In the first episode of The Beverly Hillbillies, Jed Clampett's sister asks how much the oil company is going to pay him for the oil on his property. Jed said, "Twelve dollars." His sister was shocked: "Only twelve dollars?!" Jed replied, "Yeah, but it's some new kind of dollar. I've heard of paper dollars, and I've heard of silver dollars, but these are called mill-ee-yun' dollars." Most politicians at the state and local level seem to think Washington invented a new kind of dollar that doesn't really cost anybody anything. It's called a "fed-er-al" dollar. (more…)

What if your local officials said to you, "As long as you live here, you will only shop at one grocery store - the one we choose for you?" (more…)

This year, it appears the legislature will finally address the need for charter schools in Mississippi. But I want to warn you: there is a lot of misinformation floating around. (more…)

Would you invest in a company that will be bankrupt by the end of the month? What if the government forced you to invest in that company? (more…)

If there is one thing we learned from this year's campaign, it's that we have a desperate need in our country to return to the vision our Founders had of rights and of the proper role of government. (more…)

One of the most difficult concepts to grasp in tax policy is that taxes on businesses are not taxes on businesses. The reality is that taxes on businesses require higher prices for consumers, since the taxes become another cost of doing business, just like paying rent or insurance or employees. (more…)

There are now two commissions considering reforms to the state tax code. One was appointed by the governor, and the other was created by the House Ways & Means Committee. Whatever plans come out of either of these groups, they should be guided by some key principles. (more…)

Mississippi’s budget woes would not be nearly as severe if marriage still had the prominence it once did in the state, according to Forest Thigpen, president of the Mississippi Center for Public Policy (MCPP). His comments were based on a study released today in Washington, DC, that estimates the cost of divorce and out-of-wedlock childbearing on federal, state, and local budgets. The landmark study, entitled “The Taxpayer Costs of Divorce and Unwed Childbearing,” is the first scholarly, peer-reviewed study to ever estimate the cost of “family fragmentation” to federal, state, and local governments. (more…)

The commission appointed by Governor Barbour to study the state tax code has begun meeting. The governor wants the commission to look at the total tax burden experienced by Mississippians, including federal and local taxes, to determine what changes need to be made in the state tax code so that the overall tax burden is not detrimental to job creation and growth. (more…)