Downsizing Blog
Waste, Fraud, and Abuse
Waste, fraud, and abuse are inevitable in trillion-dollar programs.
Federal Debt and Unfunded Entitlement Promises
Biden’s budget‐busting Build Back Better plan has been beaten back, but federal finances are still badly broken.
Industrial Policy Fails Another (Rapid) Test
It was good to see President Biden finally acknowledge yesterday what anyone in America with a school‐age child, job in a front‐facing industry, or overseas travel plans has known for months: U.S. policy regarding COVID-19 testing has been a piping hot mess.
State Spending Soars
In 2020, many reporters and analysts portrayed state and local governments as facing doom‐and‐gloom with falling revenues and slashed services. I didn’t buy the grim narrative.
Amtrak Slower Than Buses on Many Routes
My daughters have gone to college in Pittsburgh and Poughkeepsie, NY. As they will be traveling back and forth to D.C., we have compared transportation options.
Can Taxing Cryptocurrencies Really Add $28 Billion to the Budget?
Cryptocurrencies came under fire this fall when Congress identified the nascent industry as an opportunity to raise tax revenue.
Reconciliation Bill Would Expand Housing Subsidies Prone to Fraud and Corruption
The Democratic reconciliation bill includes dozens of new and expanded tax credits for businesses and other special interests.
How Much Will Biden’s Infrastructure Plan Eventually Cost? History Suggests Some Worrisome Answers
Here at Cato we’ve written many times about the record of big infrastructure projects and “megaprojects”:
U.S. Tax Gap Relatively Small
The Democrats have moved their huge tax‐and‐spend reconciliation bill through the House, and it now heads to the Senate. The bill includes large tax increases on businesses, investment, and high‐earning individuals.
The Midwest Rail Plan: A Disaster Waiting to Happen
The recently passed infrastructure bill includes $36 billion for “federal‐state partnerships for intercity passenger rail grants.”