When existing spending authority expires on March 4, the “non-essential” parts of the federal government will shut down unless Republicans and Democrats reach an agreement. This is causing lots of agitation in Washington, both by Democrats who don’t want the money…
Daily Analysis
One Chart that Tells You Everything You Need to Know about Whether State and Local Bureaucrats Are Over-Compensated
The showdown in Wisconsin has generated competing claims about whether state and local government bureaucrats are paid too much or paid too little compared to their private sector counterparts. The data on total compensation clearly show a big advantage for state and…
Let’s Listen to the French and Shrink Government
Actually, I better add an important qualifier to that title and instead say that we should listen to a specific Frenchwoman. My friend Veronique de Rugy recently testified before a House Committee and she completely kicked you-know-what.
Spending Restraint Works: Examples from Around the World
America faces a fiscal crisis. The burden of federal spending has doubled during the Bush-Obama years, a $2 trillion increase in just 10 years. But that’s just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Because of demographic changes and poorly designed entitlement programs,…
Compared to the Reagan Era, the Bush-Obama Years Have Been a Fiscal Nightmare
Since February is the 100th anniversary of Ronald Reagan’s birth and I still haven’t gotten over my man-crush on the Gipper, I figured it would be interesting to look at Reagan’s fiscal record, particularly to see whether he was successful in restraining the growth of…
How to Fix the Entitlement Problem
One of my presentations at CPAC addressed America’s long-term entitlement crisis. I was part of a panel organized by the National Taxpayers Union, and I discussed how to solve the long-run fiscal problems caused by Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. The lighting…
As Wisconsin Goes, so Goes the Nation
After dozens of posts about overpaid government employees, I’m sick of writing about the topic. But what’s happening in Wisconsin is critically important in the fight for long-run fiscal sanity, so I’m reluctantly wading back into this fight. Simply stated,…
Senator Toomey’s Legislation Would Protect Financial Markets During a Debt Limit Showdown
There will be several pivotal fiscal policy battles this year and the fight over the debt limit may be the most crucial. This is a “must-pass” piece of legislation, so it will be a rare opportunity for fiscal conservatives in the House to impose some much-needed…
Beware of Greeks Accepting Gifts
On rare occasions, I dream about being a politician or high-level international bureaucrat. Not because I want to be a moocher (please put me out of my misery if that ever happens), but because I periodically read about some sleazy interest group making petulant…
Obama’s Budget Means the Burden of Government Spending Will be $2 Trillion Higher in Ten Years
Fiscal policy wonks (like me, I’m forced to admit) sometimes miss the forest because we focus too much on individual trees. So while I think my posts on the spending and revenue sides of Obama’s new budget contained lots of useful information, I didn’t pay any…