Trump Has No Discernible Interest in Fiscal Responsibility
The president-elect’s record and campaign positions belie Elon Musk’s talk of spending cuts.
Taxes
How Much Will Trump's Tariffs Cost?
Much of the detail remains to be worked out, but lawmakers and corporations are already preparing.
Central Planning Won Big on Election Night
The bipartisan embrace of industrial policy represents one of the most dangerous economic illusions of our time.
Trump Floats Tax Break for Carmakers Hurt by His Own Trade Deal
After proposing a deduction for interest paid on car loans, the former president suggested it would apply only to vehicles made in America.
Where Is Trump's Plan To Cut Spending?
The former president says the government should be funded like it was in 1890. So where's the plan to reset spending to 1890s levels?
Neither Trump Nor Harris Wants To Drain the Swamp. They Want You To Join It.
Both candidates have promised a litany of special favors to handpicked constituencies. If you don't fit into the right categories, you'll pay the price.
Trump, Harris Ads Make Clear They Won't Be Cutting Government
Both candidates are making a final big government, populist pitch to undecided voters.
The Religious Vote Is Waning—And That Could Spell Trouble for Trump
As millions of Christians plan to sit out the election, church leaders face tough choices about how to inspire their congregations without violating the law.
Milei Shuts Down Argentina's Tax Agency
AFIP is an "unnecessary bureaucracy" that stifles economic freedom, says Milei's government.
Reform Social Security for Those Who Need It Most
As it stands, the program effectively redistributes money from younger and poorer people to richer people.
Donald Trump and Kamala Harris Keep Making Economically Illiterate Promises
These policies may sound good on paper—but they would be disastrous in reality.
Harris and Trump's Terrible Tax Ideas
Plus: How will the editors vote in the presidential election?
Trump Panders to Auto Industry, Proposes Making Car Loan Interest Tax Deductible
The former president's increasingly lopsided economic policy proposals have the feel of throwing spaghetti at the wall.
Americans Grow Increasingly Dependent on Government Payments
Many citizens of the land of the free are hooked on government checks.
Governments Are Still Stealing People's Home Equity Over Modest Tax Debts
A handful of states use loopholes to get around a Supreme Court ruling that declared the practice unconstitutional.
Held Hostage Overseas? The IRS Wants Your Back Taxes.
The IRS fines hostages for taxes they couldn't pay while they were detained. A bill in Congress is trying to fix this.
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.
