by Dan Mitchell | Nov 24, 2016 | Big Government, Blogs, Economics, Welfare and Entitlements
What’s the fundamental problem with redistributionist economic policy? As a libertarian, I would answer with a philosophical argument against coercion. I think it is immoral for vote-seeking politicians, using the threat of imprisonment, to rob Peter to subsidize...
by Dan Mitchell | May 2, 2016 | Blogs, Economics
I’ve previously argued that private property rights are a vital component of a pro-environment agenda. Interestingly, the Washington Post sort of agrees. At least with regards to fisheries. In a recent editorial, it acknowledged that the current communal system...
by Dan Mitchell | Aug 25, 2015 | Big Government, Blogs, Economics, Regulations
This century has not been good news for economic liberty in the United States. According to Economic Freedom of the World, America has dropped from being the 3rd-freest economy of the world in 2001 to the 12th-freest economy in themost recent rankings. Perhaps more...
by Dan Mitchell | May 15, 2014 | Big Government, Blogs, Crime, Society
Since I’m a public finance economist, I realize I’m supposed to focus on big-picture issues such as tax reform and entitlement reform. And I do beat those issues to death, so I obviously care about controlling the size and power of government. But I like to think I’m...
by Dan Mitchell | Mar 19, 2014 | Big Government, Blogs, Regulations
Two years ago, I shared a video about the Environmental Protection Agency’s brutal and thuggish tactics against an Idaho family. That story had a very happy ending because the Supreme Court struck a blow for property rights and unanimously ruled against the EPA (too...
