Brian Balfour
Brian Balfour is Senior Vice President of Research for the John Locke Foundation, where he oversees the organization’s research and analysis on a variety of issues. He previously worked for the Civitas Institute for 13 years, and has a master’s degree in economics from Wayne State University in Detroit, MI.
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No, Joe, There is No Such Thing as a “Fair Share” of Taxes
“Tax rates are largely politically motivated and arbitrarily chosen, and stacked with exemptions and penalties to help incentivize behaviors favored by the politicians writing the voluminous tax code. Regardless of the rates, there is no ‘fairness’ to be achieved.” ~ Brian Balfour
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Focusing Exclusively on “Creating Jobs” Can Do More Harm Than Good
“Public policy should seek to free up entrepreneurs to invest in improving productivity, and be sure not to create incentives that discourage the accumulation of productivity-enhancing capital.” ~ Brian Balfour
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Why Progressive Taxes Are Especially Harmful to Productivity and Harm the Poor
“‘Progressive’ taxes impose a particularly strong disincentive for more productive work. Depriving the economy of greater productivity curtails the alleviation of poverty, and as a result disproportionately harms the poor.” ~ Brian Balfour
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Biden’s “Buy American” Scheme a Bad Deal for America
“Paying more to produce goods domestically that could be acquired cheaper from elsewhere, wastes resources, kills jobs in other industries, and makes us poorer as a result.” ~ Brian Balfour
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The Twitter Files: Lenin Would Be Proud
“When your main mission is to do the bidding of the state, rather than serving consumers in the voluntary marketplace, you are not really a private company in the true sense of the term. Your company is not a market phenomenon.” ~ Brian Balfour
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Protectionism in Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act Harms Consumers and Domestic Industries
“The only jobs protected are those in the politically favored companies whose inefficiencies are protected from competition at the expense of other domestic jobs lost and higher prices on consumers.” ~ Brian Balfour
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•
No, Joe, There is No Such Thing as a “Fair Share” of Taxes
“Tax rates are largely politically motivated and arbitrarily chosen, and stacked with exemptions and penalties to help incentivize behaviors favored by the politicians writing the voluminous tax code. Regardless of the rates, there is no ‘fairness’ to be achieved.” ~ Brian Balfour
-
•
Focusing Exclusively on “Creating Jobs” Can Do More Harm Than Good
“Public policy should seek to free up entrepreneurs to invest in improving productivity, and be sure not to create incentives that discourage the accumulation of productivity-enhancing capital.” ~ Brian Balfour
-
•
Why Progressive Taxes Are Especially Harmful to Productivity and Harm the Poor
“‘Progressive’ taxes impose a particularly strong disincentive for more productive work. Depriving the economy of greater productivity curtails the alleviation of poverty, and as a result disproportionately harms the poor.” ~ Brian Balfour
-
•
Biden’s “Buy American” Scheme a Bad Deal for America
“Paying more to produce goods domestically that could be acquired cheaper from elsewhere, wastes resources, kills jobs in other industries, and makes us poorer as a result.” ~ Brian Balfour
-
•
The Twitter Files: Lenin Would Be Proud
“When your main mission is to do the bidding of the state, rather than serving consumers in the voluntary marketplace, you are not really a private company in the true sense of the term. Your company is not a market phenomenon.” ~ Brian Balfour
-
•
Protectionism in Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act Harms Consumers and Domestic Industries
“The only jobs protected are those in the politically favored companies whose inefficiencies are protected from competition at the expense of other domestic jobs lost and higher prices on consumers.” ~ Brian Balfour