Both President Reagan and President Obama had to deal with serious economic dislocation upon taking office. But they used radically different approaches to deal with the problems they inherited. Reagan sought to reduce the burden of government, whereas Obama viewed…
Daily Analysis
Why Do Rich Left-Wingers Support Class-Warfare Taxes?
Why do some people instinctively despise wealth and want to tear down those who are successful? This question has been percolating in my mind because I am in Monaco to speak to the IXth international conference of the Convention of Independent Financial Advisors. This…
The Long-Awaited Second Installment of the Hayek v Keynes Rap Video
The first entry in this series was an Internet sensation. Now you can enjoy Part II.
There’s a Right to Government-Subsidized Pornography?
Like all sensible libertarian-minded people, I don’t think the government should be regulating pornography. There are obvious exceptions for things like child porn, of course, and I’d even throw animal cruelty into the mix of things that can be banned. But leave…
New York Leads the List of the Five Biggest Moocher States…and Utah Tops the List of the Five Most Self-Reliant States
I may have to stop being a New York Yankees fan. The state of my birth is a national embarrassment. People in the Empire State are national champions in the contest to rip off their fellow citizens according to analysis from USA Today. West Virginia, however, is the…
White House to Propose 26 Percent Corporate Tax Rate?!? Look Before You Leap
According to an article in the New York Times, the Obama Administration is seriously examining a proposal to reduce America’s anti-competitive 35 percent corporate tax rate. The Obama administration is preparing to inject an unpredictable new variable into its…
Tax Increases Are Political Poison for the GOP
Republicans are fighting about taxes. But they’re fighting with each other, not Democrats. I’ve already written about this topic once, but the issue has become more heated, and the stakes have become much larger. And this time I’m going to focus on the political…
A Semi-Unfair Look at What Happens When Policymakers Listen to Paul Krugman
I periodically get emails and phone calls from people wanting me to respond to particular statements from politicians, columnists, and other high-profile figures. Not surprisingly, Paul Krugman occasionally is the subject of these communications, particularly with…
Senator Rubio, Representative Posey, and other Lawmakers Fighting to Stop IRS Proposal that Would Drive Investment from U.S. Economy
There hasn’t been much good economic news in recent years, but one bright spot for the economy is that the United States is a haven for foreign investors and this has helped attract more than $10 trillion to American capital markets according to Commerce Department…
Bad News for Barack Obama, Tom Friedman, and other Statists Who Want to Use Taxpayer Money to Play with Trains
It’s not too surprising to learn that spending money on “high-speed” rail is foolish. And it’s hardly a revelation to learn that politicians over-promise and under-deliver when they push through these boondoggles. My Cato colleague, Randall O’Toole, has written…