Essays and analysis on the systems that shape how our country functions.
From crumbling bridges to aging power grids, the backbone of the nation is showing its age. We explore what it will take to rebuild — and why the cost of inaction is far steeper than the price of reform.
Two years in, semiconductor incentives are already shifting the geography of American manufacturing. We visit three new fab sites and talk to workers, executives, and policymakers about what's working and what isn't.
Analyzing outage data across 50 states reveals patterns that challenge conventional wisdom about grid resilience. The worst-performing regions aren't where you'd expect.
Every year of deferred maintenance compounds the eventual bill. Here's what the math really looks like, and why the political cycle makes it so hard to solve.
Housing affordability and local control collide in statehouses across the country. We map where reform is winning, where it's stalling, and what the research says about outcomes.
After decades of free-market consensus, both parties are embracing targeted industrial policy. What changed, and what does the evidence say about its effectiveness?
While ports and trucks get the headlines, freight rail carries a quarter of U.S. cargo by value. A look at the underinvestment threatening one of America's quiet workhorses.
With federal grants becoming less predictable, states are building new fiscal muscles. We examine who's best prepared — and who isn't.