WISCONSIN (MacIver Institute) -- The news isn't slowing down heading into the holidays and neither are we. Get your week off to the right foot in the last full week before Christmas with compelling analysis from our team.
Spotlight
When Dreams (And Liberty) Go Up in Smoke
Wisconsin's indoor smoking ban has kept cigar bars frozen in time -- the only cigar bars legally allowed to operate are those grandfathered in before the 2009 smoking ban went into effect. That remains the case after Gov. Evers vetored a bipartisan bill passed by the state legislature earlier this year.
Like so many other issues, the Evers' administration and other bureaucratic liberals default to nanny state overreach -- stifling individual liberty and freedom for the supposed common good. Richard Moore has a great breakdown of the specific cigar bar issue and the broader trend.
Deep Dive
Understanding Wisconsin’s Health Care Costs
Health care spending in Wisconsin continues to climb, but the reasons are frequently misunderstood or oversimplified. Courtney Graves gives an in-depth analysis that breaks down where costs actually come from, how state and federal policy decisions drive higher prices, and why government interventions often make affordability worse instead of better.
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Every contribution, large or small, strengthens our mission and keeps this work going. Thank you for standing with us and helping defend liberty in Wisconsin.
Coming Soon
The Wisconsin Supreme Court is considering banning ICE detainers—voluntary holds that sheriff’s departments place on illegal aliens so that federal agents can come pick them up for deportation. Liberal justices want to declare these unlawful, but unfortunately for them, the Constitution and 230 years of unbroken federal supremacy stand in their way. Dan O' Donnell breaks this important story down.
You Should Know
Wisconsin Unemployment Holds Steady, Labor Participation Falls
Wisconsin’s unemployment rate continues to hold steady, but the jobs picture in the state is not great. That's because the unemployment rate is being held down by fewer people actively looking for jobs in the first place. Non-job seekers don't count toward the unemployment mark.
Wisconsin's labor participation rate has declined every month so far this year.
Quick Click
Toney Rips Kaul Over Lagging State Crime Lab
Republican candidate, and Fond du Lac County D.A., Eric Toney on Friday blasted current Attorney General Josh Kaul over the latest report that shows fewer cases and longer wait times at the crime lab.
The crime lab report from Kaul’s office shows the crime lab accepted 8,965 cases in 2024. That is down from 9,297 in 2022, and 9,388 in 2023.
For Your Commute
The MacIver Report podcast is off last week and will return in the new year.
About MacIver Institute: The MacIver Institute is a Wisconsin-based think tank that promotes free markets, individual freedom, personal responsibility, and limited government. Through research, analysis, and community engagement, we work to advance these principles and positively impact the lives of all Wisconsinites.
Last Update: Dec 15, 2025 4:09 pm CST
