by Dan Mitchell | Jan 25, 2013 | Big Government, Blogs, Economics, Welfare and Entitlements
If you don’t want to be depressed, you should stop reading right now. You probably know that we’ve been suffering because of a rising burden of government spending. And you probably understand that much of the problem is the relentless growth of redistribution and...
by Dan Mitchell | Jan 20, 2013 | Big Government, Blogs, Government Spending, Welfare and Entitlements
This is a tough question. I obviously want comprehensive reform of all entitlement programs, so selecting just one is a bit of a challenge. Sort of like being asked to pick your favorite kid. Would I reform Social Security? That’s a logical choice. It’s the biggest...
by Dan Mitchell | Jan 6, 2013 | Big Government, Blogs, Tax Competition, Taxation, Welfare and Entitlements
Three years ago, I put together a “Moocher Index” that measured the degree to which non-poor people in a state were benefiting from redistribution programs. As you can see if you click on the nearby table, Vermont was the worst state, followed by Mississippi, Maine,...
by Dan Mitchell | Dec 11, 2012 | Big Government, Blogs
I’ve written and pontificated about the problem of government-created dependency and how the welfare state traps people in poverty. I also shared this dramatic chart showing how redistribution programs create shockingly high implicit marginal tax rates for those with...
by Dan Mitchell | Nov 29, 2012 | Blogs, Economics
It’s not something I should admit since I work at a think tank, which is based on the idea that substantive analysis can impact public policy, but I sometimes think humor and anecdotes are very effective in helping people understand issues. On the topic of...
