PUBLICATIONS BY Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
Research
Commentary
Media Appearances
2006 Research
October 25, 2006
Fiscal Policy Lessons from Europe
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1979)
Living standards are much higher in America than in Europe, unemployment is far lower, and growth is much stronger; left unchecked, however, the growing burden of government threatens to turn America into an uncompetitive European-style welfare state. Ireland shows that reform is possible with dramatic tax rate reductions and a large reduction in the burden of government spending.
October 25, 2006
Executive Summary: Fiscal Policy Lessons from Europe
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Executive Summary #1979)
Executive Summary: Living standards are much higher in America than in Europe, unemployment is far lower, and growth is much stronger; left unchecked, however, the growing burden of government threatens to turn America into an uncompetitive European-style welfare state. Ireland shows that reform is possible with dramatic tax rate reductions and a large reduction in the burden of government spending.
October 13, 2006
The 2006 Budget Numbers Show Impact of Pro-Growth Tax Policy, But Also Continued Spending Increases
By Daniel J. Mitchell
(WebMemo #1237)
The FY2006 budget numbers demonstrate the benefits of maintaining pro-growth tax policies, but also the need to reduce spending and reform entitlement programs.
September 28, 2006
Tax Rate Reductions Strengthen the Economy, But Excessive Government Spending Threatens Long-Run Performance
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D., and Michelle L. Muccio
(Backgrounder #1975)
To enhance economic performance, Congress should make the pro-growth portions of the Bush tax cuts permanent, implement reforms to shift the Internal Revenue Code closer to a simple and fair flat tax, cap the growth of federal spending, eliminate programs or devolve them to the state and local levels, reform entitlements, and use cost-benefit analysis to rein in regulatory excess.
September 21, 2006
Hoping to Restore Growth, Voters Rebel Against Sweden's High-Tax Welfare State
By Daniel J. Mitchell
(WebMemo #1219)
Swedes send message to high tax Social Democrats.
July 28, 2006
What Is Really Happening to Government Revenues: Long-Run Forecasts Show Sharp Rise in Tax Burden
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D., and Stuart M. Butler, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1957)
Instead of raising taxes even faster than projected in an effort to catch up with out-of-control spending, the wise course is to tackle the explosion of entitlement spending and continue to enact tax reforms and reductions to hold the long-term tax burden at the historic level that has been a key to America's economic success.
May 08, 2006
Economy Will Benefit If Lawmakers Extend 15 Percent Tax Rate on Dividends and Capital Gains
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #1066)
Lower tax rates on dividends and capital gains have proven successful.
April 20, 2006
Competitiveness Means Less Government, Not More
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1929)
The Administration's American Competitiveness Initiative is the wrong solution in response to a flawed diagnosis. America's competitive position is not threatened because the federal government is not spending enough: The problem is that government is too big. Excessive government causes the misallocation of labor and capital, and the high tax rates needed to finance it discourage work, saving, and investment.
February 07, 2006
The President's Tax Agenda: Pro-Growth Measures Jeopardized by Excessive Spending and Misguided Focus on Deficit
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #992)
Making the tax cuts permanent is a good idea, but what about fundamental reform?
February 01, 2006
State of the Union 2006: A Mixed Message on Tax Policy
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D
(WebMemo #981)
Yes, make the tax cuts permanent. But what about fundamental tax reform?
2005 Research
December 08, 2005
Grading Congressional Tax Bills:
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #934)
The Senate has enacted a tax package as part of reconciliation legislation, and the House is soon voting on its own version of a tax bill.
November 01, 2005
Grading the Tax Reform Panel's Recommendations
By Daniel Mitchell, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #903)
The President's Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform has issued a report calling for significant changes to the internal revenue code. More specifically, the Panel proposed two options, the Simplified Income Tax Plan (SIT) and the Growth and Investment Tax Plan (GIT)...
October 25, 2005
The Economic Consequences of Government Spending
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Testimony #9999)
Economic theory does not necessarily tell us the proper size of government. Instead, economic theory tells us to examine costs and benefits in order to determine whether resources are allocated in a manner that increases or decreases economic growth.
October 24, 2005
A Benchmark for Assessing the Recommendations of the President's Tax Reform Panel
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #890)
To judge the Panel's report, there must be a yardstick. It should be the flat tax.
September 21, 2005
Deeply Flawed CRS Katrina Study Urges Return to 1960s Fiscal Policy
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #854)
With the advances in economics over the past 40 years, this report is a bit of a suprise.
July 25, 2005
The Deduction for State and Local Taxes Undermines Tax Reform and Subsidizes High-Tax States
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Executive Memorandum #974)
The federal deduction for state and local taxes is bad tax policy and encourages bad fiscal policy at the state and local levels. By encouraging bigger government, it reduces economic performance. It also necessitates higher federal tax rates, further hindering economic growth. To promote both fairness and economic growth, Congress should eliminate the deduction.
July 07, 2005
A Brief Guide to the Flat Tax
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1866)
The current income tax system punishes the economy, imposes heavy compliance costs on taxpayers, rewards special interests, and makes America less competitive. A flat tax would dramatically reduce these ill effects and move the system closer to where it should be: raising the revenues that government demands in the least destructive and least intrusive way possible.
June 07, 2005
A "Supply-Side" Success Story
By Daniel J. Mitchell
(WebMemo #755)
Why is the 2003 tax cut working so much better than the 2001 tax cut?
May 27, 2005
The President's Advisory Panel on Tax Reform Should Recommend a Flat Tax
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Testimony #9999)
A comment to the President's advisory panel.
