Reason Foundation

Recent Research and Commentary

Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae Were Never Privatized

Government-sponsored enterprises dealt with risk and profit differently

September 18, 2008

Anthony Randazzo, Samuel Staley

The re-nationalization of mortgage insurers Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac presents a serious challenge to national housing policy. But it is important to note that the failure of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is not an example of privatization gone amok; it is an example of what happens when privatization doesn't happen in the first place.

Federal Competitive Sourcing Saved Taxpayers $7.2 Billion Over the Last Five Years

Reason Foundation's Annual Privatization Report says public-private partnership infrastructure projects in various stages of development are worth $104 billion

August 7, 2008

Competitive sourcing allows the private sector to compete for jobs and contracts that are currently performed by the government. Federal employees actually won 83 percent of the job competitions from fiscal 2003 through fiscal 2007. But taxpayers are the real winners: the Annual Privatization Report shows taxpayers save $25,000 for every job that is put up for competition because even when the government keeps the job it significantly improves efficiency and reduces costs.

Administration Releases Final Round of Federal Program Performance Reviews

September 14, 2008, 4:30am

Leonard Gilroy

While PART isn't perfect, it's hard to argue with the fact that it's been an important step forward. The next administration would be well advised to use PART as a central building block of its performance management efforts.

What's in the Government's Attic?

December 1, 2004

John Palatiello

Government at all levels needs to be a better steward of the land it owns. With millions of acres in its portfolio, the government needs to identify what it owns, determine whether government or private ownership is the best and highest use for the land, and streamline the efficient transfer of those lands that can be better used in the private sector so they generate, not consume, tax dollars.

More »