Globalization

Tax Policy Lessons from the 2000s brings together the most up-to-date research available on tax policy with trenchant analysis by America’s leading economists. The authors explore the role taxes should play in setting environmental policy; the effect of tax rate increases on labor supply and reported taxable income; the economic impact of deficit-financed tax reductions; and the effect of the tax system on businesses’ financial and investment decisions.

The renewed interest in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is premature. They are currently the mainstays of the U.S. housing market–more important now than they were before being placed in a government conservatorship in September 2008. Many observers do not believe the two government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) can survive the immense losses they will cause taxpayers, but this is far from true.

In a joint report from the National Research Council and the National Academy of Public Administration, its authors, including AEI’s Joseph Antos, describe the United States’ fiscal outlook, asserting that the present budgetary path is unsustainable. If today’s policies, particularly those regarding entitlement programs, are left unchanged, Americans will face either a substantial erosion in their standard of living or an extremely severe crisis. The authors propose a choice of four policy paths that the United States could and should pursue to get itself back on track.

Prince Hans-Adam of Liechtenstein is able to look at the modern nation-state from many different angles: as a head of state; as a politician, who had to win popular votes in a direct democracy; as a businessman active in different continents; and as an historian who has studied the influence of military technology, transportation and the economy on the workings of the state.The State in the Third Millenniumanalyzes the forces that have shaped human history in the past and are likely to do so for the foreseeable future. These include religions, ideologies, military technology and economics.

Despite decades of repeated failure, President Obama and Congress continue to promote the myth that government can spend its way out of recession. Heritage Foundation economic policy expert Brian Riedl…

In his testimony on Capitol Hill, the economist Russel Roberts is exposing the reasons why the The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) has not the anticipated by government effect on jobs creation. He is pointing out that given the lack of success so far and the role uncertainty plays in the decision-making of entrepreneurs, investors and consumers, doing less might, paradoxically, be more successful than doing more, especially if the “more” that is done works in the wrong direction.

Wanna know how much is the US Government spending right now? Or how fast US debt growths? You should add US.Debt.Clock.org on your favourite websites.

The Heritage Foundation launches a campaign against the dreaded estate tax (also known as the “death tax”) in the US. In the coming weeks, Congress will once again take up debate on the death tax, which expires for one year, beginning on January 1, 2010, before coming back in full force on January 1, 2011. Some in Congress are eager to prevent the death tax from expiring for even one year. Those that don’t want the tax to die will likely argue for a one-year extension of the tax at its current rate and exemption levels.

This paper from Curtis S. Dubay from the Heritage Foundation investigates the new taxes US government is about to impose, in order to finance Obama’s health care reform. Higher Medicare taxes would push the top average marginal tax rate even higher than already scheduled. Currently, the top federal tax rate is 35 percent, but President Obama has proposed to allow it to increase to 39.6 percent. In addition, the House of Representatives’ version of health care reform includes a 5.4 percent surtax on incomes over $500,000 a year.

The American healthcare system is stigmatized in Europe, and especially in France, where the government is pretending to offer a high quality health services to every French citizen, regardless of his contribution to the social security. But if the French social security system succeed in one task – covering the uninsured, it failed in two others, much more important issues – controlling costs and innovation. A recent study edited by the Cato Institute is evidencing the superiority of the American healthcare system when it comes to innovation in medical treatment.