May 16, 2005
Beware the Value-Added Tax
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1852)
Enacting a value-added tax would be a costly mistake. The tax rate would doubtlessly climb, financing a surge of new federal spending; the result: a stagnating economy, higher budget deficits, and fewer jobs. The VAT, despite some attractive theoretical qualities compared to taxes on income and production, would simply be another burden on an already overtaxed economy.
April 11, 2005
bg1841
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1841)
The AARP and other interests want to have the government make private investments in order to increase government's control of national economic output. This would be the wrong approach. It would not help workers to get a better deal from Social Security, but it would open the door for political mismanagement and intervention in America's capital markets.
March 15, 2005
The Impact of Government Spending on Economic Growth
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1831)
If government spends money in a productive way that generates a sufficiently high rate of return, the economy will benefit, but this is the exception rather than the rule. There is overwhelming evidence that America's economy could grow much faster if the burden of government was reduced. Shrinking the size of government would therefore boost prosperity and make America more competitive.
March 15, 2005
Executive Summary: The Impact of Government Spending on Economic Growth
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Executive Summary #1831)
Executive Summary: If government spends money in a productive way that generates a sufficiently high rate of return, the economy will benefit, but this is the exception rather than the rule. There is overwhelming evidence that America's economy could grow much faster if the burden of government was reduced. Shrinking the size of government would therefore boost prosperity and make America more competitive.
March 15, 2005
Supplement to ''The Impact of Government Spending on Economic Growth''
By Daniel J. Mitchell
(Backgrounder #1831)
The academic evidence catalogued below strongly supports the hypothesis that government spending has a generally adverse effect.
February 16, 2005
Government-Controlled Investment: The Wrong Answer to the Wrong Question
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #9999)
A government-controlled pension fund would not make investments solely for the economic benefit of future retirees.
February 07, 2005
White House Budget Lowers Burden of Government
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #658)
The discipline displayed in this budget should be applauded
January 19, 2005
Rising Benefit Levels Drive Social Security's Fiscal Crisis
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #640)
Whether or not reform goes through, benefit growth must be slowed.
2004 Research
September 03, 2004
Bush's Tax Proposal: A Principled Step in the Right Direction
By Rea S. Hederman and Daniel J. Mitchell
(WebMemo #562)
President George W. Bush called for tax reform and a "simpler, fairer, pro-growth system." These goals should be the foundation for any reform of the tax code.
July 15, 2004
FSC/ETI Conference Should Not Waste Opportunity for Real Tax Reform
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1779)
The FSC/ETI law is not good tax policy and should be repealed. Both the House of Representatives and the Senate have recently approved bills (H.R. 4520 and S. 1637) to repeal the FSC/ETI tax. However, both bills are flawed and should be revised in the House–Senate conference committee to reflect a single-rate, consumption-based territorial tax regime.
June 09, 2004
Sales Tax Deduction Would Subsidize Bigger Government, Undermine Tax Reform
By Daniel J. Mitchell
(WebMemo #520)
A federal deduction for state sales tax would facilitate an increase in the burden of state and local government.
May 24, 2004
FSC/ETI: A Missed Opportunity?
By Daniel J. Mitchell
(WebMemo #509)
Lawmakers are squandering a major opportunity to improve U.S. competitiveness and prosperity.
April 14, 2004
A Tax Code Report Card
By Daniel J. Mitchell
(WebMemo #476)
Have recent tax policy changes have led to a better tax code?
April 14, 2004
The Silver Lining of Tax Day 2004
By Alison Acosta Fraser, Bill Beach, Daniel Mitchell, and Keith Miller
(WebMemo #477)
April 15 is a date that engenders much fear and loathing among taxpayers...and for good reason.
March 31, 2004
Medicare: A Ticking Time Bomb for Tax Increases
By Daniel J. Mitchell
(WebMemo #462)
Unless the mistake of the Medicare drug benefit is fixed, burgeoning entitlement spending will create enormous pressure for higher taxes.
February 12, 2004
Spending Growth--Not Tax Cuts--Is the Reason for Fiscal Imbalance
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Executive Memorandum #913)
Some critics of the Bush Administration charge that tax cuts have dramatically reduced government revenues, causing long-term deficits that will hurt the economy by driving up interest rates. In reality, the relationship between deficits and interest rates is very weak, and historical budget data show that tax revenues in future years will be at their historical average even if the Bush tax cuts are made permanent.
January 26, 2004
Job Creation and the Taxation of Foreign-Source Income
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Executive Memorandum #911)
Worldwide taxation places U.S. companies at a competitive disadvantage abroad, reducing their share of the global market and the degree to which they can benefit by operating in low-tax jurisdictions. Territorial taxation is good tax policy, and reducing the tax burden on foreign-source income is a simple step in this direction that would result in more jobs, better jobs, and improved competitiveness of U.S. companies.
2003 Research
September 25, 2003
Making American Companies More Competitive
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1691)
A "territorial" tax system that taxes only income earned inside national borders would allow U.S.-based companies to compete on a level playing field with foreign competitors, particularly if accompanied by a significant reduction in the corporate tax rate. If Congress lacks the political will to engage in fundamental reform, it should at least go as far toward a territorial tax system as possible.
September 25, 2003
Executive Summary: Making American Companies More Competitive
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Executive Summary #1691)
August 13, 2003
The Historical Lessons of Lower Tax Rates
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #327)
There is a distinct pattern throughout American history: When tax rates are reduced, the economy's growth rate improves and living standards increase. Conversely, periods of higher tax rates are associated with sub par economic performance and stagnant tax revenues.
