Misreading the Fiscal Cliff | Michael D. Tanner | Cato Institute: Commentary

Misreading the Fiscal Cliff | Michael D. Tanner | Cato Institute: Commentary: "In fact, the president's proposed tax hike doesn't even cover the $2.6 trillion in spending increases that he has called for over the next ten years."

"Great Britain hiked its top tax rate from 40 to 50 percent in 2010 as part of a deficit-reduction package. The tax hike was supposed to raise an additional £2.4 billion in 2010–11, but actually brought in £5 billion less than was expected without the rate rise (Britain cut tax rates again in the 2012 budget)."

"President Obama claims that his plan includes spending cuts — in fact, $3 in spending cuts for every $1 in tax hikes. But he hasn't actually offered any details beyond smoke and mirrors. The president's plan, for example, includes $1 trillion in spending cuts that were already agreed to as part of the 2011 debt-ceiling deal, a neat exercise in double-counting. He also includes savings from not fighting a war in Iraq or Afghanistan after 2014, money that was never going to be spent in the first place. And, finally, he includes $634 billion in savings from not having to pay interest on the phantom spending he's cut. More realistic estimates suggest that the president is actually proposing almost $3 in tax hikes for every $1 in spending cuts.

Even those spending cuts are not real cuts, in the sense of less money being spent, but simply reductions in the baseline rate of increase. And while the president's proposed tax hikes would go into effect immediately, the spending cuts are pushed off into the dim and distant future. In fact, according to recent reports, the president actually wants new stimulus spending in the short term, to be followed by spending cuts once the economy has bounced back."

"But once again, not only did the spending cuts fail to materialize, spending actually increased"

"the 2011 deal to increase the debt limit promised $1 trillion in spending cuts, even before the upcoming sequester. Instead, spending since then has increased by $132 billion"

Opinion: Deterring the nuclear option - Sen. Rand Paul - POLITICO.com

Opinion: Deterring the nuclear option - Sen. Rand Paul - POLITICO.com: "I want the Senate to consider a new rule stripping the majority leader of the power to prevent amendments to bills. This is a “filibuster reform” that all should support, because on the vast majority of bills, Sen. Reid forbids amendments. By forbidding amendments, he is essentially filibustering himself."

Speed camera gives ticket to stationary car | Technically Incorrect - CNET News

Speed camera gives ticket to stationary car | Technically Incorrect - CNET News: "one of those reviews involves an actual police officer who must swear that this car was going at least 12 mph over the limit.
Oh, and he or she must swear it "based on inspection of the recorded images.""

Numbers and wording can make so-so news sound so outrageous - Chicago Tribune

Numbers and wording can make so-so news sound so outrageous - Chicago Tribune: "With regard to income inequality, virtually all headlines and stories focus on gross income rather than income after taxes (on average, paid by the rich) and government transfers (on average, received by the poor). And they are not adjusted for the number of members of a household (there are more people in upper-income households), age and other variables. Raw comparisons — in every sense of the word."

Why Some Conservatives Oppose Vouchers | Andrew J. Coulson | Cato Institute: Commentary

Why Some Conservatives Oppose Vouchers | Andrew J. Coulson | Cato Institute: Commentary: "Medical researchers go to a lot of trouble to test a new drug. They record exactly what they're administering, how often, and in what quantity. They solicit volunteers and randomly give the drug to some but not others. Thanks to decades of these randomized experiments, "House," "Doc Martin," and even your local GP have at least a clue as to what works and what doesn't.

As I've just argued elsewhere, most education policy advocacy is quackery by comparison."

"When we review natural experiments in education policy fromthe 5th century BC to the present, and in dozens of countries in the modern world, clear patterns emerge. It turns out that education is generally most effective, efficient, harmonious, and responsive to families when educators are freed from government regulations, families choose from among a variety of schools, schools vie with one another to attract and serve children, and parents pick up at least some of the cost directly themselves—in essence, a free education marketplace.

But the historical and international evidence also indicates that government funding of private schools tends to bring with it a pall of regulation that grows over time; and schools hamstrung with this red tape underperform those that give educators and families more freedom."

No Internet deal reached at United Nations summit | Politics and Law - CNET News

No Internet deal reached at United Nations summit | Politics and Law - CNET News: "an alliance of western democracies including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada today rejected a proposed treaty over concerns it hands repressive governments too much authority over the Internet.
"This conference was never meant to focus on Internet issues," said ambassador Terry Kramer, head of the U.S. delegation to the Dubai summit. "The Internet has given the world unimaginable economic and social benefit during these past 24 years -- all without U.N. regulation." "

"the House of Representatives unanimously approved a resolution last week aimed at sending a strong message to the ITU. It said, in part, that "the consistent and unequivocal policy of the United States [is] to promote a global Internet free from government control." "

Let's Hear It for Scandal! | Gene Healy | Cato Institute: Commentary

Let's Hear It for Scandal! | Gene Healy | Cato Institute: Commentary: "The scandal-packed Watergate period ... helped spur reforms like the War Powers Resolution, the Privacy Act and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which, while imperfect, at least began to address the problem of unchecked executive power."

Liberal Leaders Flunk Math | Richard W. Rahn | Cato Institute: Commentary

Liberal Leaders Flunk Math | Richard W. Rahn | Cato Institute: Commentary: "Most economists refer to themselves as Keynesian, monetarist, classical or Austrian — at least in part. None of these theories advocates increasing tax rates, particularly on labor and capital, during periods of economic stagnation, such as the United States is now experiencing."

"If you tax something you will get less of it, and if you subsidize something you will get more of it. If you increase the tax on labor and capital, you will get less — and economic growth requires more labor and capital, not less."

The Bottom Line on Sequestration | Christopher Preble | Cato Institute: Commentary

The Bottom Line on Sequestration | Christopher Preble | Cato Institute: Commentary: "But the cuts are modest: over the next decade, the federal government will spend about $44 trillion with sequestration, $45 trillion without."

"The Pentagon cuts currently under consideration are small relative to its gargantuan budget, and consistent with those of past post-war draw downs."

Right to Work in Michigan?! | Campaign for Liberty

Right to Work in Michigan?! | Campaign for Liberty: "Michigan Campaign for Liberty has led the charge for this bill"

Why is a liberty group trying to interfere with agreements between private individuals? If a company owner wants to require union membership for employees then why should the government prevent that?