America, France, and the Free Market for 11/30/2023
It's fashionable to claim that the free-market ideas of Nobel-laureate economist Milton Friedman have failed the country, and that it's time for new policies. Campaigning in 2020, Joe Biden declared...
View ArticleWhat Should Happen When Fuel-Efficient Vehicles Take Over the Roads for...
The government has a dilemma: It's pushing hard for fuel-efficient vehicles, but gas taxes pay for roads. There's an obvious fix, but are Americans ready for it?Granted, tax credits, subsidies and...
View ArticleCongress Will Need a New Idea in 2024. Will It Choose a Good One? for 12/14/2023
With U.S. government revenues rising, 2023 might have been a good year to get America's post-COVID-19 finances on track, but the budget deficit is still growing. You can thank overspending for this....
View ArticleCongress, Here Are Two Bipartisan Gift Ideas for Our Children for 12/21/2023
As the festive season approaches, with its twinkling lights and merry carols, the item topping my Christmas wish list is fiscal responsibility from Congress and the administration. If this sounds like...
View ArticleThree Economic Myths to Put To Rest This Year for 01/04/2024
As a new year dawns, it's customary to reflect on the past and set resolutions for the future. This year, let's resolve to greet three widespread claims with healthy doses of skepticism.The first...
View ArticlePopulist Politicians Aren't So Divided on Economic Issues, and That's Bad...
The political landscape is often portrayed as deeply polarized. The two sides, it is said, can't agree on anything. Even worse, if one side supports a position, that's reason enough for the other to...
View ArticleCandidates: Don't Let Interest Costs Derail Your Presidential Plans for...
Remember when Republicans on the campaign trail would talk about how they would make sure to put the U.S. on a fiscally sane path? I miss that time. While a few of the current crop have paid lip...
View ArticleEmbracing Economic Freedom: Lessons from Javier Milei's World Economic Forum...
In a thrilling address at the World Economic Forum, Javier Milei, President of Argentina, presented a robust defense of capitalism and a critical examination of all forms of collectivism. His speech,...
View ArticleWhy Keep Worrying About Debt? Speculation Versus Reality for 02/01/2024
Over the years, I've offered many explanations about why the trajectory of the national debt is deeply troubling. At this point, though, my worry isn't rooted in a dogmatic adherence to the principles...
View ArticleThe CFPB Is Putting Our Banking Arrangements at Risk for 02/08/2024
Nobody likes paying fees. A fee, however, is a transparent way to reflect the price of something. And in a market economy, prices convey vital information that consumers and producers use to make good...
View ArticleBiden's Super Bowl Shrinkflation Blame Game for 02/15/2024
President Joe Biden wants to remind you that your Super Bowl party was more expensive than it used to be. The reason, he claims, is corporate greed and "shrinkflation." In a social media video before...
View ArticleIs Another Child Tax Credit Expansion Really the Best Way To Help Families?...
In the well-intentioned rush to support American families by expanding the Child Tax Credit (CTC), critical questions are often ignored: Aren't we already doing enough, and is this the best way to...
View ArticleNostalgia Versus Numbers: Challenging America's Economic Pessimism for...
America is celebrated for its economic dynamism and ample and generously paid employment opportunities. It's a nation that attracts immigrants from around the world. Yet Americans are bummed, and have...
View ArticleA New Fiscal Commission Must Heed the Lesson of '97 for 03/07/2024
The Republican chairman of the House Budget Committee made news recently by announcing that if his party is serious about changing the fiscal path we are on, they'll have to consider raising taxes....
View ArticleBiden's Corporate Tax Hike: Populism Versus Economic Literacy for 03/14/2024
In the latest volley of policy proposals that seem more rooted in populist rhetoric than economic knowledge, President Joe Biden's budget plan to hike the corporate income tax rate from 21% to 28%...
View ArticleUS Steel-Nippon Steel: A Global Deal for American Prosperity for 03/21/2024
The Pennsylvania-based U.S. Steel company recently agreed to be purchased by the Tokyo-headquartered publicly traded company Nippon Steel. This deal makes sense to economists. It will encourage other...
View ArticleAmericans Can Tell the Difference Between Rosy Economic Data and Reality for...
The economy is growing, unemployment is low, wages are up, and inflation is down. However, the American people remain grumpy about the state of the economy. This puzzle was just investigated by four...
View ArticleWashington's 'Job Creation' Circus Is Hitting the Road for 04/04/2024
In the grand circus of politics, where elephants and donkeys alike perform under the big top, there's one act that never fails to draw a crowd: the venerable "job creation" routine. Putting people back...
View ArticleAmerica's Fiscal Ethos: From Alexander Hamilton's Day to Our Own for 04/11/2024
Washington Post columnist Megan McArdle recently wrote that the best argument made in favor of limiting the size of the stimulus during the Great Recession — part of a larger conversation about...
View ArticleTax Time Myths and Truths for 04/18/2024
Another Tax Day has come and gone, and most Americans believe they pay too much. One recent poll revealed that 56% say they pay more than their fair share. Unfortunately, I fear this is just the...
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