July 25, 2003
Why Medicare Expansion Threatens the Bush Tax Cuts and Undermines Fundamental Tax Reform
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1672)
President George W. Bush and many in Congress cite tax relief as the centerpiece of their economic agenda. Lawmakers who vote for the Medicare drug benefit are voting for a $2 trillion tax increase. Responsible lawmakers who oppose such substantial tax increases should look beyond the 2004 election and examine the burden that a Medicare drug burden will impose on future generations.
May 12, 2003
International Provisions of Tax Bill Undermine U.S. Competitiveness
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Executive Memorandum #878)
The three provisions of the Senate Finance Committee tax bill discussed in this paper undermine good tax policy and harm U.S. competitiveness. Why, then, are politicians taking these steps?
May 09, 2003
Senate Dividend Plan Fails to Deliver for the Economy
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Executive Memorandum #876)
President George W. Bush, the House Ways and Means Committee, and the Senate Finance Committee have advanced proposals to address the double taxation of dividends, but not all of them would result in equally large benefits.
April 18, 2003
Understanding Pro-Growth Tax Policy
By Daniel J. Mitchell
(WebMemo #263)
The House and Senate have chosen to provide no more than $550 billion of tax relief over the next ten years, and it is possible that the actual level of tax cuts could fall as low as $350 billion.
March 28, 2003
Pathway to Economic Growth and Tax Reform: Eliminating the Double Tax on Dividends
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D., Norbert J. Michel, and David C. John
(Backgrounder #1640)
Ending the double taxation of dividends also is an inherent and necessary component of fundamental tax reform.
March 28, 2003
bg1640es: Executive Summary - Pathway to Economic Growth and Tax Reform: Eliminating the Double Tax on Dividends
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D., Norbert J. Michel, and David C. John
(Executive Summary #1640)
bg1640es: Executive Summary - Pathway to Economic Growth and Tax Reform: Eliminating the Double Tax on Dividends
March 21, 2003
Nine Simple Guidelines for Pro-Growth Tax Policy
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Executive Memorandum #867)
To ensure that national income increases and to encourage the efficient use of national resources, lawmakers should focus on fiscal policy options that improve incentives to engage in productive behavior.
March 05, 2003
Protecting Seniors from Double Taxation
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1631)
Removing or reducing double taxation will lead to more jobs and higher living standards, will make America more competitive in the global economy, and will simplify the tax code.
February 11, 2003
Protecting Seniors from Double-Taxation
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Testimony #9999)
Eliminating the double tax on dividend income will increase growth by dramatically lowering the effective tax rate on business equity investment.
January 08, 2003
President Bush's Tax Package
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Executive Memorandum #847)
The President is seeking a three-fold increase in the amount of small-business investment that can be immediately deducted ("expensed"), thus reducing a perverse bias in the tax code and taking a further step on the road to fundamental tax reform.
2002 Research
November 27, 2002
Clinton-Era IRS Regulation Threatens Economy and Financial Markets
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Executive Memorandum #843)
The IRS regulation requiring that interest on foreign deposits be reported is bad tax policy and bad regulatory policy. It will hinder Bush's tax reform agenda and damage the U.S. economy by reducing the amount of capital available to workers and consumers. Treasury Secretary O'Neill should withdraw this regulation.
October 17, 2002
Debunking Four Election-Year Budget Myths
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Executive Memorandum #837)
President Bush's tax cut should not be immune from criticism, but the debate should be based on fact rather than election-year rhetoric. It appears that many critics condemn the tax cut because they are unwilling to concede that their real agenda is bigger government.
September 18, 2002
Making Tax Lemonade Out of WTO Lemons
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Executive Memorandum #834)
America must comply with WTO treaty obligations. Worldwide taxation should be repealed. Territorial taxation is good tax policy that would improve the competitiveness of American companies. Workers, consumers, and shareholders would reap the benefits.
August 29, 2002
Corporate Expatriation Protects American Jobs
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph. D.
(Executive Memorandum #829)
Corporation bashing may be fashionable, but it is not constructive. Instead of blaming the victim of their poor tax policies, Congress should fix the tax laws that cause expatriation. The U.S. imposes higher corporate tax rates than those of Sweden and France, two of the world's most socialist nations.
May 23, 2002
The Next Step for Tax Relief and Reform
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1554)
The Administration's tax package should be viewed as only a first step in a series of long-overdue reforms. The White House and congressional leaders should put further tax relief and reform on the agenda.
May 23, 2002
BG1554ES: The Next Step for Tax Relief and Reform
By Daniel J. Mitchell
(Executive Summary #1554)
BG1554ES: The Next Step for Tax Relief and Reform
May 03, 2002
BG1544ES: Correct Way to Measure the Revenue Impact of Changes in Tax Rates
By Daniel J. Mitchell
(Executive Summary #1544)
BG1544ES: The Correct Way to Measure the Revenue Impact of Changes in Tax Rates
May 03, 2002
Correct Way to Measure the Revenue Impact of Changes in Tax Rates
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1544)
Dynamic revenue estimates would provide policymakers with more accurate information. Dynamic forecasting is based on a proper understanding of how the economy works, and history has shown this approach to be far more realistic and accurate than static estimates.
