We have some very encouraging polling data from CBS News. The American people prefer spending cuts over tax increases by a margin of more than 8-1. Americans strongly prefer cutting spending to raising taxes to reduce the federal deficit. While 77 percent prefer to…
Daily Analysis
You Be the Judge: Which Example of Tax Collectors Running Amok Is Worse?
You readers have been presented with a series of challenging quizzes on topics such as Sharia law, healthcare, incest, and vigilante justice. Let’s now shift to the world of taxation. We all know governments routinely make life hard for taxpayers. The IRS, for…
Gun Control and the Tuscon Shootings
While some on the left were utterly contemptible in their efforts to blame the Tuscon shootings on anything or anyone other than the nut who pulled the trigger, it is perfectly legitimate for them to claim that the tragedy is a reason to impose gun control are erode…
Emperor Rompuy Complains that “Bond Vigilantes” Don’t Appreciate Euro Clothes
I’ve already poked fun at Herman Van Rompuy, the nondescript über-bureaucrat who has risen to the non-elected post of European Council President. I’ve mocked Rompuy’s attempts to compete with other European politicians, and I encourage everyone to have a good laugh at…
Texas, California, and the Tale of the Coyote
I’ve already had a couple of blog posts commenting on how Texas is kicking California’s you-know-what. Being a fiscal policy person, I always point to California’s punitive state income tax as an example of bad policy and highlight the absence of any income tax in…
Walter Williams Is Skeptical about the House GOP Pledge to Obey the Constitution
Walter Williams has a column about the House GOP’s commitment to make sure legislation is consistent with the Constitution. As with most things he writes, it is very much worth reading. Walter starts by explaining what Boehner and the rest of the Republicans have…
Disastrous U.K. Tax Hike Unleashes a Steroid-Pumped Version of the Laffer Curve
The Laffer Curve is one of my favorite issues (see here, here, here, here, here, etc). But it is a very frustrating topic. Half my time is spent trying to convince left-leaning people that the Laffer Curve exists. I use common-sense explanations. I cite historical…
What Thanksgiving Will Be Like after Six More Years of Obama (Followed by Four Years of Bloomberg)
“Winston, come into the dining room, it’s time to eat,” Julia yelled to her husband. “In a minute, Honey, it’s a tie score,” he answered, stalling for time. Actually Winston wasn’t very interested in the traditional holiday football game between Detroit and…
America Falls to 9th Place in Index of Economic Freedom Ranking
I prefer the Fraser Institute’s Economic Freedom of the World over the Heritage/WSJ Index of Economic Freedom, not because I’m an expert on the methodology of the two publications, but for the simple reason that I assume Economic Freedom of the World must be slightly…
Animal House, John Galt, the Laffer Curve, and the Race to Commit Fiscal Suicide in Illinois
There is a very bizarre race happening in Illinois. The Governor and the leaders of the State Senate and General Assembly are trying to figure out how to ram through a massive tax increase, but they’re trying to make it happen before new state lawmakers take office…