by Dan Mitchell | Sep 18, 2018 | Blogs, Taxation
Assuming elected officials care about the consequences of their actions, the obvious answer to a question isn’t always the right answer. Q: Why should a (sensible) politician oppose the minimum wage, especially since some workers will get a pay hike? A: Because the...
by Dan Mitchell | Sep 12, 2018 | Blogs, Economics, Taxation
If the goal is higher living standards, then higher levels of productivity are necessary. And that requires entrepreneurship and innovation. But bad tax policy can be an obstacle to the economic choices that create a better future. I’ve already shared lots of...
by Dan Mitchell | Sep 8, 2018 | Blogs, Taxation, VAT
The value-added tax was first imposed in Europe starting about 50 years ago. Politicians in nations like France approve of this tax because it is generally hidden, so it is relatively easy to periodically raise the rate. And that’s the reason I am vociferously opposed...
by Dan Mitchell | Aug 27, 2018 | Blogs, Economics, Supply Side, Taxation
When I write about the economics of fiscal policy and need to give people an easy-to-understand explanation on how government spending affects growth, I share my four-part video series. But. other than a much-too-short primer on growth and taxation from 2016, I don’t...
by Dan Mitchell | Aug 18, 2018 | Blogs, Taxation, Trade
There’s an ongoing debate about Trump’s endgame on trade. Is he simply a crude protectionist, or is he disrupting the status quo in order to force other nations to reduce their protectionist barriers? I hope it’s the latter, though I fear it’s the former. But one...
