Of all the misunderstandings that plague public policy making in our country today, none is as important as the question of whether cutting tax rates raises tax revenues. Having written about this frequently, including columns on March 14 and 21,…
Eliminating entitlements a misunderstood concept
‘Entitlements’ are a favorite target of those who want to trim the federal deficit, especially in this political season. But just as there are many misconceptions about government spending and taxing (the subject of my Sunday column), many people don’t…
Realities of federal spending don’t fit myth
Charles Mackay wrote his book ‘Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds’ 170 years ago, but the phenomenon is alive and well today. The fact that people cling to beliefs that are at odds with readily available data might…
What’s the alternative to corporate income tax?
Two of the three principal candidates for governor want to eliminate Minnesota’s corporate income tax. Tom Emmer would ax it as soon as possible, while Tom Horner wants it to end eventually, just not right now. Is this a good…