by Dan Mitchell | Mar 11, 2012 | Big Government, Blogs, Health Care, Welfare and Entitlements
I like to think people in the United States still believe in liberty, and I’ve cited some polling data in support of American Exceptionalism. And it seems like that philosophical belief in individualism and limited government sometimes has an impact in the polling...
by Dan Mitchell | Jan 22, 2012 | Big Government, Blogs, Government Spending, Welfare and Entitlements
I’ve written a couple of times about the Food Stamp program, citing ridiculous examples of waste, fraud, and abuse. These include: Using food stamps to buy luxury coffee at Starbucks. Buying steaks and lobster with food stamps. The Obama Administration rewarding...
by Dan Mitchell | Jan 16, 2012 | Big Government, Blogs, Europe, Government Spending, Taxation, VAT
In a recent column for the Wall Street Journal, I explained why Mitt Romney’s interest in a value-added tax is deeply troubling. One of my key points was that the VAT is a money machine for big government. But don’t believe me. Look at Japan, where the politicians see...
by Dan Mitchell | Jan 6, 2012 | Big Government, Blogs, Government Spending, Welfare and Entitlements
As I explained in this set of videos, we desperately need to reform entitlement programs. But not in the wrong way, with price fixing and means testing. Good reform means personal retirement accounts for Social Security. It means vouchers for Medicare. And it...
by Dan Mitchell | Dec 23, 2011 | Big Government, Blogs, Government Spending, Government Waste, Welfare and Entitlements
I’ve commented many times about wasteful government spending, including Social Security bureaucrats spending $700 thousand to party at a luxury resort, HUD bureaucrats giving huge subsidies for welfare recipients to live in upscale neighborhoods, rampant fraud in the...
