By Daniel J. Mitchell
Over the years, I’ve strenuously objected to schemes that would enable international bureaucracies to levy taxes. That’s why I’ve criticized “direct funding” proposals, most of which seem to emanate from the United Nations. A scheme to let the United Nations tax services such as air travel. A proposal, pushed by George Soros and other statists, [...]
Should International Bureaucracies Get Taxing Powers or Direct Funding? is a post from Cato @ Liberty – Cato Institute Blog
No Comments »
By Daniel J. Mitchell
I wrote last year about a tax protest in Ireland, and I wrote earlier this year about a tax revolt in Greece. But Irish and Greek taxpayers are wimps compared to their Italian compatriots. When Italians decide to have a tax revolt, they don’t kid around. Here are some remarkable details from the UK-based Telegraph. [...]
Revolt of the Italian Tax Slaves is a post from Cato @ Liberty – Cato Institute Blog
No Comments »
By Michael F. Cannon
My French is rusty, but I’m pretty sure the Fresh Prince just flipped out at the idea of a 75-percent marginal tax rate like that advocated by France’s new socialist president. Will Smith: Socialists Just Don’t Understand is a post from Cato @ Liberty – Cato Institute Blog
Will Smith: Socialists Just Don’t Understand is a post from Cato @ Liberty – Cato Institute Blog
No Comments »
By Daniel J. Mitchell
With both France and Greece deciding to jump out of the left-wing frying pan into the even-more-left-wing fire, European fiscal policy has become quite a controversial topic. But I find this debate and discussion rather tedious and unrewarding, largely because it pits advocates of Keynesian spending (the so-called “growth” camp) against supporters of higher taxes [...]
Paul Krugman and the European Austerity Myth is a post from Cato @ Liberty – Cato Institute Blog
No Comments »
By Daniel J. Mitchell
President Obama imposed a big-spending faux stimulus program on the economy back in 2009, claiming that the government needed to squander about $800 billion to keep the unemployment rate from rising above 8 percent. How did that work out? One possible description is that the so-called stimulus became a festering pile of manure. About three [...]
Portuguese Finance Minister Admits Keynesian Stimulus Was a Flop is a post from Cato @ Liberty – Cato Institute Blog
No Comments »
By Michael F. Cannon
(This blog post first appeared at Cato@Liberty following the release of the 2006 Medicare and Social Security trustees’ reports. I repost it, with updated links and “exhaustion dates” because sadly nothing else has changed.) Sometimes, Governments Lie Year after year, federal officials speak of the Social Security and Medicare trust funds as if they were [...]
Sometimes, Governments Lie (6th Anniversary Ed.) is a post from Cato @ Liberty – Cato Institute Blog
No Comments »
By Daniel J. Mitchell
The Laffer Curve is a graphical representation of the relationship between tax rates, tax revenue, and taxable income. It is frequently cited by people who want to explain the common-sense notion that punitive tax rates may not generate much additional revenue if people respond in ways that result in less taxable income. Unfortunately, some people [...]
The Laffer Curve Shows that Tax Increases Are a Very Bad Idea – even if They Generate More Tax Revenue is a post from Cato @ Liberty – Cato Institute Blog
No Comments »
By Daniel J. Mitchell
Actually, Bill Clinton must be something even worse than a social Darwinist. That’s because the title of this post is wrong. Obama said that Paul Ryan’s plan (which allows spending to grow by an average of 3.1 percent per year over the next decade) is a form of “social Darwinism.” But the proposal from the [...]
President Obama Accuses Bill Clinton of ‘Thinly Veiled Social Darwinism’ is a post from Cato @ Liberty – Cato Institute Blog
No Comments »
By Michael F. Cannon
Cato has now posted my remarks from last week’s “Obamacare in the Supreme Court” conference: The full conference will be available here soon. ObamaCare Supporters, Be Warned: This May Sting a Little is a post from Cato @ Liberty – Cato Institute Blog
ObamaCare Supporters, Be Warned: This May Sting a Little is a post from Cato @ Liberty – Cato Institute Blog
No Comments »
By Michael F. Cannon
My latest podcast, “IPAB: ObamaCare’s Next Constitutional Hurdle.” Podcast: ObamaCare’s Most Unconstitutional Provision Isn’t the Mandate. It’s IPAB. is a post from Cato @ Liberty – Cato Institute Blog
Podcast: ObamaCare’s Most Unconstitutional Provision Isn’t the Mandate. It’s IPAB. is a post from Cato @ Liberty – Cato Institute Blog
No Comments »