The official motto of the United States is “In God We Trust.” The official motto of Washington, DC, is “Justitia Omnibus,” which means “Justice for All.” These are nice statements, but they apply too broadly. We also should have a motto specifically for politicians….
Daily Analysis
Can Government Help Workers by Making Them More Expensive?
I wish there was a magic wand that somebody could wave and all of us would have more money. Or maybe Santa Claus could play that role, or some version of the Tooth Fairy. And if that magic person only had limited powers, I would want more money specifically for those…
Sweden, Spending Restraint, and the Benefits of Obeying Fiscal Policy’s Golden Rule
When I first started working on fiscal policy in the 1980s, I never thought I would consider Sweden any sort of role model. It was the quintessential cradle-to-grave welfare state, much loved on the left as an example for America to follow. But Sweden suffered a…
Whether You Call it Socialism, Statism, Fascism, or Corporatism, Big Government Is Evil and Destructive
Regular readers may have noticed that I generally say that advocates of big government are “statists.” I could call them “liberals,” but I don’t like that using that term since the early advocates of economic and personal liberty were “classical liberals” such as Adam…
The Best Way for Politicians to “Create” Jobs Is to…Get Out of the Way
The United States is supposed to be enjoying a recovery. Indeed, we’re now supposedly in the fifth year of an expanding economy. Many Americans must wonder why it doesn’t feel that way. In part, that’s because growth has been very anemic. Indeed, this is the weakest…
Making Fun of Keynesian Economics
It’s sometimes difficult to make fun of Keynesian economics. But this isn’t because Keynesian theory is airtight. It’s easy, after all, to mock a school of thought that is predicated on the notion that you can make yourself richer by taking money from your right…
Assessing President Obama’s Economic Agenda
In recent weeks, I’ve pontificated on Obama’s spendthrift budget, Congressman Dave Camp’s timid tax reform plan, and the corrupt cronyism of Washington. I got to elaborate on all these topics – and more – in this interview with Professor Glenn Reynolds, more widely…
Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall, Which Nations Maintain the Rule of Law Best of All?
If you look at measures (such as the Fraser Institute’s Economic Freedom of the World index) of what makes a nation competitive and prosperous, you’ll find some obvious variables such as fiscal policy, trade openness, regulatory burden, and monetary policy. But in…
A Fiscal Lesson from Germany
Germany isn’t exactly a fiscal role model. Tax rates are too onerous and government spending consumes about 44 percent of economic output. That’s even higher than it is in the United States, where politicians at the federal, state, and local levels divert about…
Funny Cartoon Video Mocks Obamacare
Obamacare may not be good news for taxpayers or consumers, but let’s look at the bright side. At least the law has generated some superb political humor, including funny videos. *The head of the National Socialist Workers Party finds out he can’t keep his health plan….