The debt ceiling standoff between President Biden and the Republican-controlled US House of Representatives indicates Republicans care about government spending and deficits again, allegedly. But history tells a different story. […]
Tag: Fiscal Policy
Apres Biden, Le Deluge: When the Republican Party Gives Up Entitlement Reform
Other than a small, beleaguered band of fiscal conservatives in the Republican Senate caucus, no one in that body cares about impending fiscal Armageddon. President Joe Biden used the State […]
Is the Debt Ceiling Lunacy?
The United States is bumping up against the debt ceiling once again. The Treasury department has begun taking extraordinary measures to ensure it can continue to service its debts on […]
Will Federal Spending Be Brought Under Control?
With the federal debt ceiling fight looming in Congress, now is a good time to look again at how much the federal government owes, and whether the new Republican House […]
Why “Disincentive Deserts” Matter Far More Than Benefits Cliffs
On January 6th, Phil Gramm and John Early published a provocative op-ed in The Wall Street Journal titled, “Upward Mobility is Alive and Well in America.” The pair make a […]
After the Speakership Fight: What Now in the House?
The lengthy speakership battle in the House of Representatives this month ended with both sides able to declare victory. This is the best outcome for the Republicans, who probably couldn’t […]
When Federal Interest Payments Come to Exceed the Military Budget: Time to Stop Defending the Rest of the World
A new year dawns bright, with the US hurtling over the fiscal cliff. The lame duck Congress voted for a pork-packed $1.7 trillion budget bill. As the saying goes, it’s […]
A President Who Warned Americans What Extravagant Federal Spending Would Do to Character
In August 2023, when we mark the centennial of Calvin Coolidge’s ascendance to the presidency upon the unexpected death of Warren Harding, we should celebrate his devotion to economy in […]
Who Committed PPP Fraud?
The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) has been plagued with issues since its inception. So when a new report was released from Congress last week on the fraudulent activity surrounding the PPP, it was […]
Taxes, Spending, and Powerball Winnings
In 2016, I described what Congress could have done with the then-astronomical $1.5 billion Powerball winnings. With the recent $2.04 billion Powerball prize, it’s time for an update. What could […]