Jason Clemens
Business & Economics
Canada, Land of Smaller Government
When Americans look to Canada, they generally think of an ally, though one dominated by socialist economic policies. But the Canada of the 1970s and early 1980s—the era of left-wing Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau—no longer exists. America’s northern neighbor has transformed itself economically over the last 20 years. The Canadian ...
Business & Economics
Dodgy days for business
The national unemployment rate remains stubbornly high – 9.5 percent in June – and the private sector simply isn’t willing yet to make a genuine effort to create jobs. Some contend that to stimulate the economy, the government should spend and borrow more. This argument ignores a central reason for ...
Business & Economics
Government ‘too big to fail’ and too big to succeed
These days, one is hard-pressed to read a newspaper or watch the news without encountering the phrase “too big to fail.” The debate over TBTF, as it also is known, completely ignores the one institution that deserves attention when assessing the real risks of TBTF: government. To get a sense ...
Business & Economics
When governments lobby governments
During the current economic downturn, governors across the nation such as Arnold Schwarzenegger of California have been lining up to lobby the federal government for bailout money. For the public, and taxpayers in particular, this activity raises serious but seldom examined questions. If private citizens undertook such activity, there are ...
Business & Economics
Drowning In A VAT Of Taxes
The debate over a national sales tax, or valued-added tax, to tackle the country’s deficit and debt problems has intensified as we approach the fall election. Unfortunately the facts are becoming more obscure, and the narrow scope within which a VAT makes sense is being lost. This should be clarified–if ...
Business & Economics
A dishonest debate on VAT
The debate over a national sales tax, or value-added tax (VAT), to tackle the country’s deficit and debt problems is becoming fiercer as we approach the fall election. Unfortunately, the facts are becoming more obscure, and the narrow scope within which a VAT makes sense is being lost. This should ...
Business & Economics
Washington needs spending reform, not just tax reform
Washingtonians are struggling with unemployment and a sluggish economic recovery. In these conditions, it’s worth understanding how tax policies in Olympia are hurting a state the recession has hit particularly hard. Washington’s unemployment rate, which stood at 9.5 percent in March, has increased or remained the same every month since ...
Business & Economics
Taxifornia reaps what it sows
Orange County Register, May 12, 2010 If you prefer as little tax burden as possible, you will cringe to learn that California ranks in a tie for last place with South Carolina and New York. But if you delight in the idea of government taxing people for every dime it ...
Business & Economics
Transparency, consistency in lobbying needed
As Illinois struggles with deficits and a failing economy, it is critical to understand the behind-the-scenes lobbying that fuels the state’s political decision-making. That calls for more transparency in Springfield, but on this issue, Illinois’ record is decidedly mixed. According to State-Level Lobbying and Taxpayers, a recent study that examines ...
Canada, Land of Smaller Government
When Americans look to Canada, they generally think of an ally, though one dominated by socialist economic policies. But the Canada of the 1970s and early 1980s—the era of left-wing Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau—no longer exists. America’s northern neighbor has transformed itself economically over the last 20 years. The Canadian ...
Dodgy days for business
The national unemployment rate remains stubbornly high – 9.5 percent in June – and the private sector simply isn’t willing yet to make a genuine effort to create jobs. Some contend that to stimulate the economy, the government should spend and borrow more. This argument ignores a central reason for ...
Government ‘too big to fail’ and too big to succeed
These days, one is hard-pressed to read a newspaper or watch the news without encountering the phrase “too big to fail.” The debate over TBTF, as it also is known, completely ignores the one institution that deserves attention when assessing the real risks of TBTF: government. To get a sense ...
When governments lobby governments
During the current economic downturn, governors across the nation such as Arnold Schwarzenegger of California have been lining up to lobby the federal government for bailout money. For the public, and taxpayers in particular, this activity raises serious but seldom examined questions. If private citizens undertook such activity, there are ...
Drowning In A VAT Of Taxes
The debate over a national sales tax, or valued-added tax, to tackle the country’s deficit and debt problems has intensified as we approach the fall election. Unfortunately the facts are becoming more obscure, and the narrow scope within which a VAT makes sense is being lost. This should be clarified–if ...
A dishonest debate on VAT
The debate over a national sales tax, or value-added tax (VAT), to tackle the country’s deficit and debt problems is becoming fiercer as we approach the fall election. Unfortunately, the facts are becoming more obscure, and the narrow scope within which a VAT makes sense is being lost. This should ...
Washington needs spending reform, not just tax reform
Washingtonians are struggling with unemployment and a sluggish economic recovery. In these conditions, it’s worth understanding how tax policies in Olympia are hurting a state the recession has hit particularly hard. Washington’s unemployment rate, which stood at 9.5 percent in March, has increased or remained the same every month since ...
Taxifornia reaps what it sows
Orange County Register, May 12, 2010 If you prefer as little tax burden as possible, you will cringe to learn that California ranks in a tie for last place with South Carolina and New York. But if you delight in the idea of government taxing people for every dime it ...
Transparency, consistency in lobbying needed
As Illinois struggles with deficits and a failing economy, it is critical to understand the behind-the-scenes lobbying that fuels the state’s political decision-making. That calls for more transparency in Springfield, but on this issue, Illinois’ record is decidedly mixed. According to State-Level Lobbying and Taxpayers, a recent study that examines ...