2001 Research
November 27, 2001
Essential Conditions for a Pro-Growth Stimulus Package
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Executive Memorandum #793)
Congress is considering some form of tax relief to help the nation's sputtering economy, but not all tax cuts are created equal. Some proposals, such as temporary tax cuts, tax rebates, and "tax holidays," will do little or nothing to restore economic growth.
October 16, 2001
Three Obstacles to Good Tax Policy
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Executive Memorandum #784)
The argument for supply-side tax policy is simple: Lowering tax rates on productive behavior will improve the incentives to work, save, and invest. Critics may argue that President Bush's proposed tax cuts are too big and too risky, but there is no evidence to support their assertions.
October 16, 2001
Money-Laundering Bill Should Target Criminals, Not Low Taxes
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1492)
Money-laundering bills moving through the House and Senate would allow the Secretary of the Treasury to label any jurisdiction a "primary money laundering concern" merely because it has a low-tax economy. This is the wrong approach. The United States should seek to punish nations that harbor terrorists and their money, not nations with low taxes and financial privacy.
October 16, 2001
BG1492es: Money-Laundering Bill Should Target Criminals, Not Low Taxes
By Daniel J. Mitchell
(Backgrounder #1492es)
BG1492es: Money-Laundering Bill Should Target Criminals, Not Low Taxes
September 26, 2001
Why Congress Should Not Authorize a State Sales Tax Cartel
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Executive Memorandum #778)
A destination-based sales tax cartel would be bad for taxpayers. It would damage competition and privacy, erode fiscal discipline, and lead to higher tax burdens. It would threaten personal privacy by allowing third parties to examine financial transactions and buying patterns. And it would harm the President's ability to defend America's economic interests when dealing with Europe's welfare states.
September 25, 2001
Promoting Growth to Protect Security
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1478)
Economic growth is no longer just a matter of better jobs and higher incomes. It is now a national security issue. The terrorists have inflicted damage on lives and property. To recover, America needs a strong economy, and this means enacting tax cuts that will boost capital formation and improve incentives for investors and entrepreneurs.
September 05, 2001
How the Johnson-Neal Bill Would Harm
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1469)
Tax competition should be celebrated rather than penalized--even in those rare cases in which the United States has a less attractive tax system. Members of Congress who are concerned that U.S. tax law is making American companies uncompetitive should seek to change the law instead of trying to broaden its reach.
August 23, 2001
Ten Deceptive Myths About Social Security, the Budget and
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1467)
lawmakers should focus on increasing economic growth and expanding prosperity by lowering tax rates and reducing the size of government. Yet these central matters are the very issues that are being overshadowed by the misleading focus on Social Security's short-term fiscal balance.
July 20, 2001
A Tax Competition Primer
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1460)
When tax competition exists, politicians face pressure to keep tax rates reasonable in order to dissuade workers, investors, and entrepreneurs from shifting their productive activities to a lower tax environment.
July 05, 2001
Proposed IRS Regulation Flouts Congress
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Executive Memorandum #757)
The proposed IRS regulation flouts congressional intent and seeks to overturn existing law. It is bad economic policy, bad tax policy, and bad regulatory policy. The Treasury Department should withdraw this misguided regulation.
May 22, 2001
Lowering Marginal Tax Rates
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1443)
High rates of taxation and a tax code that punishes working, saving, and investing do not add up to a recipe for long-term prosperity. History shows clearly that lower tax rates are an integral part of a reform package that maximizes freedom and prosperity. Reducing all income tax rates is a responsible way to promote long-term economic growth.
May 22, 2001
BG1443es: Lowering Marginal Tax Rates
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Executive Summary #1443)
BG1443es: Lowering Marginal Tax Rates: The Key to Pro-Growth Tax Relief
April 27, 2001
$1.6 Trillion is Not Enough
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #10)
The Bush tax cut should be modified to provide more tax relief and to stimulate the economy. This would be best accomplished by letting the lower tax rates take effect right away and by adding a capital gains tax rate reduction to the package. Under no circumstances, however, should the tax cut be reduced in size.
March 07, 2001
The Economic Outlook and the President's Budget Priorities
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Testimony #9999)
The Economic Outlook and the President's Budget Priorities, 2002-2011
March 06, 2001
How Faulty Official Figures Greatly Overstate the Cost
By William W. Beach, Daniel J. Mitchell, and D. Mark Wilson
(Backgrounder #1416)
How Faulty Official Figures Greatly Overstate the Cost of the Bush Tax Plan
March 05, 2001
The Truth About Tax Rates and The Politics of Class Warfare
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1415)
The Truth About Tax Rates and The Politics of Class Warfare
January 16, 2001
Reducing Tax Rates Across the Board
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Executive Memorandum #711)
Reducing Tax Rates Across the Board: A Cornerstone of Pro-Growth Tax Relief
2000 Research
September 18, 2000
BG1395es: An OECD Proposal
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Executive Summary #1395)
BG1395es: An OECD Proposal To Eliminate Tax Competition Would Mean Higher Taxes and Less Privacy
September 18, 2000
OECD Proposal To Eliminate Tax Competition
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1395)
An OECD Proposal To Eliminate Tax Competition Would Mean Higher Taxes and Less Privacy
June 29, 2000
Pension Reform in Sweden: Lessons for American Policymakers
By Goran Normann, Ph.D. and Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1381)
Pension Reform in Sweden: Lessons for American Policymakers
June 29, 2000
Pension Reform in Sweden: Lessons for American Policymakers
By Goran Normann, Ph.D. and Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Executive Summary #1381es)
Pension Reform in Sweden: Lessons for American Policymakers
April 04, 2000
Social Security Report Shows Bigger Deficit
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Executive Memorandum #666)
Social Security's Trustees' Report Shows Bigger Long-Run Deficit
February 04, 2000
Why Critics of Social Security PRAs Are Wrong
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Executive Summary #1344)
Why Critics of Social Security Personal Retirement Accounts Are Wrong
February 04, 2000
Why Critics of Social Security PRAs Are Wrong
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1344)
Why Critics of Social Security Personal Retirement Accounts Are Wrong
January 28, 2000
Time to Sunset the Tax Code
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Executive Memorandum #645)
Time to Sunset the Tax Code
1999 Research
July 22, 1999
BG1309ES: How Taxes Reduce Savings
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Executive Summary #1309)
BG1309ES: How Taxes Reduce Savings
July 22, 1999
How Taxes Reduce Savings (Backgrounder)
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1309)
The fact that Americans save very little today should come as no surprise
April 16, 1999
Social Security Trust Fund's Finances Getting Worse
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1273)
After adjusting for inflation, Social Security's unfunded liability between now and 2075 has risen to $19.8 trillion.
