by Dan Mitchell | Jan 24, 2012 | Blogs, Capital Gains, Taxation
Last night’s GOP debate did nothing to change my sour opinion of Mitt Romney. During a discussion about tax reform, he attacked Newt Gingrich for the supposed crime of not wanting to double tax capital gains. Here’s how Politico reported the exchange. Newt Gingrich...
by Dan Mitchell | Dec 11, 2011 | Blogs, Taxation
Since the Clinton Administration turned out to be much more market-oriented than either his GOP predecessor or successor, this isn’t quite a man-bites-dog story. Nonetheless, it is still noteworthy that Elaine Kamarck, a high-level official from the Clinton White...
by Dan Mitchell | Dec 1, 2011 | Blogs, Capital Gains, Economics, Taxation
Back in September, I posted a flowchart showing how the current tax system is biased against saving and investment. Simply stated, the federal government largely leaves you unmolested if you consume your after-tax income, but there are as many as four extra layers of...
by Dan Mitchell | Oct 25, 2011 | Blogs, Capital Gains, Taxation
Governor Rick Perry of Texas has announced a plan, which he outlines in today’s Wall Street Journal, to replace the corrupt and inefficient internal revenue code with a flat tax. Let’s review his proposal, using the principles of good tax policy as a benchmark. 1....
by Dan Mitchell | Sep 26, 2011 | Blogs, Capital Gains, Economics, Taxation
Whether I’m criticizing Warren Buffett’s innumeracy or explaining how to identify illegitimate loopholes, I frequently write about the perverse impact of double taxation. By this, I mean the tendency of politicians to impose multiple layers of taxation on income that...
