by Dan Mitchell | Sep 9, 2014 | Big Government, Blogs, Economics, Government Spending, Taxation, Welfare and Entitlements
I’m a pessimist about public policy for two simple reasons: 1) Seeking power and votes, elected officials generally can’t resist making short-sighted and politically motivated choices that expand the burden of government. 2) Voters are susceptible to bribery,...
by Dan Mitchell | Aug 25, 2014 | Big Government, Blogs, Europe, Taxation
Remember when Paul Krugman warned that there was a plot against France? He asserted that critics wanted to undermine the great success of France’s social model. I agreed with Krugman, at least in the limited sense that there is a plot against France. But I explained...
by Dan Mitchell | Aug 23, 2014 | Big Government, Blogs, Government Spending, Taxation
I’m in Australia for Consilium, an annual conference which is hosted by the Centre for Independent Studies. I spoke on fiscal policy and pontificated on the need for nations to restrain government spending. That’s an important message (at least in my humble option),...
by Dan Mitchell | Aug 21, 2014 | Blogs, Economics, Taxation
Some folks on the right in Washington, generally known as reformicons (short for reform conservatives), want the Republican Party to de-emphasize marginal tax rate reductions and instead focus on providing tax relief to parents. There are many leaders in this movement...
by Dan Mitchell | Aug 10, 2014 | Big Government, Blogs, Welfare and Entitlements
With all the controversy over the failed and costly Obamacare program, it’s understandable that other entitlements aren’t getting much attention. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t serious problems with Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security. Indeed, the...
