“Federal transfers are not even a zero-sum proposition; they are a negative-sum proposition, leaking value at every step of the way, thanks to the costs of collecting federal tax dollars, then trickling them back out to the states' own costly bureaucracies via federal paper-pushers who write and oversee grant programs.”

American conservative political commentator, essayist, lawyer, and author

Heather Mac Donald is an American conservative political commentator, essayist, lawyer, and author. She is known for her writings on criminal justice, policing, and public policy, and for her opposition to criminal justice reform. She is a fellow at the Manhattan Institute and a contributing editor of its City Journal. Her work often argues for strong support of police and examines debates over crime, law enforcement, and reform.