Hot to Trot: Puzzle #62
"Homer's missus"
Taxes
Don't Expect a Return to the Trump Economy
If the former president wins the 2024 race, the circumstances he would inherit are far more challenging, and several of his policy ideas are destructive.
Instead of Vote-Buying Tax Promises, Let's Have Real Plans for Tax Relief
Lower taxes are better taxes, but they should be part of well-considered plans.
How Much Will the Major Presidential Candidates Steal From You?
Neither Harris nor Trump has a plan to address national debt, but they dramatically differ on taxation.
Trump and Harris Both Favor Tax Hikes That Would Hurt Ordinary Americans
The costs of steep tariffs and a higher corporate income tax extend far beyond the advertised targets.
Kamala Harris Pledges To Soak the Rich—But Her Policies Have Showered Them In Cash
Corporate subsidies and regressive tax breaks show who really benefits from Harris' agenda.
Trump Endorses Federal Marijuana Reforms and Reiterates His Support for Legalizing Pot in Florida
His new stance could encourage Vice President Kamala Harris to emphasize her opposition to federal marijuana prohibition.
Gavin Newsom's 'Price Gouging' Shtick Is Running on Empty
Gas prices in California are exceptionally high because of the state's high taxes and anti-oil regulations, not because gas station owners there are greedier.
This Nebraska Man Almost Lost His Home and All of Its Equity Over a Small Tax Debt. He Just Won in Court.
Kevin Fair fell behind on his property taxes in 2014. The local government eventually gave a private investor the deed to his home.
Kamala Harris' Plan To Hike Corporate Income Taxes Would Fall on All Americans
As with Trump and his tariffs, Harris appears unwilling to acknowledge the obvious consequences of hiking taxes on businesses.
Baltimore's Tax Sales Are Robbing People of Their Equity
The Edmondson Community Organization accrued a modest property tax debt. The group paid dearly for that.
Carving Out a Tax Cut Just for Tips Doesn't Make More Sense When Kamala Harris Does It
Exempting tips from the federal income tax would add to the deficit and unfairly penalize nontipped workers. It's a bad idea no matter who is pitching it.
The U.S. Can't Afford To Cut Taxes on Social Security Benefits
The campaign promise from Donald Trump sounds nice, but it would be disastrous when considering the program is already racing toward insolvency.
The Real Economic Catastrophe Will Be Caused by the U.S. Debt
Should we blame Biden and the politicians applauding him for their unwillingness to address our looming fiscal disaster?
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Darling of the Progressive Left, Is Harris' Running Mate
Walz's track record as governor includes pushing for higher taxes, legalizing marijuana, and asking neighbors to spy on one another during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trump and Harris Are Just Making It Up as They Go
Both are embracing a total policy nihilism and turning the election into a cynical pander-off.
J.D. Vance Wants To Control You With Taxes
People making the same income should be paying the same level of taxes no matter how they choose to live their lives.
J.D. Vance Says Childless Americans Should Pay Higher Taxes. They Already Do.
Donald Trump's running mate has discovered the most politically toxic way to demand the status quo.
J.D. Vance, Taxing the Childless, and the Power of Framing
The controversy over Vance's advocacy of higher tax rates for childless adults illustrates the power of framing.
She Underpaid a Property Tax Bill. So the Government Seized Her Home, Sold It—and Kept the $102,636 Profit.
Chelsea Koetter is asking the Michigan Supreme Court to render the state's debt collection scheme unconstitutional.
The 'Pro-Worker' GOP Is Anti-Worker
The New Right talks a big populist game, but their policies hurt the people they're supposed to help.
Netflix's 'Don't Look Up' Got $46 Million From Massachusetts Taxpayers
According to recently updated figures, more than half of the state's film production credits for 2021 went to just one film, whose two stars collectively earned over $50 million.
'The Problem Is Spending': Libertarian Presidential Nominee Chase Oliver's Vision for the Future
The candidate supports gun rights, wants to privatize government programs, and would radically reduce the number of federal employees.
