ObamaCare Ruling Passionate, and Maybe Futile
A Florida judge's ruling striking down Obamacare may not last, but it's an informative tour of constitutional theory.
A Florida judge's ruling striking down Obamacare may not last, but it's an informative tour of constitutional theory.
When President Obama issued an executive order a few weeks ago aimed at reforming the way federal regulations are written and reviewed, many people (including us) were skeptical that it would come to much. But there are signs that the stars really are aligned in favor of change. With the White House up for grabs in 2012, both parties are looking for ways to appeal to independent voters. And applying economic common sense to regulation fits nicely in this familiar process of pre-presidential election[...] read »
Great stuff from Ben Wilterdink at the Washington Examiner on whether or not PPACA's individual mandate is a tax: On one hand, President Obama said that he would not raise “any form of taxes” on anyone making less than $250,000 a year and almost everyone agrees that this “tax penalty” is indeed a tax. This is despite repeated and public claims from President Obama and his advisors that it is absolutely not a tax. read »
There's something out of character with the American ideal in having the U.S. be arbiter of whether and when the ruler of Egypt comes or goes. That goes for Uncle Sam's role in any country, but especially one of 80 million people--nearly the size of Germany--and a nation of deep historical roots and significance. read »
The multi-trillion dollar meltdown of financial markets in 2007-09 could not have been prevented. It was absurd speculation on the part of the special Presidential Commission to even suggest this impossible nirvana. No way Jose! read »
Here are some additional thoughts on yesterday’s ruling in Florida v. HHS, which declared Obamacare unconstitutional. For more detail on the opinion itself, see my post from yesterday. read »
In current economic analysis, inflation is largely in the eye of the beholder, and depending on how you choose to look, very different stories emerge. In the U.S., food and beverages count for just 16.4% of the CPI calculation. The Chinese apparently believe that the basic necessities of life should count for more, assigning a 33% weight to the nutritional components. These differences in measurement are partially responsible for the divergent inflation climate in both countries, and make most people[...] read »
I’ve previously written about the unique meaning of “innocence” in tax lore, and when and how “innocent spouse” tax cases arise. Unfortunately, it happens a lot. For one thing, most married couples file joint tax returns, and that’s where the trouble starts. If you file married filing separate, you don’t need to worry about innocence. See Consider Tax Filing Status Carefully. read »
The world seems to be rallying around Egyptian protesters against Mubarak and his dictatorship. But Westerners should be careful of what they wish for in Egypt. Check out this excerpt from a recent article in the Jerusalem Post. read »