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Tax Politics

The Politics of Taxes

Reciprocal Tariff Ignorance

President Trump continues to pursue his misguided tariff crusade believing that he is somehow protecting American industries and employment. His latest move, reciprocal tariffs (which he intends to begin April 2), is even worse. Trump has stated that he plans to impose tariffs based on “what they charge us, we charge them,” which is an economically stupid idea. Advocates of this policy like to...
The Long-Term Effects of the Obamacare Decision

During oral arguments of the Burwell v Obamacare case before the Supreme Court, the U.S. Solicitor General Donald Verrilli made the case that the “court should defer to the interpretation of the Internal Revenue Service, which said the tax credits apply nationwide.”...

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Remembering: July 2, the Day of Independence

It was on July 2, 1776 that the Second Continental Congress, assembled in Philadelphia, formally approved Richard Henry Lee's resolution for independence from Great Britain. Pennsylvania Evening Post published on July 2: “This day the Continental Congress declared the...

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Expanding Chevron Deference with the ACA Decision

I really enjoyed this column by George Will, which was published soon after the Obamacare decision. Will explores how the decision exemplifies how Chief Justice Roberts embraced and expanded the concept of "Chevron Deference", which, he contends, will have a lasting...

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An Open Letter to Governor Rauner

Dear Governor Rauner, You have an enormous task before you in trying to navigate pension reform. Through political duplicity, the state legislature in cahoots with the public service unions have fashioned for themselves retirement benefits far in excess of any...

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Happy Birthday Frederic Bastiat!

Frederic Bastiat, one of the brightest and most eloquent economists and authors France has ever produced, was born on this date in 1801. Some selections of his wisdom: "The State is the great fiction through which everyone endeavors to live at the expense of everyone...

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