IPI Policy Basics: Tax Rates vs. Tax Revenues (Audio: Podcast)
When a politician talks about “cutting taxes,” what does she mean? Usually, she means reducing marginal tax rates, but what are those? And what’s the difference between marginal tax rates, effective tax rates, average tax rates, and tax revenue? Does raising marginal tax rates automatically raise tax revenues? IPI President Tom Giovanetti explains, with the able assistance of Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews.
IPI Policy Basics: When the Federal Reserve Raises Interest Rates (Audio: Podcast)
To what degree does the Federal Reserve control interest rates on home mortgages, credit cards and bank savings accounts? Why does the Federal Reserve raise or lower rates? And what rate does the Federal Reserve actually control? The basics of Federal Reserve action with IPI President Tom Giovanetti and Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews.
IPI Policy Basics: The Perils and Pitfalls of Modelling (Audio: Podcast)
No, not fashion modelling or Instagram modelling, though we’re sure there are perils and pitfalls there, too. This episode is about using mathematical models and computers to try to predict outcomes. Riffing off of IPI’s experience and knowledge of economic modelling, IPI President Tom Giovanetti and Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews draw some conclusions about climate change modelling as well. Hint: Models are just not very accurate.
IPI Policy Basics: When Congress Doesn't Act, Congress Still Has Acted (Audio: Podcast)
When you hear a president say “If Congress Won’t Act, I will,” red flags should go off in your head. That’s because when Congress does not legislate, that is Congress CHOOSING to not legislate. Congress choosing to do nothing is just as important, if not more important, than Congress choosing to do something. Or so it seems to IPI President Tom Giovanetti and Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews.
IPI Policy Basics: The Three Types of Taxes (Audio: Podcast)
Beginning a series on basics of tax, IPI President Tom Giovanetti explains taxes on what we earn, taxes on what we buy, and taxes on what we own, with the able assistance of fellow taxpayer and IPI Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews.
IPI Policy Basics: The Debt Obligations of the Federal Government Are Much Bigger than You Think (Audio: Podcast)
Beyond the “national debt,” which has skyrocketed in the past decade, the real total obligations of the federal government include the future obligations of Social Security, Medicare, federal employee pensions, military pensions and more. It’s not a pretty picture. IPI President Tom Giovanetti and Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews discuss federal deficits, debt, entitlements, and the threat this debt service poses to future generations.
IPI Policy Basics: Social Media Regulation, Section 230, and the First Amendment (Audio: Podcast)
IPI Senior Research Fellow Bartlett Cleland and IPI President Tom Giovanetti have an extensive conversation explaining the origins of Section 230, and the insurmountable First Amendment problems with states trying to compel social media platforms to host speech they don’t want to host.
IPI Policy Basics: Why Are Lower Taxes Better than Higher Taxes? (Audio: Podcast)
There are moral, economic, philosophical, and political reasons why lower taxes are better than higher taxes. It’s not just about the greediness of taxpayers. IPI President Tom Giovanetti and Resident Scholar Merrill Matthews discuss lower vs. higher taxes from the perspective of government, the perspective of earners, and the political perspective.
IPI Policy Basics: Not All Tax Cuts Are Created Equal (Audio: Podcast)
Tax cuts can have a strong impact on economic growth, or none at all—it depends on whether the tax cut encourages private sector investment. IPI Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews and President Tom Giovanetti look back at the IPI archives to a 2001 study that ranked different types of tax cuts based on their impact on economic growth. Hint: Tax cuts designed to “put more money in people’s pockets” aren’t going to get the job done.
IPI Policy Basics: What's Wrong with Social Security, and How Do We Fix It? (Audio: Podcast)
IPI President Tom Giovanetti describes Social Security’s structural, demographic and financial problems, and explains that there are solutions and it’s not rocket science, if only our elected officials would pay attention.
We focus particularly on Personal Retirement Accounts. Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews describes how three counties in Texas have demonstrated for 40 years that Personal Retirements Accounts can safely outperform Social Security’s miserable rates of return.
Total Records: 56
