by Dan Mitchell | Apr 14, 2015 | Blogs, Economics, Taxation
With so many Americans currently filled with anxiety about their annual tax forms, this is the time of year that many people wistfully dream about how nice it would be to have a simple and fair flat tax. Unfortunately, there are many obstacles to better tax policy....
by Dan Mitchell | Mar 31, 2015 | Blogs, Economics, Taxation, VAT
I warned just last week about the dangers of letting politicians impose a value-added tax. Simply stated, unless the 16th Amendment is repealed and replaced with a new provision forever barring the re-imposition of any taxes on income, a VAT inevitably would be a new...
by Dan Mitchell | Mar 24, 2015 | Big Government, Blogs, Economics, Taxation
With tax day fast approaching, it’s time to write about our good friends at the Internal Revenue Service. One of the new traditions at the IRS is an annual release of tax scams. It’s know as the “dirty dozen” list, and while it may exist mostly as a publicity stunt,...
by Dan Mitchell | Mar 4, 2015 | Blogs, Economics, Taxation
In my 2012 primer on fundamental tax reform, I explained that the three biggest warts in the current system. High tax rates that penalize productive behavior. Pervasive double taxation that discourages saving and investment. Corrupt loopholes and cronyism that bribe...
by Dan Mitchell | Feb 27, 2015 | Blogs, Economics, Taxation
On the issue of so-called progressive taxation, our left-wing friends have conflicting goals. Some of them want to maximize tax revenue in order to finance ever-bigger government. But others are much more motivated by a desire to punish success. They want high tax...
