Shutting Down ISIS’ Antiquities Trade
The attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, California, reminded the world that the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria is at war with western civilization. The U.S. government desperately needs a …
The North American Free Trade Agreement and Mexican Monopolies
Supporters of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) among Canada, the United States and Mexico predicted the pact would boost Mexico’s economic growth and raise the living standards of its people. However, …
The Doctor Will See You Now?
Digital technology and mobile applications have changed the face of nearly every service-oriented industry. Mobile health care (mHealth) applications offer access to basic care and routine monitoring anytime, anywhere. Telemedicine — the use …
An Analysis of Ohio’s Income Tax Changes from 2013 to 2014
According to IRS and Census data, Ohio lost about $23 billion in annual adjusted gross income (AGI) from 1992 to 2014 due to residents moving to other states. Prior to 2013, Ohio …
Redefining Jobs Down: Managers, Salaried Workers and Overtime Pay
In 2016, millions of professional and salaried American workers will be effectively reclassified as hourly workers and eligible for mandatory overtime pay due to a change in U.S. Department of Labor regulations. While …
Technology and Economic Growth in the Information Age: A Follow-Up
In the 17 years since the NCPA published Michael Cox and Richard Alm’s report, “Technology and Economic Growth in the Information Age,” the technology landscape in the United States has changed dramatically, with …
Exporting U.S. Inflation
In late 2008, in order to boost the American economy and help mitigate the effects of the Great Recession, the Federal Reserve adopted an expansionary monetary policy, enlarging its balance sheet. The …
Denver VA versus Dallas Parkland
Denver and Dallas both had aging public hospitals in need of replacement: one served the most vulnerable of the city’s population, the other served the most valiant. The Veterans’ Administration (VA) hospital …
An Analysis of North Carolina’s Income Tax Changes from 2013 to 2014
According to IRS and Census data, North Carolina gained about $30 billion annually in adjusted gross income (AGI) from 1992 to 2014 due to residents moving in from other states. The …
Dodd-Frank in the Congo
The consequences of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Protection Act can be felt as far away as the Congo. Buried deep within the massive regulatory package is a conflict minerals statute …
The Fed Is Holding Rates Down for All the Wrong Reasons
In September and October, under intense public scrutiny, the Fed passed up another opportunity to raise short-term interest rates. So the guessing game shifted six weeks forward to the next meeting of …
The Remote Transactions Parity Act: Burdening the Private Sector
The U.S. Constitution protects interstate commerce from discriminatory state taxes.1 Yet the growing e-commerce market and potential revenue from sales and use taxes prompts questions regarding expectations for online retailers. The 2015 Remote …
How Dodd-Frank Harms Main Street
The financial crisis of 2007-2008 was a shock to the American economy. The federal regulatory response of 2009-2010 was equally shocking to the financial system. The reforms enshrined in the Wall Street …
Would the Lee-Rubio Tax Plan Help Lower-Income Households?
Since the roll-out of the Lee-Rubio tax proposal in March 2015, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and the Tax Foundation have disagreed whether the plan would benefit people at all …
The Importance of Intellectual Property Protection to the U.S. Economy
From the telegraph to the telephone to the iPhone, innovation has always been at the heart of the American spirit. In an era of rapidly increasing globalization, protection of the inventions and …
Electronic Health Records: A Physician’s View
Driving to my medical office one spring morning on the Dallas North Tollway, I was taken aback by a massive billboard extolling the virtues of electronic health records (EHRs) at a local …
Markets, Not Janet Yellen, Should Set Interest Rates
Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen delivered her semiannual monetary policy report to Congress on July 15, 2015. Speaking before the House Committee on Financial Services in Washington, D.C., Yellen said that trends …
The U.S. Export-Import Bank Reauthorization Debate
Since 1934, the Export-Import Bank (Exim) has been the official U.S. export credit agency, financing the purchase of U.S. manufacturing exports by foreign governments and companies when private lenders are unavailable or …
Travel Taxes: The Hidden Trifecta
In recent years, in a drive toward more revenue, officials at every level of government have raised a trifecta of travel-based taxes dramatically. As a result, travelers bear large effective tax burdens that …
Lower Cost, Over-the-Counter Contraceptives
Much ado has been made about Obamacare’s mandate requiring most health plans to cover 100 percent of the cost of prescription contraceptives with no deductibles or copays. Many believe the mandate lessens …
The Case for Conditional Cash Transfers in the United States
Programs in several countries providing conditional cash transfers to low-income individuals and families are focused on improving the education and general well-being of children. The conditions parents must meet range from general health check-ups to school attendance and performance requirements. Though cash transfer programs are popular and successful internationally, particularly in developing countries, Americans have paid very little attention to their potential benefits.
How the Shale Gas Boom Creates Estate Tax Problems for Farmers
On April 16, 2015, the House of Representatives voted to repeal the estate tax.1 The Obama Administration decried the proposed tax cut and vowed a veto.2 The Senate is now considering a repeal bill introduced by Senator John Thune.3 With this controversial tax again in the news, it is time for a re-evaluation, because this tax stifles economic growth and punishes small business owners and farmers.
Obamacare Health Insurance COOPs Are Unraveling
Many supporters of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) wanted a public plan option to compete with the private insurers offering insurance in the state and federal health exchanges. To placate these progressives, the ACA created a type of nonprofit health insurance cooperative that would borrow funds from the government for start-up costs and solvency reserves.
Real, Simple (and Transparent) Tax Reform
Every candidate running for the presidency in 2016 will trumpet tax reform as part of his or her agenda. The contenders may propose to reduce rates, eliminate deductions, or give credits for this or that. But real reform requires structural changes to the tax system. Otherwise, taxpayers will be left with the same onerous system as today.
Dynamic Scoring and Congress
One of the 114th Congress’ first moves was to open discussion on dynamic scoring. On January 6, 2015, the House of Representatives adopted a rule change that would require all legislation to be dynamically scored.