February 22, 1999
The Social Security Trust Fund Fraud
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1256)
Thanks largely to the upcoming retirement of the baby boom generation, Social Security benefit payments soon will exceed payroll tax revenues.
February 22, 1999
The Social Security Trust Fund Fraud
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Executive Summary #1256es)
Defenders of the current Social Security system claim that huge future deficits in the program are not a cause for concern.
February 19, 1999
BG1253es: Time for Lower Income Tax Rates
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Executive Summary #1253es)
Time for Lower Income Tax Rates: The Historical Case for Supply-Side Economics
February 19, 1999
Time for Lower Income Tax Rate
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1253)
Proposals to lower income tax rates are receiving a great deal of attention from policymakers.
February 08, 1999
How to Fix the Marriage Penalty in the Tax Code
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1250)
Approximately 21 million American couples pay higher taxes simply because they are married and their combined incomes push them into a higher tax bracket.
February 05, 1999
Government-Controlled Investment
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1248)
President Bill Clinton has proposed that the federal government receive unprecedented power to invest more than $650 billion in the stock market over the next 15 years.
February 05, 1999
BG1248es: Government-Controlled Investment
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Executive Summary #1248)
BG1248es: Why the Government-Controlled Investment Would Undermine Retirement Security
1998 Research
December 23, 1998
Why the Government Should Not Invest
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1240)
Why the Government Should Not Invest Americans' Social Security Money
December 23, 1998
Why the Government Should Not Invest
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Executive Summary #1240)
June 22, 1998
Social Security's $20 Trillion Shortfall: Why Reform is Needed
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1194)
Social Security's $20 Trillion Shortfall: Why Reform is Needed
June 22, 1998
BG1194es: Social Security's $20 Trillion Shortfall: Why Reform is Needed
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Executive Summary #1194)
BG1194es: Social Security's $20 Trillion Shortfall: Why Reform is Needed
June 02, 1998
How Government Policies Discourage Savings
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1185)
How Government Policies Discourage Savings
May 04, 1998
Social Security Trust Fund Report
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D. and Gareth G. Davis
(Backgrounder #1176)
Social Security Trust Fund Report Shows Need For Reform
April 15, 1998
Why A Flat Tax is Needed to Reform the IRS
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1170)
737,734,941,858 Reasons...and Still Counting: Why a Flat Tax Is Needed To Reform The IRS
April 15, 1998
BG1170es: Why A Flat Tax Is Needed To Reform The IRS
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Executive Summary #1170)
BG1170es: 737,734,941,858 Reasons...And Still Counting: Why A Flat Tax Is Needed to Reform the IRS
March 11, 1998
Why Congress Should Repeal The Tax Code (EM)
By Daniel J. Mitchell
(Executive Memorandum #513)
Why Congress Should Repeal The Tax Code, taxes, Daniel J. Mitchell
February 11, 1998
Return the Revenue Surplus
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1155)
Return the Revenue Surplus to the Taxpayers
February 11, 1998
BG1155es: Return the Revenue Surplus
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Executive Summary #1155)
BG1155es: Return the Revenue Surplus to the Taxpayers
1997 Research
December 08, 1997
Australia's Privatized Retirement System
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D., and Robert P. O'Quinn
(Backgrounder #1149)
Australia's Privatized Retirement System: Lessons for the United States
August 14, 1997
BG1134: Flat Tax or Sales Tax?
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1134)
BG1134: Flat Tax or Sales Tax? A Win-Win Choice For America
July 18, 1997
BG1131: Class-Warfare Tax Policy
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1131)
BG1131: Class-Warfare Tax Policy: Myth and Reality
April 23, 1997
BG1109: Creating a Better Social Security System for America
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1109)
BG1109: Creating a Better Social Security System for America
April 02, 1997
BG1107: 577,951,692,634 Reasons...And Counting
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1107)
BG1107: 577,951,692,634 Reasons...And Counting: Why a Flat Tax is Needed to Reform the IRS
February 19, 1997
BG1104: Why a Tax Limitation/Balanced Budget Amendment
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1104)
BG1104: Why a Tax Limitation/Balanced Budget Amendment is Needed to Control Spending
February 10, 1997
BG1103: A Guide to the Flat Tax
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1103)
BG1103: A Guide to the Flat Tax: What Everyone in Business Should Know
1996 Research
August 09, 1996
BG1090: How to Measure the Revenue Impact
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1090)
BG1090: How to Measure the Revenue Impact of Changes in Tax Rates
July 19, 1996
BG1086: The Historical Lessons of Lower Tax
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1086)
BG1086: The Historical Lessons of Lower Tax Rates
May 14, 1996
HL565: Taxes, Deficits, and Economic Growth
By Daniel J. Mitchell
(Heritage Lecture #565)
HL565: Taxes, Deficits, and Economic Growth
March 29, 1996
Why a Supermajority Would Protect Taxpayers
By Daniel J. Mitchell
(WebMemo #000)
On April 15th, the House of Representatives will vote on a Constitutional Amendment requiring a two-thirds supermajority for Congress to raise taxes.
