The
Mercatus Center at
George Mason University (GMU), Virginia, is an American non-profit
free-market-oriented research, education, and outreach
think tank directed by
Tyler Cowen. It works with policy experts,
lobbyists, and government officials to connect academic learning and real-world practice. Taking its name from the Latin word for "markets", the Center advocates free-market approaches to public policy. During the
George W. Bush administration's campaign to reduce government regulation, the
Wall Street Journal reported, "14 of the 23 rules the White House chose for its "hit list" to eliminate or modify were Mercatus entries."