European Fiscal Policy Week, Part V: The European Union, Centralization, and Redistribution

by Dan Mitchell | Oct 28, 2022 | Blogs, Economics, Europe

The European Union started as a good idea (unfettered free trade between member nations) and has morphed into a troubling idea (a super-state based on centralization, harmonization, and bureaucratization). And I fear it is heading further in...

European Fiscal Policy Week, Part IV: Bad U.K. Monetary Policy Leads to Bad U.K. Fiscal Policy

by Dan Mitchell | Oct 27, 2022 | Blogs, Europe

I was excited about the possibility of pro-growth tax policy during the short-lived reign of Liz Truss as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. However, I’m now pessimistic about the nation’s outlook. Truss was forced to resign...

European Fiscal Policy Week, Part III: A Continent-Wide Spending Problem

by Dan Mitchell | Oct 26, 2022 | Big Government, Blogs, Europe, Government Spending, Taxation

I discussed Italy’s looming fiscal crisis on Monday and then argued against a potential bailout on Tuesday. Today, let’s focus on the rest of Europe. I gave a presentation yesterday in Brussels about “Public Finances in the Eurozone” and used the...

European Fiscal Policy Week, Part II: The Right Response to Italy’s Fiscal Crisis

by Dan Mitchell | Oct 25, 2022 | Big Government, Blogs, Europe, Government Spending

I wrote yesterday to speculate about a possible fiscal crisis in Italy. Today, here are my thoughts on why there should not be a bailout if/when a crisis occurs. I have moral objections to bailouts, but let’s focus in this column on the practical impact. And let’s...

European Fiscal Policy Week, Part I: Italy’s Looming Fiscal Crisis

by Dan Mitchell | Oct 24, 2022 | Blogs, Europe

I’m in Europe to give a couple of speeches about fiscal policy, so I’m going to spend all week commenting on the continent’s (mostly miserable) fiscal policy. Let’s start with comments about Italy, the nation most likely to suffer a crisis. Normally, I tell...