Articles by Daniel J. Mitchell

Daniel J. Mitchell is a Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute, the free-market, Washington D.C. think tank. His articles are cross-posted on his blog, by agreement.

In praise of Germany. Well, kind of, relatively...

The moral of the story is that Germany shows that good things happen when spending is restrained, but long-run good performance requires long-run spending discipline
by Daniel J. Mitchell - 7 March 2014
Not capitalism; cronyism: Big government makes it so

For all intents and purposes, big government in Washington has created a niche market for insiders who learn the specialized skill of transferring money from those who earned it to those with political pull. It's the same across the Western world
by Daniel J. Mitchell - 4 March 2014
Killing the poor is a perverted obsession of the Left

The Left needs the poor so much that it wants as many people as possible in poverty. Just look at the data and find an argument to dispute this. Shame on the Left for its disgraceful, self-serving behaviour
by Daniel J. Mitchell - 3 March 2014
The missing data in Krugman's German austerity narrative

Following Krugman's own advice, I didn't just repeat what I've heard. I dug into the data to find the truth about German spending. You'll be shocked to learn that Krugman was wrong
by Daniel J. Mitchell - 28 February 2014
How can sentient beings support a minimum wage?

Ask supporters of a minimum wage what would happen if it was raised to $100 per hour. Once they admit it would lead to massive job losses they’ve accepted the principle, from which point its failings are obvious to all intelligent people
by Daniel J. Mitchell - 25 February 2014
More guns less crime

It is practically impossible to have a serious debate about guns in Britain and Europe, and in America there's plenty of hysteria too. But the facts won't go away: more guns mean less crime
by Daniel J. Mitchell - 21 February 2014
US stronger belief in liberty than Europe. Can it last?

Fascinating polling evidence shows 58 percent of Americans choose freedom over statism (35 percent). With Brits, Germans, French and Spanish, such figures are more or less reversed
by Daniel J. Mitchell - 20 February 2014
Obamacare and Atlas Shrugged

Obamacare as a policy is so bad that it resembles a scene in an Ayn Rand novel
by Daniel J. Mitchell - 17 February 2014
Why do politicians think they own us?

One of the most odious features of politicians is that they think they’re entitled to all of our money. But it goes beyond that. They also think they’re being magnanimous if they let us keep some of what we earn
by Daniel J. Mitchell - 14 February 2014
Welfare multiplied by demographics equals doom

Any type of pay-as-you-go welfare state becomes increasingly expensive when there are more and more old people and fewer and fewer young workers. See the killer graph showing why some nations are doomed
by Daniel J. Mitchell - 10 February 2014
Obama's dismal, Europe-style jobs legacy

The key to prosperity is small government and free markets. To the extent the U.S. becomes more like France and less like Hong Kong, it is doomed to get anemic economic performance
by Daniel J. Mitchell - 6 February 2014
What motivates the Left: Envy or Greed?

From this side of the Atlantic to the other there's plenty of evidence of Leftist greed. But it is the sheer envy-obsessed urge to punish success that really stands out
by Daniel J. Mitchell - 5 February 2014
Another example of the failure of Keynesian economics

Simply stated, you don’t get more growth by expanding the size and scope of government. When will that finally sink in?
by Daniel J. Mitchell - 1 February 2014
Why banks can treat their customers like dirt

Government-mandated spying on our bank accounts is both pointless and part of a broader effort to oppress people. Some politicians and bureaucrats even want to track our driving habits with GPS devices
by Daniel J. Mitchell - 29 January 2014
A delicious picture: Left prefers poverty to inequality

Margaret Thatcher got it. China gets it. The economically illiterate Left doesn't. Or is it that they would rather see people get poorer rather than forsake the unholy grail of equality?
by Daniel J. Mitchell - 27 January 2014