Higher Taxes Won't Reduce the Deficit

Politicians claim we need to raise taxes to reduce the deficit, but history shows that higher taxes have always lead to even higher spending.

In the late 1980s, one of us, Richard Vedder, and Lowell Gallaway of Ohio University co-authored a often-cited research paper for the congressional Joint Economic Committee (known as the $1.58 study) that found that every new dollar of new taxes led to more than one dollar of new spending by Congress. Subsequent revisions of the study over the next decade found similar results.

We've updated the research. Using standard statistical analyses that introduce variables to control for business-cycle fluctuations, wars and inflation, we found that over the entire post World War II era through 2009 each dollar of new tax revenue was associated with $1.17 of new spending. Politicians spend the money as fast as it comes in—and a little bit more.

The only option left is to cut spending, but we already knew that, didn't we?

The US Constitution... on Facebook

I recently found a facebook page dedicated to the US Constitution. Naturally, I investigated what I assumed would be a haven of bright, politically motivated citizens who were concerned about the state of the nation and our departure from the words of our forefathers. I couldn't have been more wrong.

Link: http://www.facebook.com/usconstitution

Instead, what I found was a beehive of partisan knee jerking and uninformed sniping. Basically, a bad infection of Dumb.

My first post was simply "I like the US Constitution, I wish the government still followed it." I was immediately attacked by several people who must have assumed I was some kind of lunatic, and they demanded "one, just one" example of my claim. I gave them about 10 off the top of my head, and then left the stupids to soak it in. Not one of them could challenge what I said, but of course that didn't stop them from continuing their retarded bleating.

My point is that, if the discourse on that page is reflective of the nation at large, then we are truly fucked.

My second point is that if you are bored, and are looking for some way to improve this country that doesn't require moving from your computer, please go to this page and drop some knowledge on them. They need it. Bad.

edit: Looking back, this post is really harsh. But oh well, I'm not taking it down. Don't take it personally, because it isn't directed at you. It's more directed at my frustration with political discourse in general. These people at the US Constitution page are just my scapegoat. So yeah, I'm a nice guy, but not when I'm angry.