Some people thought I was being unfair when I referred to the budget deal as a kiss-your-sister agreement. But as more information is revealed, it looks like the GOP got the short end of the stick – largely because they were afraid of a government shutdown (even…
Daily Analysis
Obama’s Tax Increase Trigger: Punishing Taxpayers with Automatic Tax Hikes When Politicians Overspend
Responding to widespread criticism of his AWOL status on the budget fight, President Obama today unveiled a fiscal plan. It already is being criticized for its class warfare approach to tax policy, but the most disturbing feature may be a provision that punishes the…
America’s Fiscal Future and the Battle for the GOP’s Soul
Thanks to demographics and ill-conceived entitlement programs, America is on a path to becoming a bankrupt European-style welfare state. We know how to fix this problem, but whether we make the necessary reforms depends on the heart and soul of the GOP. Are…
An Amusing Look at Whether Obama Is Backing Away from Gun Control
Maybe Obama’s not so bad on Second Amendment issues. His Administration has contracted with the folks at Ruger to produce a special pistol in honor of the government workforce. This new gun will be called “The Bureaucracy Special.” The only downside is that it doesn’t…
Happy Tax Freedom Day!
If you are an average American, today is a great day. According to the Tax Foundation, you have finally worked long enough and earned enough money to satisfy the annual tax demands of federal, state, and local governments. This means you now get to keep any additional…
This Must Be Part of Obama’s Drive for Government Efficiency
The Department of Housing and Urban Development is trying hard to win the “Bureaucracy of the Year Award,” and they have a new motto. But I think the bureaucrats at HUD are cheating. I’m almost sure I saw one of these signs during my last visit to the DMV, though I…
Reckless IRS Regulation Would Put Foreign Tax Law over American Tax Law and Drive Investment out of the United States
I’m not a big fan of the IRS, but usually I blame politicians for America’s corrupt, unfair, and punitive tax system. Sometimes, though, the tax bureaucrats run amok and earn their reputation as America’s most despised bureaucracy. Here’s an example. Earlier this…
Question for Truthers, Birthers, and other Conspiracy-Mongers: Why Assume Sinister Schemes When Corruption, Incompetence, Politics, Ideology, Greed, and Self-Interest Are Better Explanations?
When I was in college and first became active in politics and public policy, I periodically would meet people who warned about sinister conspiracies that had to be exposed and overcome. The most common villain, reviled by conspiracy theorists on the left and right,…
Obama Administration Printing Millions of Paper Coupons, Good for One Gallon of Gas, but Use Them Quickly
I’m not sure if this is an energy policy joke or a monetary policy joke, but it’s still worth sharing ——————————————————————————————————- The next time you decide to go on a trip or vacation, consider getting a bunch of these Gas Coupons. I didn’t realize it, but…
The Kiss-Your-Sister Budget Deal Is Finalized, but Claudia Schiffer Still Ain’t Your Sibling
There were reports about 10 days ago that the crowd in Washington reached a budget deal, for the remainder of the 2011 fiscal year, with $33 billion of cuts. That number was disappointingly low. I wrote at the time that if this was a kiss-your-sister deal, we didn’t…