from the Arizona Energy Promise Taskforce to map a path toward a cleaner, ... Show Full Article

Hudson Institute Issues Commentary to Religion Unplugged: Why Finland's Conviction of Paivi Rasanen Reverberates Beyond Europe
WASHINGTON, April 1 -- Hudson Institute, a research organization that says it promotes leadership for a secure, free and prosperous future, issued the following commentary on March 31, 2026, by Paul Marshall, senior fellow at the Center for Religious Freedom, to Religion Unplugged:

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Why Finland's Conviction of Paivi Rasanen Reverberates Beyond Europe

(ANALYSIS) Finland's Supreme Court found former Minister of the Interior Paivi Rasanen guilty under a "War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity" statute for a booklet on homosexual relations that she had written and published 22 years before. ... Show Full Article

Common Cause Urges SCOTUS to Protect Birthright Citizenship
WASHINGTON, April 1 [Category: ThinkTank] -- Common Cause posted the following news release:

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Common Cause Urges SCOTUS to Protect Birthright Citizenship

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Common Cause is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to protect birthright citizenship in Trump v. Barbara, a challenge to the Trump Administration's attempt to ignore the 14 th Amendment of the Constitution. The group recently filed an amicus brief defending birthright citizenship and its central role in our democracy.

In early 2025, President Trump issued an executive order attempting to end the 14th Amendment's guarantee of citizenship ... Show Full Article

Capital Research Center Issues Commentary: How Higher Ed Can Reclaim Its High-End Reputation
WASHINGTON, April 1 -- The Capital Research Center issued the following commentary by senior fellow Kali Fontanilla:

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How higher ed can reclaim its high-end reputation

Frightfully high prices and ferocious left-wing ideology make higher ed a hard sell. But an Ivy League college president has given this K-12 teacher some reasons to hope for reform.

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For years, my mission as an English teacher was defined by a main objective: getting every one of my students college-ready. California's A-G academic requirements were drilled into our freshman students on day one. Take the classes, get the ... Show Full Article

CSIS Issues Critical Questions Q&A: Iran, Fertilizer, and Food Security - Risks, Impacts, and Policy Responses
WASHINGTON, April 1 -- The Center for Strategic and International Studies issued the following Critical Questions Q&A involving Caitlin Welsh, director of the Global Food and Water Security Program:

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Iran, Fertilizer, and Food Security: Risks, Impacts, and Policy Responses

The energy and fertilizer market disruptions resulting from the Iran war are threatening agriculture markets and food prices around the world. How could these market shocks affect food systems? What evidence are we seeing to date, and what are the policy solutions for farmers and consumers--in the United States and worldwide?

Q1: ... Show Full Article

CSIS Issues Commentary: Structural Barriers to Resource Extraction in Antarctica
WASHINGTON, April 1 -- The Center for Strategic and International Studies issued the following commentary on March 31, 2026, by William Muntean, senior associate (non-resident) of the Americas Program:

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The Structural Barriers to Resource Extraction in Antarctica

A geologist estimated in 2018 that the global price of oil would need to be above $200 per barrel for commercial resource extraction of oil in Antarctica to be feasible. That is a remarkably high number considering the highest price ever was $150 per barrel in June 2008. The armed conflict in Iran as well as recent U.S. statements ... Show Full Article

American Action Forum Issues Commentary: Sports Broadcasting - Market Shifts and Policy Questions
WASHINGTON, April 1 -- The American Action Forum issued the following commentary on March 31, 2026, by technology and innovation policy analyst Angela Luna:

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Sports Broadcasting: Market Shifts and Policy Questions

Executive Summary

* As streaming platforms reshape the distribution of live sports, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is seeking public comments on the effects of streaming on broadcasters and consumers.

* The FCC has long regulated broadcast licenses to protect local broadcasters, but while cable television moved some sports programming outside of FCC authority, the ... Show Full Article

AFPI Applauds President Trump's Executive Order to Strengthen Citizenship Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections
WASHINGTON, April 1 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following statement:

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AFPI Applauds President Trump's Executive Order to Strengthen Citizenship Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections

Today, the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) issued the following statement from the Honorable J. Kenneth Blackwell, Chair of Election Integrity, in response to President Trump's Executive Order, Ensuring Citizenship Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections:

"We applaud President Trump for taking action to defend the right of American citizens to decide American elections. ... Show Full Article