Tag Archive: economy
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Happy Tax Freedom Day!
Ben Wilterdink | April 18, 2013 | Add a commentEach year, the Tax Foundation releases a report on Tax Freedom Day – the day when the annual tax burden is paid off and people are able to keep their income. This year, that day is April 18. The calculation is a measurement of the total amount Americans earn in … »
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Myth of the Day: Lower Tax Rates are Bad for the Economy
Our blog post on Myth #1 explained why it is untrue to assume that increased government spending (economic stimulus proposals in particular) leads to increased economic growth. Today’s myth strikes at a related assumption: lower tax rates are bad for the economy in a recession and always lead to lower … »
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Sequestration: Putting Our States and Nation at Risk
By Karla Jones and Patrick Doup, No organization is more committed to limited government, lower taxes and balancing the federal budget than the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). We have long championed fiscal responsibility at all levels of government and promoted a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. But … »
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Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: Long on Opinion, Short on Research
ALEC Blog Team | February 20, 2013 | Add a commentThe Left-wing Center for Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) is out with a new essay attacking the economic basis for low tax, free-market, limited government policy proposals like those laid out in Rich States, Poor States. In reality, CBPP’s paper is a case study in poor research methods, self-referentialism, and confirmation bias. The … »
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Myth of the Day: Increased government spending stimulates the economy during recessions
As state legislatures consider fundamental tax reform this session, ALEC’s Center for State Fiscal Reform recently released Tax Myths Debunked, a study that clarifies seven main misconceptions about tax policy. Co-authors Dr. Pozdena, former vice president of research at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, and Dr. Fruits use overwhelming evidence to confirm that … »
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Preparing for an Uncertain Fiscal Future: What Other States Can Learn From Utah
ALEC Blog Team | February 12, 2013 | Add a commentBy: Bob Williams and Kati Siconolfi As sequestration approaches quickly, state legislators should discuss how to provide essential services while facing possible federal aid reductions. While a majority of the states depend on federal funds, and this trend is increasing, Utah provides a great example on preparing for an uncertain … »
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No Snake Oil, Life is About Incentives
ALEC Blog Team | December 10, 2012 | Add a commentBy Jonathan Small, CPA Many have heard the saying, “You reap what you sow.” This is an undeniable fact of life, reality. Essentially, this saying means that productive efforts eventually yield constructive results and destructive efforts eventually yield damaging results. Recently, two groups — the Iowa Policy Project and Good … »
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Hired With a Silver Spoon?
Ben Wilterdink | October 31, 2012 | Add a commentAt a time when states are tightening their budgets and looking everywhere to find savings, one area has been largely overlooked. A new study released by Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) highlights the major disparity between state workers and private sector workers. In the new report, titled Public Servants or … »
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Tech Sector and Organizations Tackle the Nation’s Skills and Talent Deficit
John Stephenson | October 8, 2012 | Add a commentThe United States faces yet another deficit, but this one is not a simple matter of red ink in a government budget. U.S. companies urgently need thousands of skilled professionals trained in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, but there are not enough workers with the necessary skills. … »
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Intellectual Property: The Innovation Economy’s Engine for Growth and Job Creation
Tom Bird | October 8, 2012 | Add a commentIntellectual Property (IP) is work or an invention resulting from creativity and innovation and can be used to define anything from a piece of art to the latest technological gadget. Intellectual property rights (IPR) have always been part of the American legal landscape and were so important to the Framers … »