February 12, 1996
Worst Case Scenario: Flat Tax Would Boost Home Values by 7 Percent or More
By William W. Beach and Daniel J. Mitchell
(FYI #87)
Last year, the National Association of Realtors hired Data Resources Inc./McGraw-Hill, a leading economic firm, to analyze the economic effects of a flat tax. The resulting study concluded that the enactment of this tax, which would treat all taxpayers and all income equally, would result in a 15 percent drop in housing values, 1due largely to the elimination of the home mortgage interest deduction...
1995 Research
September 26, 1995
BG1055: Which Tax Reform Plan is Best
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1055)
BG1055: Which Tax Reform Plan is Best for America
May 25, 1995
BG1035: Jobs, Growth, Freedom, and
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1035)
BG1035: Jobs, Growth, Freedom, and Fairness: Why America Needs a Flat Tax
1993 Research
May 11, 1993
How a Value Added Tax Would Harm the U.S. Economy
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #940)
In a desperate search for new revenues to finance its planned health care programs, the Clinton Administration apparently is giving consideration to a version of a national sales tax known as a Value Added Tax (VAT).
February 18, 1993
BG928: Clinton's Budget: Higher Taxes
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #928)
BG928: Clinton's Budget: Higher Taxes and More Spending
1991 Research
February 13, 1991
EM295: A Proven Formula to Restore Economic Growth
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Executive Memorandum #295)
EM295: A Proven Formula to Restore Economic Growth
2007 Commentary
January 06, 2007
The IMF's Remarkably Shoddy Flat Tax Study
By Daniel J. Mitchell
The International Monetary Fund is supposed to help nations grow faster, but the international bureaucracy is frequently criticized because its officials often tell poor countries to raise taxes and devalue their currencies.
2006 Commentary
December 16, 2006
The Benefits of Good Tax Policy
By Daniel J. Mitchell
International bureaucracies usually disdain free-market policies. So it’s remarkable to see the World Bank issuing a new report, Paying Taxes: The Global Picture, that unambiguously endorses low tax rates, simple tax systems and even the Laffer Curve.
July 25, 2006
IRS snooping a bad augury
By Daniel J. Mitchell
Are your tax records safe? Good question. The Treasury Department last month admitted investigating thousands of cases of IRS employees improperly snooping through taxpayer records.
June 29, 2006
Tax Me Once, Shame on You... Tax Me Twice and the System Needs Fixing.
By Daniel J. Mitchell
Globalization is sending tax rates tumbling across the world, as jobs and capital migrate across borders in search of lower and more equitable taxation regimes. That makes it all the more imperative not only to roll back the recent tax increases on U.S. expatriates, but to eliminate double-taxation of overseas Americans altogether. Thankfully, there's a new bill in front of the U.S. Congress to do just that.
June 07, 2006
What Paulson needs to do
By Daniel J. Mitchell
Assuming no unexpected surprises on the road to confirmation, Henry M. Paulson Jr. of Goldman Sachs will soon be America's next Treasury secretary. Some observers wonder why Paulson agreed to leave a prestigious Wall Street position to serve in the last couple of years of a lame-duck administration, but many big policy decisions have yet to be made.
May 31, 2006
Strong growth of economy no coincidence
By Daniel J. Mitchell
Almost lost in the clamor over illegal immigration, Americans got some good economic news last week when President Bush signed legislation that will extend the 15 percent tax rate on dividends and capital gains through 2010.
May 30, 2006
Unfixed tax code
By Daniel J. Mitchell
While Americans struggle with one of the world's most complicated tax codes, it's worth noting about a dozen nations have adopted simple and fair flat-tax systems.
April 14, 2006
Why can't we fix the tax code?
By Daniel J. Mitchell
While Americans struggle to comply with one of the world's most complicated tax codes, it's worth noting that about one-dozen nations have adopted simple and fair flat-tax systems.
March 20, 2006
Flat Tax is the Way of the Future
By Daniel J. Mitchell
Thanks to globalisation, many nations are adopting better tax policies. Certain politicians still believe in high tax rates, of course, but they feel compelled to move in the opposite direction since it is now increasingly easy for labour and capital to escape oppressive tax regimes by crossing national borders.
February 22, 2006
Using tax money to push more taxes
By Daniel J. Mitchell
Government bureaucracies are wasteful, sluggish and ineffective, and they impose burdens on the productive sector of the economy. International bureaucracies, not surprisingly, are even worse. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is a good example.
2005 Commentary
December 23, 2005
A Flat-Out Winner for Tax Reform
By Daniel J. Mitchell
The report issued last month by President Bush's Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform landed in no-man's land. The right was disappointed that its proposals were so timid, and the left was critical because the report highlighted the damaging impact of high tax rates on work, saving and investment.
April 29, 2005
Death Tax Should be Killed, Not Wounded
By Daniel J. Mitchell
Small-business owners, farmers, investors and entrepreneurs face a good news-bad news quandary.
