jobs and employment	265
economics	206
education	190
state and local government	190
indiana	176
economic development	174
budget and spending	149
taxes	148
law and public policy	147
workforce and human capital	142

Commentaries tagged with federal government

July 6, 2025	Churchill Was Right About AmericansSuccess demands that we look a problem squarely in the eye.
May 25, 2025	Previewing the Long-Term Effects of TariffsThe dominant effect of the Trump tariffs will be to raise production costs on almost every American manufacturing firm.
May 18, 2025	It’s TDS to Suppose These Tariffs Are WorkingTrump has pushed the U.S. into an economic downturn that will be especially hurtful to Hoosiers.
May 11, 2025	Trump’s Tariff Recession Is HereMy new forecast, completed in late April, predicts a national recession began as early as March in reaction to Trump’s tarriffs.
April 13, 2025	The Stupidest of PoliciesThis whipsawing of tariff rates has unnerved financial markets, which on Wednesday, were toying with a liquidity crisis.
April 6, 2025	American Scientific Brain Drain Is Now HappeningUniversities need to be free, not conformist.
March 16, 2025	What to Expect in This RecessionThere is risk of a lot of pain.
March 2, 2025	What Is Government Inefficiency?Different levels of government concern themselves with different problems.
December 8, 2024	Sorting and Policy DivergenceWithout room for state-level differences in what it meant to be a Republican or Democrat, states began to align with national politics.
November 24, 2024	Thanksgiving 2024For Americans, particularly poorer Americans, the current economy has never been stronger.
November 10, 2024	Economic and Policy Expectations for a Trump PresidencyIt is not hard to gauge the policy choices Trump will prefer.
October 27, 2024	Indiana Is Ground Zero for Anti-American IdeologiesBad ideas rarely die of their own accord.
September 29, 2024	The Soft Landing MiracleThe hard part was ending inflation without also causing a recession.
September 8, 2024	You Maybe Don’t Want to Ask How We Can Balance our Federal BudgetIt seems like we could easily cut spending—until you understand what we are spending money on.
August 11, 2024	Project 2025 Is a Roadmap to DisasterThe document is alarming enough that former President Trump denied knowledge of its existence.
July 28, 2024	Biden’s Presidency Has Been Very ConsequentialBiden has held elected office for all but four of the last 54 years, serving on a city council, as U.S. senator, vice president, and, finally, president.
July 7, 2024	Freedom Is DifficultSimply living in the United States is as easy as it gets, and almost always has been.
June 23, 2024	Some Good Reasons for Partisan Perceptions About the EconomyThe gap between rich places and poor places is growing in more ways than one.
May 5, 2024	US Debt Will Change Local Economic Development PoliciesThere’s no tax cut that will generate rapid economic growth, nor is there some magical spending mix that will cause a big spike in productivity.
February 18, 2024	NATO Has Secured Our Peace and Prosperity The wars of the 20th century were economic disasters of historic proportion.
February 4, 2024	Libertarians Going CrazyLibertarian viewpoints offer us a useful reminder of what restraints we must put upon those who govern us.
January 7, 2024	What Does New GDP Data Tell Us About the Hoosier Economy?More than half of all the state’s new residents since 2020 live in one of two counties.
December 3, 2023	The ‘Great Discordance’ of Economic Fact and FeelingThat Americans appear to prefer higher unemployment over historically mild inflation is not something any of us should be proud of.
November 12, 2023	Defend Democracies on This Veteran’s DayOur Constitution offers the highest form of a liberal democracy.
October 29, 2023	The Association for Business and Economic ResearchResearch discovers something no one knows about a problem.
October 1, 2023	Another Stupid Government ShutdownShutdowns are often a demonstration of clownsmanship, not statesmanship.
September 17, 2023	Thoughts About Trump’s Tax PlanIn considering any tax change, first ask how it might eventually reduce the debt.
August 6, 2023	Looking Back at Mistakes with a Critical EyeI was not alone in making these mistakes, but there’s no comfort in being wrong with a crowd.