Biden's Race-Ending Debate Performance Was So Bad That It Eclipsed Trump's Flagrant Falsehoods
Voters should not dismiss the former president's utter disregard for the truth as a personal quirk or standard political practice.
Here's How To Pay for Trump's Tax Cuts
There seems to be general bipartisan agreement on keeping a majority of the cuts, which are set to expire. They can be financed by cleaning out the tax code of unfair breaks.
Ruling in Favor of DIY Distillers Affirms Limits on Congressional Power
A federal judge rejected the government’s excuses for banning home production of liquor.
Biden and Trump Hope to Tip the Election Scales With Working-Class Proposals
Competing visions on tipping policies highlight the differences in the candidates’ approaches to winning over working-class voters—but neither will provide much benefit.
Supreme Court Left the Door Open for a Wealth Tax. But It's Still a Terrible Idea.
Wealth taxes discourage investment, shrink wages, and don’t generate much revenue.
IRS Crackdown Nets Enough Revenue To Fund the Government for 90 Minutes
The Biden administration's $60 billion expansion of the IRS has netted $1 billion in new revenue so far.
The 2024 GOP Platform Promises To 'Make America Affordable Again.' So Why Are They Embracing Fiscal Insanity?
Although former President Donald Trump's deregulatory agenda would make some positive changes, it's simply not enough.
Biden and Trump Are Both Disastrously Wrong About Tariffs
Yes, cheap imports hurt some American companies. But protectionist trade policy harms many more Americans than it helps.
The National Debt Is Crossing an Ominous Line
The U.S. has successfully navigated past debt challenges, notably in the 1990s. Policymakers can fix this if they find the will to do so.
America Is in a Debt Crisis. Will Trump or Biden Address It at the Debate?
The candidate who grasps the gravity of this situation and proposes concrete steps to address it will demonstrate the leadership our nation now desperately needs. The stakes couldn't be higher.
Eating Doritos While Drowning in Debt
Plus: A listener asks if there are any libertarian solutions to rising obesity rates.
Reason Wins 7 Southern California Journalism Awards
First-place finishes include an investigative piece on egregious misconduct in federal prison, a documentary on homelessness, best magazine columnist, and more.
The National Debt Is Now So High That Every American Essentially Owes $100,000
We could grow our way out of our debt burden if politicians would limit spending increases to just below America's average yearly economic growth. But they won't even do that.
The Deadly Tobacco Drug War Down Under
Australia’s Prohibition-style attempts to abolish nicotine use have predictably led to a new drug war being fought over a legal substance.
Trump's Tax Plans: Good, Bad, Ugly?
Plus: Trump endorses Larry Hogan, violent crime decreases, and more...
Biden Keeps Blaming Others for His Economic Mistakes
The president has tried to shift blame for inflation, interest rate hikes, and an overall decimation of consumers' purchasing power.
Trump Wants To Exempt Tips From Income Taxes. Why Stop There?
Reducing revenue without identifying offsetting spending cuts means Trump is merely promising to borrow more heavily.
The GOP Once Claimed To Be the Party of 'Fiscal Responsibility.' So Why Not Reform Social Security?
Reasonable options include gradually raising the minimum retirement age, adjusting benefits to reflect longer life expectancies, and implementing fair means-testing to ensure benefits flow where they're actually needed.
American Manufacturers Need Tax and Regulatory Reform, Not Tariffs
Despite both presidential candidates touting protectionist trade policy, tariffs do little to address the underlying factors that make it difficult for U.S. manufacturers to compete in the global marketplace.
San Diego Is Cracking Down on Groups Exercising Outside Without a Permit
A revision to the municipal code made it illegal for groups of four or more people to convene in public spaces for commercial recreational activities without a government stamp of approval.
Congressional Republicans Launch 'Fishing Expedition' Against Progressive, Jewish, and Palestinian Nonprofits
The House Oversight and Education committees are investigating the sources of “malign influence” behind campus protests. They’re using tactics Republicans used to hate.