April 14, 2005
A Flat-Out Case for Tax Reform
By Daniel J. Mitchell
If anything's likely to boost support for the flat tax, it's the annual nightmare of tax season.
February 24, 2005
A Dangerous "VAT" of New Tax Revenue
By Daniel J. Mitchell
Tax reform is high on President Bush's list of second-term priorities. Considering the mess our tax code has become, this is welcome news.
February 02, 2005
Rising Benefits Threaten Social Security
By Daniel J. Mitchell
Even if Congress doesn't allow workers to invest part of their Social Security taxes in private accounts, it will have to address a growing problem with Social Security: The system is heading into bankruptcy, largely because future retirees are being promised much more money than current retirees are.
2004 Commentary
October 28, 2004
Shift Toward Flat Tax Continues
By Daniel J. Mitchell
The recently enacted corporate tax bill has attracted a lot of criticism, but the legislation actually is rather impressive considering the political obstacles.
October 07, 2004
An OPEC for Politicians?
By Daniel J. Mitchell
At the risk of stating the obvious, the United Nations hasn't been America's friend in recent years.
August 19, 2004
Protectionist Politics and Border Security
By Daniel J. Mitchell
It's bad enough when politicians undermine free trade with their protectionist inclinations. But now they're endangering national security.
August 10, 2004
Two Choices for Tax Reform
By Daniel J. Mitchell
Even people who disagree about tax cuts usually agree that our tax system is a mess. It should be repealed and replaced with a system that treats all taxpayers fairly and equally.
June 21, 2004
Be Nice to Liberals Day
By Daniel J. Mitchell
Politics is all too often a punch-below-the-belt business, and the nastiness seems to worsen during election years. Republicans and Democrats accuse each other of heinous crimes and ulterior motives -- and that's when the cameras are rolling.
April 14, 2004
Fixing a Broken Tax System
By Daniel J. Mitchell
America's complicated tax system needs a complete overhaul, not minor fixes. The large role that system plays in many of the political dramas dominating the daily headlines shows why.
March 24, 2004
Grading Bush
By Daniel J. Mitchell
President Bush's critics accuse him of presiding over a weak economy. They claim that job creation has been anemic and that growth has been uneven. Sure, partisan politics color these charges, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're untrue. What do the numbers actually say?
March 12, 2004
Bloated Government Threatens Long-Term Prosperity
By Daniel J. Mitchell
The charges lodged against the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts are deceptively simple: They have dramatically reduced government revenues, causing big, long-term deficits that will hurt the economy by driving up interest rates.
March 03, 2004
Europe Has Caught Tax-Cut Fever
By Daniel J. Mitchell
More than 20 years ago, Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan triggered a world-wide revolution by dramatically slashing marginal income tax rates. In addition to rejuvenating the U.K. and U.S. economies, these supply-side tax cuts prodded other nations into implementing similar reforms. Thanks to "tax competition" between nations, top tax rates in developed nations -- on average -- are nearly 20 points lower today than they were in the 1970s.
February 26, 2004
Will Kerry's False Charges Create Real Damage?
By Daniel J. Mitchell
America's number-one enemy isn't Al Qaeda, Libya, North Korea or Cuba. It's Bermuda! At least that's what John Kerry seems to want American voters to believe. At almost every campaign stop, he attacks "Benedict Arnold corporations" that move to Bermuda. One could almost conclude that Bermuda is a predatory regime that shelters scoundrels.
January 12, 2004
Want to Limit Lobbying? Cut Government
By Daniel J. Mitchell
Reducing the size and power of government is the only way to reduce influence peddling in Washington.
2003 Commentary
December 18, 2003
Radical U.N. Tax Plans Threaten America
By Daniel J. Mitchell
Many politicians seem to think that the answer to every alleged problem is higher taxes. Howard Dean, for instance, has said he would repeal the Bush tax cuts -- even though this would boost the average family's tax burden by nearly $2,000.
November 10, 2003
If a Flat Tax is Good for Iraq, How About America?
By Daniel J. Mitchell
Few Americans would want to trade places with the people of Iraq. But come tax time next April, they may begin to wonder who's better off.
October 31, 2003
Don't Penalize Companies for Investing in America
By Daniel J. Mitchell
Our tax code has many ridiculous features, but the booby prize may belong to a provision that discourages companies from investing profits in America and instead encourages them to keep money overseas.
September 22, 2003
The IRS Vs. The Bill Of Rights
By Daniel J. Mitchell
The IRS is the most feared government agency, and with good reason. Americans who run afoul of this bureaucratic behemoth have little chance of surviving unscathed.
August 19, 2003
Corporate Sqeeze
By Daniel J. Mitchell
It would be easy to resent the World Trade Organization right now. Here we are, trying to get our economy to grow, and the WTO comes along and says the European Union gets to impose a $4 billion annual tax hike on American companies.
August 13, 2003
Helping America Compete
By Daniel J. Mitchell
Here we are, trying to get our economy to grow, and the WTO comes along and says the European Union gets to impose a $4 billion annual tax hike on American companies.
April 24, 2003
The Right Kind of Tax Cut
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
The Right Kind of Tax Cut: As the discussions over the amount of the proposed tax cuts ensue, Daniel Mitchell states his belief that the state of the economy will more depend on the type of the tax cut.
April 17, 2003
A Better Way to Chastise France
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
A Better Way to Chastise France: Daniel Mitchell believes that the best way to get back at France is to strengthen the U.S. economy by cutting taxes, and therefore, attract foreign investors to the U.S. and away from tax-oppressed France.
