Taxes
Progressive Politicians Are Regulating Their Own Projects Into Oblivion
Excessive government interference in the market hurts consumers and thwarts policy goals. It also gets in the way of the government itself.
New York Lawmakers Want To Use a 'Netflix Tax' To Pay for the Subway
From delivery fees to streaming taxes, New York can’t stomach having MTA users actually pay for the system themselves.
To Balance the Budget, Republicans Must Cut Military Spending, Trim Entitlements, or Raise Taxes
If Republicans refuse to gore their three sacred cows, a new CBO report shows that balancing the budget is literally impossible.
Federal Employees Don't Like Paying Taxes Either
Uncle Sam's own workers owe $1.5 billion, and growing, in unpaid taxes.
Biden's New Budget Would Hike Taxes and Wage Class Warfare
The higher taxes on small businesses and entrepreneurs could slow growth. Less opportunity means more tribalism and division.
Yes, There Are Libertarians During Bank Runs
Plus: The editors recommend the best books for sparking interest in free market principles.
Biden's Budget Will Raise Taxes Without Addressing the Federal Government's Spending Problem
Biden is set to propose a new tax on unrealized investment gains and to quadruple a recently imposed tax on stock buybacks.
My Son Did His Taxes for the First Time. Rage Ensued.
Nothing focuses the mind quite so intently on the sheer stupidity of government as doing your taxes.
When the Government Makes Poverty Worse
A Pennsylvania survey suggests that taxes are often a major barrier to economic security, ranking ahead of credit card debt and student loans.
Paul Krugman Says Social Security Is Sustainable. It's Really Not.
Krugman sees benefit cuts as "a choice" but believes that implementing a massive tax increase on American employers and workers would be "of course" no big deal.
The Answer to Population Decline Is More Immigration
Politicians' go-to fixes like child tax credits and federal paid leave are known for creating disincentives to work without much impact on fertility.
Social Security and Medicare Cuts Are Coming, Whether Politicians Do It or Not
As legislators refuse to act, benefits will be cut without any possibility of sheltering those seniors who are poor.
A Texas-Backed Lawsuit Argues That the ATF's Pistol Brace Rule Is Arbitrary and Unconstitutional
Although the law did not change, regulators suddenly decided to criminalize unregistered possession of braced pistols.
IRS Plans To Raid Workers' Tip Jars
A coming crackdown on $1.6 billion in unreported tips will continue the IRS' long and ugly history of targeting low-income Americans.
Biden's Terrible Billionaire Tax
By raising the effective tax rate on capital gains, the proposal would reduce U.S. saving, discourage entrepreneurship, and decrease economic output.
The Fight Over the Debt Ceiling Is Just Beginning
Legislators will increasingly argue over how to spend a diminishing discretionary budget while overall spending simultaneously explodes.
Migrating Americans Seek Lower Taxes and Greater Freedom
There are many reasons people move, but overburdening your citizens is a good way to lose them.
Republicans and Democrats Face Impasse Over Cutting Spending Versus Raising Taxes
Plus: Court denies motion to suppress January 6 geofence warrant, Texas may ban some immigrants from buying property, and more...
Democrats Say They Support Green Energy. Why Do Their Policies Say Otherwise?
If you look closely, you'll find a lot of contradictions.
Social Security Is on the Brink of Collapse. The GOP Won't Touch It.
In 1950, there were more than 16 workers for every beneficiary. In 2035, that ratio will be only 2.3 workers per retiree.
The IRS Serves Its 'Customers' by Terrifying Them
A $2.1 million penalty for failing to file a form on time reveals the agency’s true nature.
Supreme Court Declines Case Challenging Excessive IRS Penalties
Should an elderly grandmother be forced to hand over millions of dollars to the government for failing to file a particular form?
Donald Trump and J.D. Vance Say No Cuts for Social Security. That's Impossible.
Social Security benefits will be cut automatically in less than a decade unless Congress shores up the program before it hits insolvency. Ignoring that is not a solution.
Whatever the Fate of the Fair Tax Act, Congress Should Still Abolish the IRS
Getting rid of the much-despised tax agency would be a good idea. It’s unlikely to happen anytime soon.
To Win the Speakership, Kevin McCarthy Had To Promise To Cut Spending. Good.
While some Republicans may have had misguided motivations, a few disrupted McCarthy's campaign in order to enact fiscal restraint. Their colleagues were fine with business as usual.
In 2022, the IRS Went After the Very Poorest Taxpayers
Despite $80 billion in new funding, the agency is living up to its reputation of hassling low-income taxpayers over rich people.
California Continues Chasing People Away
California's economy is growing despite Gov. Gavin Newsom's policies, not because of them.
Trump's Tax Returns Show What Sort of Tax Reform We Need
But partisans are having the wrong debate.
Democrats May Regret Compromising Taxpayer Privacy To Get Trump
The release of the former president’s tax returns sets a dangerous precedent.
Charity and Capitalism Are Better Than Government
When I was young, I assumed government would lift people out of poverty. But those policies often do more harm than good.
Congress Can Reduce the Deficit by $7.7 Trillion in 10 Years
The Congressional Budget Office projects that future deficits will explode. But there's a way out.
November's $249 Billion Federal Budget Deficit Set a Record. Now, Congress Is Preparing To Spend Even More.
The government spent $501 billion in November but collected just $252 billion in revenue, meaning that about 50 cents of every dollar spent were borrowed.
Congress' Lame-Duck Legislators Want To Spend Money Like We're Still in a Pandemic
It's especially outrageous when considering the billions of dollars in fraud that took place thanks to COVID-19 relief programs.
The Bad News for Trump Piles Up
Plus: Warnock wins, over-the-counter Narcan closer to reality, San Francisco backtracks on killer robots, and more...
A Lame-Duck Congress Should Reject the Extended Child Tax Credit
The policy has some bipartisan support, despite the fact that it has mostly been a failure since its inception.
The Best Ever Libertarian Gift Guide
Until next year's, because capitalism is always making things better.
New York Is Setting Up Legal Marijuana Merchants for Failure
Nearly 20 months after the state legalized recreational use, no licensed pot shops have opened, but the black market is booming.
Great Moments in Unintended Consequences: Antwerp Siege, Hearth Taxes, Cash for Clunkers (Vol. 9)
Good intentions, bad results.
Washington Has Been Much More Successful Than California in Displacing the Black Market for Pot
Lighter regulation is one likely explanation.
Jared Polis' Success Shows That Democrats Can Win Without Embracing Big Government
Jared Polis cruised to reelection this Tuesday on a platform that included reducing the state's income tax and giving "more freedom" to Coloradans.
Teachers Unions Spent $22 Million Backing Massachusetts 'Millionaire's Tax'
The constitutional amendment is an attempt to undermine the state's flat income tax system.
Illinois Voters Asked Whether To Give Government Unions Veto Power Over Laws They Don't Like
Amendment 1 would grant public workers collective bargaining power over just about anything that affects them, ignoring the will of voters and lawmakers.
New Prime Minister Rishi Sunak Will Probably Disappoint Fans of Free Markets
After 50 days, Liz Truss is out as the U.K. prime minister and Rishi Sunak is in.