July 23, 2023	Populists Are Wrong—Life Is Better TodayMany problems arise when comparing the past to today.
July 2, 2023	July 4th and American-Style ConservatismA true American conservative cannot believe that government should promote that faith, or treat those of other faiths differently.
May 21, 2023	Big Savings for Ending Prevailing WageMy statistical models show that repealing state prevailing wage laws save taxpayers money.
May 7, 2023	Money Illusion and InflationPrice fluctuation could cause inflation to last longer, but it didn’t cause the inflation, it simply extends the pain.
February 19, 2023	Balancing the Federal BudgetThere’s no silver bullet that will return our debt to comfortable levels.
January 15, 2023	Three Types of Public DebtAll types of public debt are effectively transfers of wealth from the future to our present selves.
December 4, 2022	Inflation Will Make the Legislature’s Job Difficult This YearThe budget challenges faced by state legislatures are twofold.
November 13, 2022	The Timing of Economic PolicyCentral planning of economic activity likely will result in wasteful, ineffective policies.
August 28, 2022	Student Loan Forgiveness Is a Policy MistakeThis addition to federal debt during this time risks worsening inflation.
August 21, 2022	Limiting Future InflationOverreacting to inflation can be worse to the economy than underreacting.
July 10, 2022	The Tensions of Economic Policy in a Volatile TimeDiffering political views can lead to very different policy choices.
July 3, 2022	The 246th Anniversary of ‘The Great Experiment’Our nation may be at its most divided, but I have great hope.
June 26, 2022	Inflation Affects Each Family DifferentlyWe understand earthquakes and hurricanes better than we do inflation.
June 19, 2022	Yes, State Stimulus Checks Boost InflationTax reductions and rebates can only increase inflation.
May 15, 2022	Inflation Is a Policy and Political ProblemWe should all be humble in our criticism of the federal government in causing inflation.
March 20, 2022	Quality of Life Spending Is a Conservative PolicyHome prices and wages signal the desirability of communities.
January 23, 2022	Indiana’s Long-Term Economic Prospects Are PoorState policymakers should be deeply alarmed about a return to a ‘normal’ economy.
December 12, 2021	The 2022 ForecastFrom retail and restaurants to logistics and manufacturing firms, the U.S. economy has been astonishingly resilient.
December 5, 2021	Some More Talk About Inflation RisksA price increase does not equate inflation.
November 14, 2021	It Is Time to Be Honest About Debt, Spending and TaxationSpending that makes us more productive often pays for itself through increased GDP that is then taxed.
August 22, 2021	How to Think About the Infrastructure BillInfrastructure spending reallocates jobs far more often than it creates them.
July 4, 2021	The Ideals of Independence DayLiberty flows from the simple act of being human, not from government, religion, ancestry or race.
May 30, 2021	Pay Shortage, Not Labor ShortageThe most relevant data is not on the quantity of jobs, but the wages that indicate whether or not there is a labor shortage.
May 23, 2021	Thoughts on the Infrastructure PlanThis plan is perhaps too large but could be more effective than expected.
April 4, 2021	Inflation Is Not Our Top ProblemRecession effects are influenced by the tradeoff between unemployment and inflation.
March 21, 2021	Let’s Be Honest About the COVID Relief BillToo little stimulus is far worse than too much.
March 14, 2021	Two Sides of the Minimum WageWhat role should the government play?
January 31, 2021	How This Recession Is UnfoldingIt appears now that we’ll end 2020 with a downturn that ranks in the top five to seven worst years since the 1920s.
January 24, 2021	A Recap of Mr. Trump’s PresidencyLet’s review the good, the bad, and the ugly.
January 17, 2021	An Attack on America’s EconomyThis was not a protest, nor was it an accident.
January 3, 2021	Political Economy for the HolidaysTo avoid the stain of hypocrisy, ideas must also guide our behavior.
December 13, 2020	How to Stop Worrying About National PoliticsLocal government requires pragmatic competence, not ideological showmanship.
