Philip K. Howard
- Chair, Common Good
“Without authority, democracy can’t do its job.”
Philip K. Howard is a lawyer, bestselling author, and civic leader at the leading edge of public thought on what’s gone wrong with American government. He has advised leaders of both political parties on government reform. He is Chair of Common Good , the nonpartisan coalition dedicated to simplifying laws so that Americans can use common sense in daily choices.
His first book, The Death of Common Sense (Random House, 1995), became a New York Times bestseller and was championed by leaders of both political parties. He has written six other books, including most recently Everyday Freedom (Rodin Books, 2024), which has similarly drawn praise from both sides of the aisle, as well as renowned economists.
He has written influential scholarly reports, including “ Escape from Quicksand: A New Framework for Modernizing America ” (Manhattan Institute, 2025), “ The Human Authority Needed for Good Schools ” (Hoover Institution, 2024), and “ Two Years, Not Ten Years: Redesigning Infrastructure Approvals ” (Common Good, 2015).
Philip got his start working summers at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory for Nobel laureate Eugene Wigner. He has been active in public affairs his entire adult life. He is a graduate of Yale College and the University of Virginia Law School.