March 24, 2003
Russia's Flat Tax Miracle
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
Russia's Flat Tax Miracle
February 25, 2003
Is free trade a revitalizing force?
By Daniel J. Mitchell
Is free trade a revitalizing force?
January 08, 2003
ed010803b: An Economic Plan That Adds Up
By Daniel J. Mitchell
ed010803b: An Economic Plan That Adds Up
2002 Commentary
November 20, 2002
ED112002: Good Riddance, Rossotti
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
ED112002: Good Riddance, Rossotti
October 25, 2002
ED102502: Two Cheers for Bankruptcy
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
ED102502: Two Cheers for Bankruptcy
October 17, 2002
Sorting Fact From Fiction
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
Sorting Fact From Fiction
October 04, 2002
Can't Pin Fiscal Woes on W.
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
Can't Pin Fiscal Woes on W.
August 15, 2002
ED081502: IRS Plays While O'Neill Is Away
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
IRS Plays While O'Neill Is Away
June 19, 2002
America: Europe's Tax Collector?
By Daniel J. Mitchell
America: Europe's Tax Collector?
June 19, 2002
End the Tax Code Lunacy
By Daniel J. Mitchell
End the Tax Code Lunacy
May 16, 2002
Tax Reform - Not More Audits
By Daniel J. Mitchell
Tax Reform - Not More Audits
May 02, 2002
Bad Tax Policy: You Can Run?
By Daniel J. Mitchell
Bad Tax Policy: You Can Run?
April 04, 2002
More Snooping from the IRS?
By Daniel J. Mitchell
More Snooping from the IRS?
March 28, 2002
The EU's Tax Attack
By Daniel J. Mitchell
We'd be better off just telling the Europeans to drop any notion of interfering with American tax policy.
March 21, 2002
Tax Reform: Russia, 1; United States, 0
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
Tax Reform: Russia, 1; United States, 0
February 07, 2002
Cutting Taxes Faster Would Help Everyone
By Daniel Mitchell
Cutting Taxes Faster Would Help Everyone
January 23, 2002
U.N. Tax Police: On the Beat
By Daniel Mitchell, Ph.D.
U.N. Tax Police: On the Beat, Daniel Mitchell, taxes
January 07, 2002
Tax Cuts: Now You See Them...
By Daniel Mitchell, Ph.D.
Tax Cuts: Now You See Them...
2001 Commentary
December 20, 2001
The Anti-Stimulus Plan
By Daniel J. Mitchell
The Anti-Stimulus Plan
December 04, 2001
Stimulus Straphanger
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
Stimulus Straphanger
October 05, 2001
Don't Scapegoat Tax Havens
By Daniel J. Mitchell
Don't Scapegoat Tax Havens
August 30, 2001
Economy Demands a Bigger Tax Cut
By Daniel Mitchell
Economy Demands a Bigger Tax Cut
August 22, 2001
Social Security & the Budget: Exposing the Myths
By Daniel Mitchell
Social Security & the Budget: Exposing the Myths
August 21, 2001
A One-World Taxing Authority?
By Daniel Mitchell
A One-World Taxing Authority?
July 31, 2001
WTO Edict Requires Global Tax Repair
By Daniel Mitchell
WTO Edict Requires Global Tax Repair
April 12, 2001
Tax Day Nightmare Gets Worse
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
Tax Day Nightmare Gets Worse
March 21, 2001
A Trigger...For Bigger Government
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
A Trigger...For Bigger Government
March 07, 2001
Class Warfare Obscures the Tax-Cut Debate
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
Class Warfare Obscures the Tax-Cut Debate
March 01, 2001
Tax Cuts Won't Harm Social Security
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
Tax Cuts Won't Harm Social Security
February 07, 2001
ED020701: Why We Need to Cut Tax Rates
By Daniel J. Mitchell
ED020701: Why We Need to Cut Tax Rates
January 24, 2001
ED012401: The Greatest Threat to Our Economy
By Daniel J. Mitchell
ED012401: The Greatest Threat to Our Economy
2000 Commentary
December 14, 2000
Tax Cuts: Now More Than Ever
By Daniel Mitchell, Ph.D.
Tax Cuts: Now More Than Ever
November 29, 2000
Big Brother or Financial Privacy?
By Daniel J. Mitchell
Big Brother or Financial Privacy?
October 26, 2000
A Taxing Debate
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
A Taxing Debate
September 20, 2000
Fixing the 'Wage Gap'
By Daniel J. Mitchell
Fixing the 'Wage Gap'
July 18, 2000
Social Security: As the World Turns
By Daniel J. Mitchell
Social Security: As the World Turns
April 12, 2000
Big Government's Trojan Horse
By Daniel J. Mitchell
Big Government's Trojan Horse
April 05, 2000
Microsoft Ruling An Inept Stab At Industrial Policy
By Daniel J. Mitchell
Microsoft Ruling An Inept Stab At Industrial Policy
February 10, 2000
Making the U.S. Tax Code Even Worse
By Daniel J. Mitchell
ED021000: Making the U.S. Tax Code Even Worse
1999 Commentary
December 23, 1999
How to End Campaign Corruption
By Daniel J. Mitchell
There are many reasons to dislike Senator McCain's approach to campaign finance.
August 12, 1999
Social Security: Ready to Retire?
By Daniel J. Mitchell
Social Security: Ready to Retire?
November 20, 2009
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