Social Security – January 2012 and Beyond

The January 2012 numbers for Social Security (SS) show a mixed picture. The results mirror what is going on in the economy. There is clear evidence that revenues at SS are recovering; there is equally clear evidence that America’s social expenditures are rising at a rate that exceeds the rate of recovery. The following numbers are adjusted for any More...

On Capital Flight and Forced Repatriation
There are some folks in America who will wake up this morning and read that Jefferies has been sued for its role in a bond deal with MF Global and they will vote with their feet (Zero hedgeLink). They will close More...

Stryker, Taxes, The Super Committee and Growth
Obama’s Affordable Health Care Act of 2010 was paid for (in part) with an excise tax on implanted medical devices. The 2.3% excise tax goes into effect in 2013. It’s already causing some of those “unintended More...

Illinois Tax Hikes Chase Away More Golden Geese
As is typical in cities, states and nations controlled by progressives and Democrats, Illinois has spent itself into a deep ditch. As is also typical, rather than take the cure and cut that spending, this past January More...

The Double Taxation of Income
by Veronique de Rugy Dan Mitchell of the Cato Institute has a useful flow chart showing what a dollar of income is going through under the current tax system and different scenarios: That chart shows the bias More...

Taxes and Jobs, Cause and Effect. Illinois Employment Plunges after Tax Hikes
In these days of debt and deficit, Illinois is in the first rank of problem states. Last January the state legislature was finally forced to confront the fruit of decades of irresponsible spending policies and More...

New National Debt Data: It’s Growing at a rate of $3 Million a Minute
by Andrew Malcolm Swallow all liquids in your mouth before reading any further. Updated numbers for the national debt are just out: It’s now $14,639,000,000,000. When Barack Obama took the oath of office twice More...

I Just Made You Punch Your Computer Monitor
Most have heard the saying that no one takes care of a rental car like they take care of their own. Why not floor the gas pedal or track sand into the car if you’ll never see it again after this week, the reasoning More...

Biggest Middle Class Tax Increase in History Will Come in Five Months
by Bruce Krasting There is one aspect of the final debt deal from DC that took me by surprise. I was convinced the 2% reduction in payroll taxes would be extended through 2012. On July 12th I wrote about this and More...

Get Ready for a 70% Tax Rate
By Michael J. Boskin President Obama has been using the debt-ceiling debate and bipartisan calls for deficit reduction to demand higher taxes. With unemployment stuck at 9.2% and a vigorous economic “recovery” More...