by Dan Mitchell | Dec 3, 2012 | Blogs, Economics, Taxation
Earlier this year, I explained that tax revenues would soon climb above their long-run average of 18 percent of GDP, even if the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts were made permanent. In other words, the nation’s fiscal challenge is entirely the result of a rising burden of...
by Dan Mitchell | Dec 1, 2012 | Big Government, Blogs, Economics, Government Spending, Taxation
If done well, an image can say a thousand words. The Heritage Foundation shows us what Obama has in mind when he talks about a “balanced” plan. This chart, while horrifying and visually powerful, actually understates the case against Obama. The President is not...
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...
by Dan Mitchell | Nov 25, 2012 | Blogs, Economics, Tax Harmonization, Taxation
As a taxpayer, I’m not a big fan of international bureaucracies. They consume a lot of money, pay themselves extravagant (and tax-free!) salaries, and generally promote statist policies. The Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development is a prime...
by Dan Mitchell | Nov 24, 2012 | Blogs, Economics, Tax Competition, Taxation
Several months ago, I wrote a rather wonky post explaining that the western world became rich in large part because of jurisdictional competition. Citing historians, philosophers, economists, and other great thinkers, I explained that the rivalry made possible by...
