The DOGE Task Force Should Focus on Spending

Governor Kim Reynolds recently joined several Republican governors in sending a letter to congressional leaders expressing their support for President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). President Trump appointed entrepreneurs Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy (who has since departed the project) to lead DOGE, which is tasked with reducing bureaucracy, waste, and regulation within the federal government.

Trump’s Economic Nationalism Can Restore Fiscal Sanity

Originally Published In: Borrowing a page from Calvin Coolidge, Trump should seek to reduce spending, pay down the national debt, lower tax rates, and limit immigration. President Trump’s announcement about the creation of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to be jointly directed by entrepreneurs Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy has created much excitement about the potential for reducing regulation, […]

State-Based Solutions

Increased transparency ensures accountability and provides opportunities to push back against unwarranted federal interference. States like Iowa have shown that legislators remain responsive to constituent input, making public awareness a powerful tool for addressing federal overreach. State-based solutions are critical in addressing federal government overreach and ensuring local governance remains robust and effective. As the federal bureaucracy expands its influence, […]

Iowa Leadership Outperforms Federal Overreach

It’s about restoring accountability and empowering state governments to innovate and address challenges unique to their populations. States have proven their ability to implement effective reforms when given the freedom to do so. The case for state-level governance over federal intervention is clear: states are more attuned to the unique needs of their citizens and can manage resources more effectively […]

Practical Impact on Iowa Lawmaking

The perception that federal bureaucrats in Washington, D.C., know better than state leaders fosters frustration, particularly in states like Iowa, where policymakers believe they are more attuned to their citizens’ needs. Federalism, the division of power between the federal government and the states, profoundly influences the practical aspects of state-level lawmaking. While this system is designed to ensure state sovereignty […]

State Legislatures are the Cavalry of the Republic

Reform-minded legislators must navigate criticism and resistance, often from entrenched interests benefiting from the status quo. In this pivotal moment, federalism offers a pathway to reform, resilience, and renewal. State legislatures must rise to the occasion, embracing their role as the stewards of localized governance and champions of the people’s will. Federalism has long been a cornerstone of the American […]

What is Federalism

Federalism reflects the vision of the nation’s founders, who sought to balance the need for a strong national government with the preservation of state sovereignty. Federalism is a foundational principle of the American system of government. At its core, federalism refers to the division of power between the federal government and the individual states. This concept, embedded in the U.S. […]

Hendrickson Report: Calvin Coolidge and the Principle of Federalism

With states dependent on the federal government, administrative and welfare state costs at an all-time high, and $36 trillion in national debt, the nation’s economic security is on thin ice. The historical documentary by Ken Burns, The Roosevelts: An Intimate History, sparked further discussion about the historical legacies of Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt. The Roosevelts is another powerful achievement by […]

Hendrickson Report: Herbert Hoover’s Quest to Rollback the Federal Government: A Lesson for DOGE

This article was published in The Courier, National Review, and The Gazette. What DOGE should learn from Hoover is that eliminating waste and reducing the administrative state are noble policy goals, but even more important is the restoration of constitutional principles back to government. Former President Herbert Hoover described the federal government as having “the instincts of a vegetable” which […]

Iowa’s Tax Reforms Propel State to New Heights in Competitiveness Ranking

Once ranked as one of the worst states (44th) for its tax climate, Iowa is becoming more competitive (20th) and will only improve as future reforms are implemented. The Tax Foundation has released its new State Tax Competitiveness Index, which replaces the previous State Business Tax Climate Index. This updated Index considers not only the business tax environment but also […]

Hendrickson Report: Herbert Hoover and the Policy of Protectionism

“An unlikely insult has emerged on the 2024 presidential campaign trail: ‘Herbert Hoover,’ wrote Catherine Lucy and Ken Thomas for The Wall Street Journal.[1] Both former President Donald J. Trump and President Joe Biden have both talked about Hoover in a negative manner.[2] President Biden has even gone as far to label the former President “Donald ‘Herbert Hoover’ Trump.”[3] Interestingly, […]