Become a Patron! After they finish hemming and hawing about "constitutional" arguments, opponents of proposals for an American tax on very large fortunes typically make one of two arguments: a more-progressive, better-enforced income and estate tax code could achieve the same revenue goals as a wealth tax, or; a value-added tax, like those used to fund European … [Read more...] about Why even the perfect income tax can’t substitute for a wealth tax
Archives for January 2020
Biden is wrong about Social Security, but so is everybody else
Become a Patron! In a bit of a surprising turn in the lead-up to the Iowa caucuses, former Vice President and Delaware Senator Joe Biden has finally come under sustained criticism for his career-long advocacy for cuts to Social Security. I'm not sure why his rivals didn't elevate this criticism earlier, but it's obviously correct: he has advocated and voted for cuts to … [Read more...] about Biden is wrong about Social Security, but so is everybody else
Direct indexing and shareholder democracy
Become a Patron! The late Paul Volcker is famously said to have quipped that he hadn’t seen a worthwhile financial innovation since the ATM, which makes him slightly more cynical than even I am. In fact, I think we're on the brink of a real revolution in shareholder democracy. Mutual funds and direct ownership are competitors Vanguard has offered low-cost, commission-free, … [Read more...] about Direct indexing and shareholder democracy
Prosperity, precarity, anxiety, and solidarity
Become a Patron! As we plunge into a second decade of economic and employment growth since the global financial crisis, I've noticed an interesting divide open between different methods of experiencing the present moment. It's interesting because while the divide has political content, it isn't intrinsically partisan, and the divide goes far beyond party … [Read more...] about Prosperity, precarity, anxiety, and solidarity