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Michael Schaus
Communications Director
Michael Schaus is communications director at the Nevada Policy Research Institute and is responsible for managing the organization’s messaging with the public, the media and NPRI’s membership. He is also currently a policy advisor for the Heartland Institute.Prior to joining NPRI, Michael worked in media as a national columnist, a political humorist and a conservative talk show host in Denver, Colorado. Active in both print and radio, he shared his insights and free-market economics perspective with large local and national audiences.
Michael became interested in economic theory earlier in life while employed in the financial sector. As the liaison between a local community bank and the Federal Reserve, he acquired an in-depth understanding of just how manipulative big government can be toward industry and enterprise. It was that experience with big-government intervention that initially led him into public-affairs commentary.
No, the Robots are Not Going to Take all Our Jobs
The robots are coming—and according to some experts, they’re here to take our jobs. Artificial intelligence and automation have made our world an increasingly futuristic wonder to behold. However, some…
The collective bargaining monopoly is a disservice to public workers
The monopoly power that labor unions have over a workplace is something that no one — not even the rank-and-file union members themselves — particularly enjoy. This point comes into…
There is nothing 'progressive' about big government
This article was originally published by the Nevada Business Magazine. If progressive voters really want the kind of “bold” and “transformative” changes big-government politicians keep promising, they had better…
Nevada’s 80th Legislative Session is (finally) over
In the last 120-plus days, one thing has become abundantly clear in Carson City: The so-called “special interests” controlling the legislature aren’t working for big corporate entities or shadowy activist…
SB224 betrays Governor Sisolak’s dedication to transparency
Senate Bill 224 — the PERS secrecy bill — was recently amended by the Assembly Government Affairs Committee to make the names of those receiving tax-funded pensions public. Which is…
When bureaucrats decide a tax increase isn’t actually an increase...
In order to fund Governor Sisolak’s proposed budget, Democrats want to change current law, and keep in place a temporary tax increase from 2015. That increase to the Modified Business…
Lobbyist’s false testimony crucial in moving anti-transparency bill forward
To justify the “PERS secrecy” bill, lobbyist Marlene Lockard relied almost entirely on known falsehoods in her official testimony to lawmakers. Because state law makes it a crime to knowingly misrepresent…
‘No new taxes’ is a great promise, if he can keep it
No new taxes will be a hard pledge for Governor Sisolak to keep if he has his way on a variety of spending issues. At least in the long term.
Nevada’s Public Records Law Needs Teeth
Transparency is an essential part of a representative government; without it, some would rule while others would simply be ruled over. This is why the federal government and every state…