Politicians may say that tax rates don’t matter, but the number of people who move away from Minnesota to low-tax states suggest otherwise. So do the actions of politicians who offer selective tax breaks. But today, I’d like to tell a story about one person whose life choices suggest that tax rates do affect personal behavior–sometimes to [...]
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
How is it that Michigan, of all states, is set to become the latest state to have a right-to-work law? Economic distress is one factor, but personalities and over-reach are factors as well. Long-term decline leads to a one-state recession One factor in Michigan’s move to right-to-work is the state’s dismal economic performance. In the [...]
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Opposition to a photo ID requirement stresses the importance of voting, but it forgets the more important principles of republican governance and rule of law. Earlier this week, John Fund (co-author of Who’s Counting?) and Mike Freeman (Hennepin County Attorney) debated the issue of photo ID at the University of St. Thomas Law School. Two thoughts [...]
I went to vote today, at a junior high in that receives my tax dollars. As I walked in the main lobby, I was struck by the fact that there three large banners on the far wall, facing me. One said something about learning, discovery, etc. The other two were variations on “diversity is good.” [...]
This is a dark day for the American ideal of representative democracy within a republican form of government. The Court has said that neither the judiciary nor the Constitution is a barrier to government expanding as fast and as far as politicians think they can get away with. The only barrier now is the political [...]
During this biennium, the Minnesota Legislature proposed a new constitutional amendment: Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to require that all voters present an approved form of photographic identification prior to voting; all voters be subject to identical eligibility verification standards regardless of the time of their registration; and the state provide at no charge [...]
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By current standards, Minnesota’s economy is among the best in the nation. But will it continue to be in the top tier? Last year, the Bureau of Economic Analysis said that Minnesota ranked 13th in per capital personal income. The state’s average income of $42,843, was six percent higher than the national average. That’s pretty good, [...]
As a nation, we’ve made great strides in combining growing the economy and cleaning up air pollution. But as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is setting up to roll out nine new new rules or regulations, most of which are related to coal-powered electricity, it’s worth asking, “Is the gain worth the pain?” The report, Economy Derailed: [...]
By current standards, Minnesota’s economy is among the best in the nation. But will it continue to be in the top tier? Last year, the Bureau of Economic Analysis said that Minnesota ranked 13th in per capital personal income. The state’s average income of $42,843, was six percent higher than the national average. That’s pretty good, [...]
In 2012, Americans will work 8 hours a day, five days a week, from the beginning of the year until April 17 to pay for the spending incurred in their name by federal, state, and local governments. That’s one of the findings of the Tax Foundation’s latest calculation of “Tax Freedom Day.” Tax Freedom Day [...]