I’m a supporter of a single-rate tax regime, especially if there’s no double taxation of income that is saved and invested. That’s why I like the flat tax. But I’ve expressed concern about the national sales tax, even though it’s basically the same as a flat tax (the only real difference is that the flat tax takes a bite […]

I’m frequently baffled at the stupidity of Republicans. When they took control of Congress back in 1994, for instance, they had unrestricted ability to get rid of the bureaucrats that generated bad economic analysis at both the Joint Committee on Taxation and the Congressional Budget Office. Yet notwithstanding more than a decade of congressional power, GOPers did almost nothing to neutralize the bureaucrats who […]

Greetings from Obamaland! Actually, that’s wrong in two respects. First, I’m actually in France. And even though I’ve joked that Obama wants to make America like France, technical accuracy requires me to admit that my real location is Paris, where I participated earlier today in the latest stop on the Free Market Road Show. Second, I used the “Obamaland” joke when […]

Congressman Paul Ryan, the Republican Chairman of the House Budget Committee, has unveiled the GOP’s latest budget plan. Is this proposal deserving of applause or criticism? The answer is yes and yes, with a bit of emphasis on the former. Let’s start with some depressing news. The Ryan budget has gotten weaker each year. Three years […]

Based on what’s happened in Greece and other European nations, we know from real-world evidence that even nations from the developed world can spendthemselves into debt trouble. This has led to research that seeks to pinpoint when debt reaches a dangerous level. Where’s the point where investors stop buying the debt? Where’s the point when interest on […]

Even though I’m personally a prude on the issue of drugs, that doesn’t stop me from opposing the Drug War, both for moral and practical reasons. After all, how can any sensible and decent person want laws that produce these outrageous results? The DEA trying to confiscate a commercial building because a tenant sold some marijuana. The government […]

As much as I condemn American politicians for bad policy, things could be worse. We could be Greek citizens, which would be very depressing. Indeed, you’ll understand why I put Obamaland in the title after you read today’s column. Simply stated, Greece is a cesspool of statism. The people seem to be wonderful (at least outside […]

I spoke yesterday to the Memphis Economics Club about America’s looming fiscal crisis, and I did my usual song-and-dance routine about potential Greek-style chaos in the absence of genuine entitlement reform. But I confess I was stumped when, after the speech, someone from the audience asked me what was going on with Obamacare. I can pontificate at […]

When you support limited government and individual freedom, you don’t enjoy many victories. Particularly if you’re relying on the U.S. Senate. But it occasionally happens. The Senate held firm and stopped Obama from getting a fiscal cliff tax hikeat the end of 2010. The Senate overwhelmingly voted against a VAT. The Senate unanimously rejected a Greek bailout. To be […]