December 6, 2020	The Private Sector Is the Hero of COVIDSmart, successful businesses chase consumer interests.
November 29, 2020	Regional Divergence and Local TaxesIn recent decades, nearly all large urban places thrived, while smaller cities and rural places mostly stagnated.
November 22, 2020	Some New and Better Data About Labor MarketsWorker benefits and child care options may affect labor participation.
November 8, 2020	Some Places of Economic CompromiseWe are in the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, and that gives us a chance for Congress to compromise.
November 1, 2020	The Economic Policies of the Losing Party Also MatterEach party may face identity crisis depending on the outcome of the election.
March 1, 2020	Pandemics and Market EffectsTo prepare for Covid-19, we study past disease outbreaks.
September 15, 2019	Causes of a Possible RecessionEconomic shocks cause recessions.
March 31, 2019	MMT and Modern Supply-Side Economics Are Both NonsenseThese theories are a political panacea.
August 19, 2018	It Is Time to End the War on DrugsWe need another approach.
May 6, 2018	Indiana at Huge Risk in Trade DisruptionsBetween 1818 and 2018, technology essentially killed every existing job and created every new one.
January 7, 2018	Relax: Charitable Giving Will Rise in 2018There is a great deal of uncertainty about the ultimate size of the impact.
December 31, 2017	Hypocrisy About Tax Reform a Bipartisan MatterAs voters, we deserve nothing better than the fruits of our electoral choices.
November 5, 2017	The Need for Corporate Tax CutsCutting corporate taxes will have an effect on wages, but it won’t come in the form of direct wage increases.
July 16, 2017	Thoughts on the Universal Basic IncomeThis program would put more money in our paychecks but also would eliminate the social safety net.
May 14, 2017	Some Disinformation About the Trump Tax PlanIt’s untrue this tax plan is that it can pay for itself.
April 23, 2017	Bad Regulation Leads to Bad Customer ServiceCustomer dissatisfaction with businesses is common.
April 2, 2017	Healthcare Law Changes About Consumer Choice Healthcare information is ruthlessly suppressed.
February 26, 2017	Are We on the Cusp of a New Federalist Approach to Government?State-level policy provides options for residents who can vote with their feet.
November 20, 2016	What Will a Trump Presidency Bring to Our Economy?It seems probable that big changes can noticeably affect economic growth.
November 13, 2016	Three Quick Lessons About the ElectionElections matter, and future elections matter.
October 9, 2016	Slow Growth Our Biggest ProblemA 2-percent difference in economic growth means a 63-year lag in stardard of living.
May 22, 2016	We Must Take Federal Tax Dollars, then Elect a Better PresidentFederal funding typically amounts to about 10 percent of the budget.
October 26, 2014	Ebola, Soda and School LunchesThis whole issue is about the size and scope of government.
September 14, 2014	Focus on Shrinking the Federal GovernmentMost of our current problems are at the local level: schools, crime, housing, unemployment, and poverty.
July 27, 2014	Truth and Consequences about InflationInflation is oft confused with simple fluctuations in supply and demand.
July 6, 2014	Court Rulings Uphold FreedomSome issues should stay as matters of individual conscience, not public policy.
April 20, 2014	Taxes and Government ValueAs with any value determination, the price (or tax rate) is only half the story.
March 10, 2013	The Sequester of the FutureThings will get worse before they get better.
December 9, 2012	Perhaps It Is Time to Pay Our DebtsAs a great nation, we build and do things that endure and these should be paid for, in part, by successive generations.
July 29, 2012	Policies for the Coming RecessionAn increasing share of forecasters now join me in predicting a recession later this year or early in the next.
August 1, 2011	Woody Guthrie, Ron Paul and the National DebtWhen a Libertarian and Socialist start agreeing about something, the rest of us ought to listen to them.
July 19, 2010	To Spend or Cut Taxes, That Is the QuestionIt is uncertainty about federal policy that accompanies it which cripples growth.

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Commentaries tagged with federal government