Topic: Fiscal Policy

America’s Fiscal History: From Liberty to Paternalism

– September 23, 2021

“Once the ideology of collectivism replaces the political philosophy of individual freedom, free enterprise, impartial rule of law, and constitutionally limited government, the nation faces not only ultimate financial bankruptcy, but cultural and social collapse as well.” ~ Richard M. Ebeling

Authoritarianism, Fiscal Policy, Government

Biden’s Wrecking Ball for Financial Privacy

– September 22, 2021

“President Biden relishes condemning tax-dodging billionaires but that $600 reporting requirement is a signal that IRS purgatory could soon be crowded with average Americans.” ~ James Bovard

Crisis, Fiscal Policy, Government

Tax Increases Cannot Pay for the Democrats’ Reconciliation Bill

– September 19, 2021

“During the pandemic, Congress passed multiple trillion-dollar bills to help keep the economy afloat. With the economy recovering, America does not need another one.” ~ Travis Nix

Crisis, Fiscal Policy, Government

Spendthrift Uncle Sam No Longer Can Afford to Run the World

– September 16, 2021

“Washington should stop trying to run the world and concentrate on defending Americans. The U.S. would be safer- and save money in the process.” ~ Doug Bandow

Crisis, Fiscal Policy, Government

Political Rhetoric Hides the Reality of Peaceful Production vs. Plunder

– September 12, 2021

“Society is composed of one set of people who work and save and who produce and exchange, and another set of people who wish to politically acquire and consume what others have saved and produced.” ~ Richard M. Ebeling

Crisis, Fiscal Policy, Government

The SNAP Boost Will Make the Poor Appear Poorer

– August 26, 2021

“Dramatic mis-measures of income provide convenient cover for a never-ending story supporting expanded redistribution because so many policies that provide resources for the poor actually make them appear poorer in official data.” ~ Gary Galles

Economic Education, Fiscal Policy, History

The Real Cost of Public Debt Is Not a Dollar Amount; It’s Freedom

– August 4, 2021

“Liberty is not measurable in dollars; it is priceless. As such, we should argue against any infringement on liberty—in this case public debt—for that reason.” ~ Jonathan W. Plante

Economic Education, Fiscal Policy, Socialism

Infrastructure Bill as Political Plunder and Social Engineering

– August 3, 2021

“Joe Biden and the Congressional Democrats and Republicans consider it their political business to impose infrastructure spending and construction on the rest of us. So, not surprisingly, a bipartisan infrastructure bill is working its way through Congress with just such a $1 trillion price tag.” ~ Richard M. Ebeling

Economic Education, Economic Theory, Fiscal Policy

Rich Man, Poor Man: Comparing the Value of a Dollar to Each

– August 3, 2021

“As is so often true in economics, being attuned to more than what is immediately obvious yields insights very different from those that arise from looking only at what is immediately obvious.” ~ Donald J. Boudreaux

Crisis, Fiscal Policy, Government

More Government Debt as Far as the Fiscal Eye Can See

– July 28, 2021

“What is the ethics, James Buchanan asked, of a fiscal system under which incentives exist and come into play that enable the current generation of taxpayers and recipients of government programs to shift part of the burden to pay for them to future generations?” ~ Richard M. Ebeling

Authoritarianism, Fiscal Policy, Government

Biden’s Rescue Act Targets Americans’ Freedoms

– July 27, 2021

“At some point, the federal government’s ability to carpet bomb citizens with free money will fizzle out. In the meantime, the biggest mistake Americans could make is to permit politicians to absolve themselves by giving away more of other people’s money.” ~ James Bovard

Authoritarianism, Fiscal Policy, Government

When the President Does It, It’s Not Illegal

– July 24, 2021

“Governments can find ways to serve their constituents (i.e. the taxpayers) better for the price they charge, they can lower their prices, or they can collude with others in the industry to keep prices high and quality low. Unlike businesses, however, when governments choose the third option, they are celebrated as heroes.” ~ David Hebert