Adam Summers

Writer, economist, public policy analyst (*Header pic is the Sumerian cuneiform "amagi," the earliest known written expression for "freedom," or "liberty.")

[Adam Summers @ASummersLiberty]

These are some of the most terrifying words one could utter.

"We will prove that there is no problem too large for government to solve, and no concern too small for it to care about."
-- Zohran Mamdani victory speech, 11/4/2025

[Lance Christensen @lancelands]

Can confirm.

[Chris Calton @ChrisCalto91066]

We used to have virtually no low-barrier housing, so homeless addicts who didn’t want to get clean stayed on the streets

Now CA has virtually no sober housing, so addicts who do want to get clean have no refuge from dealers and other users who would undermine their recovery.

[Adam Summers @ASummersLiberty]

@IndependentInst @Econ_Doc The jobs aren't coming back, guys. You have already priced them out of existence.
Ironically, some stores are already getting rid of self-checkout lanes (without government mandates) because many customers hate them and theft has increased after adopting them.

[Adam Summers @ASummersLiberty]

A proposed CA bill, backed by labor unions, would limit self-checkout lanes at grocery and drug stores. So they keep hiking the minimum wage, then try to ban the inevitable automation. More government micromanagement. https://t.co/lqkmwMIrYl @IndependentInst @Econ_Doc

[Chris Calton @ChrisCalto91066]

This man’s only policy tool is “we’re spending X amount of money…” He never actually has a policy behind it. He thinks spending money *is* policy.

[Chris Calton @ChrisCalto91066]

In 1906, a fire destroyed 28,000 homes in San Francisco and left 250,000 residents homeless. Yet it took only five years for the city to rebuild its pre-disaster housing capacity.

So why is it so hard to build housing in San Francisco today?

https://t.co/izaU7LtLag

[Independent Institute @IndependentInst]

#SanFrancisco swiftly recovered from 1906's housing crisis. Now, mandated to build 82K units by 2032, only 179 were approved in the first half of 2023. What's changed since an era when it rapidly constructed thousands in 5 years? @ChrisCalto91066
https://t.co/ZMdumJi82B

[Independent Institute @IndependentInst]

Gas prices at the pump are rising again. But should you blame Big Oil, as Gov. Gavin Newsom does? The new @CAGoldenFleece report “Pain at the Pump” finds the real culprit is California’s own government. @Econ_Doc
https://t.co/NKszIf3m96

[Independent Institute @IndependentInst]

Who’s to blame for high gas prices? California’s politicians should look in the mirror.
https://t.co/SvEbccTStz

[Independent Institute @IndependentInst]

“Gas prices at the pump are rising again. But should you blame Big Oil, as Gov. Gavin Newsom does? A new study finds the real culprit is California’s own government.” Orange County Register cites our most recent @CAGoldenFleece! @econ_doc https://t.co/iYWTIiZ1sa

[Lawrence McQuillan @Econ_Doc]

My oped in the WSJ, "The Latest Plan to Exacerbate California's Housing Crisis," on proposals by #California lawmakers to ban corporate investors from the state's single-family rental #housing market. Another bad housing idea. [Paywalled] @IndependentInst https://t.co/QY4NxnyVMq

[Judy Shelton @judyshel]

The Latest Plan to Exacerbate California’s Housing Crisis - WSJ
Excellent analysis from Lawrence McQuillan ⁦⁦@Econ_Doc⁩ ⁦@IndependentInst⁩ @marytheroux1 on the short-sightedness of progressive solutions to housing.

https://t.co/k2EWzTjThn https://t.co/bGGSfvhzpG

[Adam Summers @ASummersLiberty]

Great piece in the O.C. Register by my colleague @ChrisCalto91066. "The consequence is that the 'market price' of a home in San Francisco is grossly inflated by the mountain of regulations that raise construction costs and constrain supply."

[Chris Calton @ChrisCalto91066]

In 1906, a fire destroyed 28,000 homes in San Francisco and left 250,000 residents homeless. Yet it took only five years for the city to rebuild its pre-disaster housing capacity.

So why is it so hard to build housing in San Francisco today?

https://t.co/izaU7LtLag

[Adam Summers @ASummersLiberty]

Though targeted at large chains, it will have a ripple effect and smaller restaurants will be hit hard, as they will have to pay at least as much to keep their workers, managers will also expect an increase, etc. Don't expect any significant reduction in poverty, though!

[Adam Summers @ASummersLiberty]

California's $20/hr. fast food minimum wage goes into effect today. As noted in my January op-ed for The Hill (https://t.co/URm6eXWOzQ), we can expect higher prices for consumers; fewer jobs, hours, and benefits for workers; and more automation/kiosks. @IndependentInst @Econ_Doc

[Lawrence McQuillan @Econ_Doc]

#California authorities blame & shame #oil/#gasoline producers for state's persistently higher pump prices when they should look in the mirror. Real culprits are self-imposed higher taxes, fees, enviro regs, & "fuel island" effects. @IndependentInst #gas https://t.co/Ma23A02Udj

[Lawrence McQuillan @Econ_Doc]

Tomorrow #Chicago voters decide whether to increase city's real estate transfer tax thru #BringChicagoHome. Voters should learn from #SanFrancisco which just eliminated some transfer taxes after 4-yr experiment w/ higher taxes. Reject BCH! @IndependentInst https://t.co/TOAhvPzDjd

[Lawrence McQuillan @Econ_Doc]

About 2 cents of the difference in #gas prices b/w #California & the national avg is due to higher CA oil prices. The real culprits are CA's higher gas taxes, stricter enviro regs, & fuel-island effects: all self-imposed by CA officials. @IndependentInst https://t.co/Ma23A03s2R

[Independent Institute @IndependentInst]

"The fentanyl crisis has exposed the callousness of 'Housing First' policy, with 56% of fatal overdoses among New York City’s homeless occurring in permanent-supportive housing facilities." @ChrisCalto91066 https://t.co/dyUTKKYDka