by Dan Mitchell | Apr 26, 2017 | Big Government, Blogs, Economics, Government Spending, Taxation
I want tax cuts. I support tax cuts. I relish tax cuts. I like tax cuts because I’m a curmudgeonly libertarian and I think people should have the first claim on the money they earn. I like tax cuts because I’m an economist and we’ll get more growth if penalties on...
by Dan Mitchell | Apr 25, 2017 | Big Government, Blogs, Government Spending
I’m normally a big fan of shutting down the government and I’ve tried to convince timid lawmakers that shutdown fights can be worthwhile. I wrote a day-by-day analysis of new reports during the big shutdown fight that took place in the Clinton years and showed that...
by Dan Mitchell | Apr 19, 2017 | Blogs, Taxation
Fundamental tax reform such as a flat tax should accomplish three big goals. Lower tax rates in order to encourage more productive behavior. Get rid of double taxation in order to enable saving and investment. End distorting preferences in order to reduce economically...
by Dan Mitchell | Apr 18, 2017 | Blogs, Economics, Taxation
My crusade against the border-adjustable tax (BAT) continues. In a column co-authored with Veronique de Rugy of Mercatus, I explain in the Wall Street Journal why Republicans should drop this prospective source of new tax revenue. …this should be an opportune time for...
by Dan Mitchell | Apr 4, 2017 | Blogs, Tax Competition, Taxation
The good news is that the House put together an Obamacare-repeal bill that reduced the fiscal burden of government. The bad news is that the legislation didn’t address the regulations and interventions that produce rising costs and sectoral inefficiency because of the...