by Dan Mitchell | Mar 26, 2014 | Blogs, Tax Competition, Taxation
Back in the 1980s and 1990s, there was a widespread consensus that high tax rates were economically misguided. Many Democrats, for instance, supported the 1986 Tax Reform Act that lowered the top tax rate from 50 percent to 28 percent (albeit offset by increased...
by Dan Mitchell | Mar 20, 2014 | Blogs, Economics, Flat Tax, Taxation
I generally get very suspicious when rich people start pontificating on tax policy. People like Warren Buffett, for instance, sometimes advocate higher taxes because they’re trying to curry favor with the political elite. Or maybe they feel compelled to say silly...
by Dan Mitchell | Feb 27, 2014 | Blogs, Economics, Taxation
To make fun of big efforts that produce small results, the famous Roman poet, Horace, wrote “The mountains will be in labor, and a ridiculous mouse will be brought forth.” That line sums up my view of the new tax reform plan introduced by Congressman Dave Camp,...
by Dan Mitchell | Feb 18, 2014 | Blogs, Economics, Taxation
The tax code is a complicated nightmare, particularly for businesses. Some people may think this is because of multiple tax rates, which definitely is an issue for all the non-corporate businesses that file “Schedule C” forms using the personal income tax. A...
by Dan Mitchell | Feb 16, 2014 | Blogs, Taxation
I’ll be first in line if there’s a contest over who thinks most strongly thatpoliticians are corrupt, or whether they can waste money in creative ways. But if somebody asserts that politicians are stupid, I’m going to argue on the other side. This isn’t because I’m a...