The “good government” crowd tells us that voting is a “civic duty.” When I hear that type of nonsense, it makes me want to deliberately stay home. But I did actually vote today, in part to avoid lines on Tuesday and in part because I leave that morning for a speech in…
Daily Analysis
Is the FAIR Tax a Political Liability?
In the past 15 years, I’ve debated in favor of a national sales tax, testified before Congress on the merits of a national sales tax, gone on TV to advocate for the national sales tax, and spoken with dozens of reporters to explain why the national sales tax is a good…
Why Have Money Laundering Laws if They Impose High Costs and Yield No Benefits?
It was only a few decades ago that there was no such thing as money-laundering laws. Instead, the focus of law enforcement was on the underlying criminal behavior (such as robbery) that generated ill-gotten gains. In recent decades, however, politicians around the…
Boehner Endorses More Medicare Spending: Meet the New Boss, Same as the Old Boss?
While flipping through the radio on my way to pick my son up from school yesterday afternoon, I was dumbfounded to hear Congressman John Boehner talk about repealing Obama’s Medicare cuts on Sean Hannity’s show. I wasn’t shocked that Boehner was referring to…
White House TARP Lies Add Insult to Injury
I commented on the Obama Administration’s TARP dishonesty yesterday, which made me feel better, but it was even more cathartic to vent on national TV about the corruption, dishonesty, and economic damage associated with the Wall Street bailout.
Nine Key Ballot Initiatives to Watch
While everyone is focused on whether Republicans will win control of the House and/or Senate, there are several issues that voters will directly decide that deserve close attention. Here are the nine initiatives that have caught my attention. I’m probably missing some…
What Gets You Most Upset about the TARP Bailout, the Lying, the Corruption, or the Economic Damage?
I’m an economist, so I should probably be most agitated about the economic consequences of TARP, such as moral hazard and capital malinvestment. But when I read stories about how political insiders (both in government and on Wall Street) manipulate the system for…
Taxpayers vs Bureaucrats: The Looters Fight Back
I’m not sure what to make of the Stewart/Colbert rally this weekend, but one of the sideshow events that definitely cries out for some verbal abuse is the “Government Doesn’t Suck” march that has been organized by overpaid federal bureaucrats. I wonder what signs…
Can a Weak Dollar Lead to a Strong Economy?
Two CNBC stories are linked on the Drudge Report this morning, and they both highlight the growing risk of the Fed’s easy-money policy. The first story discusses whether the dollar will continue to depreciate. Since the “optimist” argument is based on global…
Can We Trade Obama for Castro?
I’m not serious , of course, but it is rather ironic that Raul Castro is cutting the tax burden on small business at the same time that Obama is pushing for higher tax rates on small business. Reuters reports on the latest in supply-side communism. Cuba unveiled on…