Can You Guess the Jurisdiction that Is Ending Special Pension Advantages for Government Bureaucrats?

by Dan Mitchell | Dec 28, 2014 | Big Government, Blogs, Bureaucracy, Government Spending, Welfare and Entitlements

We have some good news to share. A government has just announced that it is going to end the unfair practice of giving government bureaucrats pension benefits that are far greater than those available for workers in the economy’s productive sector. Can you guess which...

The Economic Future of China and Hong Kong

by Dan Mitchell | Jul 23, 2014 | Blogs, Economics, Free Market

I’m currently in Asia, where I just finished a series of speeches about economic policy in China and Hong Kong. These two jurisdictions offer very powerful lessons about the importance of economic policy. Hong Kong is supposed to be Nirvana for libertarians. It holds...

Taiwan Is the Success Story, not China

by Dan Mitchell | May 4, 2014 | Big Government, Blogs, Government Spending

Which nation is richer, Belarus or Luxembourg? If you look at total economic output, you might be tempted to say Belarus. The GDP of Belarus, after all, is almost $72 billion while Luxembourg’s GDP is less than $60 billion. But that would be a preposterous answer...

China, Regulation, Wealth, and Chicken Wings

by Dan Mitchell | Mar 27, 2012 | Big Government, Blogs, Regulations

While I’m not oblivious to geopolitical concerns, I don’t worry about China becoming a more prosperous nation. Yes, more wealth could enable the nation’s dictators to finance some unwelcome aggression, but I mostly think higher living standards will create pressure...

When Obama Rejects Government Intervention and Says It Is Better to “Let the Market Work on Its Own,” You Need to Read the Fine Print

by Dan Mitchell | Mar 15, 2012 | Big Government, Blogs, Free Market, Regulations

Back in 2009, I got very excited when President Obama stated, “No business wants to invest in a place where the government skims 20 percent off the top.” Did that mean he wanted to reduce America’s punitive and anti-competitive corporate tax burden? Or maybe even fix...