Discourse Magazine

Introducing Discourse, an online journal focused on politics, economics, and culture, brought to you by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. At Discourse, we emphasize the importance of conversation and exchange of ideas, believing that valuable insights emerge from diverse perspectives. Our mission is not only to uphold traditional liberal values but also to explore them through fresh and creative approaches.

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Oh, Canada ...

1 week ago | discoursemagazine.com | Henry Olsen

Poor Pierre Poilievre. Three months ago, his Canadian Conservative Party was 25 points ahead in the polls, and he looked like the next great conservative leader in the Anglosphere. Today, the Tories trail the governing Liberals, and it would take a miracle to get back on top. That could happen, especially if he is able to flummox Liberal Party Prime Minister Mark Carney in the two televised debates on April 16 and 17.
Public Art Should Please the Public

2 weeks ago | discoursemagazine.com | Jon Gabriel

President Trump signed a flurry of executive orders on Inauguration Day, covering topics as diverse as border security, free speech, climate change, drug laws and architecture. Wait, architecture? It should be no surprise that a real estate developer would be interested in buildings, something Trump telegraphed in the final year of his first term.
Bankruptcy, Privacy, 23andMe

3 weeks ago | discoursemagazine.com | Robert Graboyes

On March 23, genomics pioneer 23andMe filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and to be sure, the bankruptcy offers an opportunity to indulge our darkest fears about the digital world and to contemplate how individuals and institutions might handle private data going forward. Once valued at more than $6 billion, 23andMe saw 99% of its market capitalization evaporate after medical applications failed to pan out and hackers in 2023 absconded with the data of 7 million clients.
TikTok Is a Weapon of War-So Why Is Trump Negotiating With the Enemy?

4 weeks ago | discoursemagazine.com | John Mac Ghlionn

Time is running out for TikTok; the deadline for the app to be sold or banned is April 5. That’s when President Trump’s executive order keeping the app alive expires. After that, the future of TikTok in the U.S. hangs in the balance. A sale to an American company is being pushed as the solution to the national security concerns many have raised about the Chinese-owned app. The idea being floated is straightforward enough. Essentially, shift ownership, sever ties with China and move on.
Are We Spending Too Much on the U.S. Military?

4 weeks ago | discoursemagazine.com | John Mueller

With Donald Trump’s second term now entering month #3, his budget-slashers are sharpening their knives and beginning to focus on the Pentagon. Rather than arguing over inefficient procurement policies and how many submarines or tanks are required to deal with imaginable contingencies, it may be useful to evaluate what the U.S. has gotten for the mega-trillions it has expended on the military over the past 80 years. Not much, it seems.
AM Radio Will Never Die

1 month ago | discoursemagazine.com | James Lileks

I came across a lament by an AM radio announcer, denouncing the shuddering contractions in his industry. AM ought to be more popular and profitable, he said, since 90% of Americans still listen to terrestrial radio. That seems difficult to believe. It seems more likely that 90% do not. They might be counting the times when people get in a rental car and push the wrong button, producing a blast of static. More people listen to FM, of course, but AM?
Three Cheers for the Third Place

1 month ago | discoursemagazine.com | Addison Del Mastro

I’m old enough to remember when Starbucks sold CDs. I also remember the thick, colored glass light fixtures that dimmed the light, the big furniture that made the stores feel bigger than they were, like you could hide from everybody for a little while. I’m old enough that when I walk into a loud, square, unadorned Starbucks today and I feel like a lab mouse under harsh fluorescent lights, I notice it.
Waiting for the Chainsaw

1 month ago | discoursemagazine.com | Jon Gabriel

I come from the Ron Swanson school of government spending. If an official says, “We need to cut expenditures by 32%,” I’ll reply, “Let’s make it an even 40,” before starting a chant of “Slash it! Slash it!”So, imagine my surprise to learn that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is destroying America as we know it. At least that’s what I’ve gathered from the headlines.
How To Promote Greater Competition for Cloud Computing

1 month ago | discoursemagazine.com | Joshua Levine

By Joshua LevineCloud computing is at the center of digital commerce. Cloud services enable firms to migrate data and access it through “the cloud,” making information available anywhere and anytime. This allows both startups and incumbents to reduce upfront costs and access bespoke services in addition to on-demand compute, a key input for AI model development and deployment. The market for cloud services is growing steadily, with three firms at the forefront: Amazon, Google and Microsoft.
Big Betting Is Destroying America-Here’s How To Stop It

1 month ago | discoursemagazine.com | John Mac Ghlionn

The only thing Americans love more than sports is betting on sports. In just six years, sports betting in the United States has exploded, with wagers skyrocketing from $4.9 billion in 2017 to $121.1 billion in 2023. Notably, 94% of these bets were placed online—on phones, in living rooms, in office cubicles, during lunch breaks and between plays. Much of this change can be explained by the Supreme Court’s decision in Murphy v. NCAA.