by Dan Mitchell | Mar 12, 2014 | Big Government, Blogs, Economics, Government Spending, States, Taxation
When I first started working on fiscal policy in the 1980s, I never thought I would consider Sweden any sort of role model. It was the quintessential cradle-to-grave welfare state, much loved on the left as an example for America to follow. But Sweden suffered a...
by Dan Mitchell | Mar 9, 2014 | Big Government, Blogs, Economics, Government Spending
It’s sometimes difficult to make fun of Keynesian economics. But this isn’t because Keynesian theory is airtight. It’s easy, after all, to mock a school of thought that is predicated on the notion that you can make yourself richer by taking money from your right...
by Dan Mitchell | Mar 8, 2014 | Big Government, Blogs, Economics, Government Spending
In recent weeks, I’ve pontificated on Obama’s spendthrift budget, Congressman Dave Camp’s timid tax reform plan, and the corrupt cronyism of Washington. I got to elaborate on all these topics – and more – in this interview with Professor Glenn Reynolds, more widely...
by Dan Mitchell | Mar 6, 2014 | Big Government, Blogs, Economics, Government Spending
Germany isn’t exactly a fiscal role model. Tax rates are too onerous and government spending consumes about 44 percent of economic output. That’s even higher than it is in the United States, where politicians at the federal, state, and local levels divert about...
by Dan Mitchell | Mar 4, 2014 | Big Government, Blogs, Government Spending, Government Waste
The President’s new budget has been unveiled. There are lots of provisions that deserve detailed attention, but I always look first at the overall trends. Most specifically, I want to see what’s happening with the burden of government spending. And you probably won’t...
