Back in 2012, I shared a sadly amusing image about how the modern political process has degenerated into two wolves and a sheep voting what to have for lunch. I was making an argument in that column against majoritarianism (and that is a critical issue, as explained in this video), but there’s also a very important moral component […]

I wrote a few weeks ago about the hidden economic damage of Obamacare, particularly the harm to the job market. Today, let’s get further depressed by looking at the ever-worsening fiscal damage of the law. Here’s some of what Chuck Blahous of Mercatus wrote about this costly new entitlement. The ACA was enacted in 2010 with the promise of […]

I’ve shared lots of data and evidence about the harmful economic impact of government spending. Simply stated, budgetary outlays divert resources from more productive uses.And this results in labor and capital being misallocated, leading to less economic output. The damage is even more pronounced when you look at how politicians finance the budget. Whether they use taxes or borrowing (or even printing […]

Over the past several years, I’ve repeatedly argued that you get more unemployment when the government pays people to be unemployed. But I’m not just relying on theory. I’ve cited both anecdotes and empirical research to bolster my case. You won’t be surprised to learn that many politicians have a different perspective. They say it is compassionate to provide unemployment insurance […]

The worst part of the tax code is something most Americans have likely never heard of.

Since we’re enjoying a long holiday weekend to celebrate the 4th of July, let’s take a moment to ponder patriotism. I’ve always been inspired (in more ways than one) by this t-shirt. My patriotism is for American principles, not the federal government. Indeed, I’m very proud that a Clinton Administration official once accused me of being unpatriotic for […]

We’re going to touch on two topics today. I realize that not that many readers care about Greek economic policy, but sometimes other nations can teach us very important lessons. For better orworse. And in the case of Greece, the lesson is that government intervention and bureaucracy is an enemy of entrepreneurship. Probably the most amazing – […]

The internal revenue service has allowed itself to become a tool of the White House. To be more specific, bureaucrats at the tax-collection agency sought to undermine a free and fair political process by stifling political speech. And now the IRS is lying about its activities and trying to cover its tracks. This should be deeply horrifying to all […]