The Laughable German Version of a Conservative

by Dan Mitchell | Sep 15, 2010 | Big Government, Blogs, Taxation

By choosing not to use the economic downturn as an excuse for more wasteful spending, Germany may have avoided Obama’s big mistake, but that does not mean German conservatives and Angela Merkel are supporters of economic liberty and individual freedom. Not even close....

Germany’s Wealthy Über Statists

by Dan Mitchell | Aug 15, 2010 | Big Government, Blogs, Welfare and Entitlements

It’s hard to believe that anybody would classify the Germans as a master race after reading this Spiegel article. Bill Gates and Warren Buffett have a nutty (but at least non-coercive) plan for rich people to give away a big share of their fortunes. The German...

Another Sad Example of Mitchell’s Law

by Dan Mitchell | Jul 26, 2010 | Blogs, Health Care, Regulations, Taxation

I’ve decided my one legacy to the world is the phrase, “Bad government policy begets more bad government policy.” This term, which I am modestly calling Mitchell’s Law, describes what happens when government intervention (Fannie and Freddie, for example, or Medicare...

I Don’t Think Merkel is the new Reagan, but I May Change My Mind if This is True

by Dan Mitchell | Jul 6, 2010 | Big Government, Blogs

I’ve been very dismissive of supposed European “austerity” initiatives, in part because the term seems to describe politicians who want tax-financed government spending rather than Keynesian-style deficit-financed government spending. But what really matters is...