We have an amazing man-bites-dog story today. Let’s begin with some background information. A member of the European Commission recently warned that: “Tax increases imposed by the Socialist-led government in France have reached a “fatal level”…[and] that a series of…
Daily Analysis
It’s Amazingly Simple to Balance the Budget
I’m testifying tomorrow to the Joint Economic Committee about “The Economic Costs of Debt-Ceiling Brinkmanship.” I won’t give away what I’m going to say (though you can probably figure out my views rather easily by reading this, this and this), but I do want to share…
The Moral Bankruptcy of the U.K.’s Faux Conservative Government
As an advocate of small government, I’m often distressed that I sometimes have to rely on Republicans in Washington to fight statism. Why am I distressed? Because some of the worst people in Washington are GOPers. They may give lip service to fiscal responsibility…
Is It Time to Feel Sorry for the President and other Obamacare Supporters?
I’ve certainly offered more than my fair share of Obamacare criticism. Since I’m a public finance economist, I’m mostly concerned that the law increases the fiscal burden of government. But I’m also irked that Obamacare will worsen the third-party payer crisis, which…
Is the Left’s New Attack on Self Insurance an Example of Obamacare Sleaze and Corruption or an Example of Why Government-Run Healthcare Doesn’t Work?
I’ve written about how Obamacare is a costly boondoggle. I’ve written how it victimizes children, low-income workers, and retirees. And I’ve explained how it exacerbates the real problem in our healthcare system. I’ve even pointed out that there’s something good in…
Least Surprising News Flash Ever: Study Finds Bureaucrats Are Lazy
I’ve shared some remarkable data showing that bureaucrats get paid more than people in the private sector. I’ve also dug into the Department of Labor’s JOLTS data to debunk those who argue bureaucrats aren’t overpaid. I’ve even showed that they work fewer hours…
Will Regulators Kill Bitcoin?
Bitcoin, a digital cryptocurrency, is a potentially disruptive technology offering both social and economic gains. While the technology that has revolutionized peer-to-peer payments is growing in popularity, it is nevertheless vulnerable to being stamped out by…
Two Huge Victories in Colorado for the Second Amendment
Back in 2012, I reported on some academic research showing that Democrats lost about 25 seats in the 2010 mid-term elections because of support for Obamacare. But it’s not just big-government entitlement programs that are politically unpopular. Bill Clinton admitted…
The Inbred Corruption of Washington
At the risk of oversimplifying, there are two major challenges to overcome when you’re a pro-freedom policy wonk in Washington. The first challenge is getting people to connect the dots. They may understand that the job market is weak and they may understand that…
The Mexican Version of Obamanomics Won’t Work any Better than the American Version
Based on the dismal data from the Minneapolis Federal Reserve (as well as our own experiences), we know Obamanomics doesn’t work in the United States. But we also know bigger government doesn’t work in France. And we know it doesn’t work in Japan. We know it doesn’t…