by Dan Mitchell | Jul 23, 2020 | Big Government, Blogs, Welfare and Entitlements
There are many reasons to be depressed about Italy. Bad policy is part of the problem, of course, but this chart shows that the country also is facing a demographic crisis. The blue lines show that there are now more deaths than births. The chart comes from...
by Dan Mitchell | Jul 1, 2020 | Big Government, Blogs, Welfare and Entitlements
Before our depressing discussion today about the fiscal impact of entitlement programs (Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, EITC, Food Stamps, welfare, and Obamacare, etc), here’s a video of how it all began. I think this is a great introduction to the issue,...
by Dan Mitchell | Jun 4, 2020 | Big Government, Blogs, Taxation, Welfare and Entitlements
Back in 2016, I shared an image that showed how the welfare state punishes both the poor and rich. Rich people are hurt for the obvious reason. They get hit with the highest statutory tax rates, and also bear the brunt of the double taxation (the extra layers of tax...
by Dan Mitchell | Feb 3, 2020 | Big Government, Blogs, Taxation, Welfare and Entitlements
Assuming he was able to impose his policy agenda, I think Bernie Sanders – at best – would turn America into Greece. In more pessimistic moments, I fear he would turn the U.S. into Venezuela. The Vermont Senator and his supporters say that’s wrong and that the real...
by Dan Mitchell | Jan 12, 2020 | Big Government, Blogs, Taxation, Welfare and Entitlements
As part of my collection of honest leftists, I have a bunch of columns highlighting how some advocates of big government (including, to their credit, Bernie Sanders and Andrew Yang) don’t hide from reality. I’m unalterably opposed to their policies, but at least they...
