Articles
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Budget & Tax
How Long Do Oklahomans Work to Pay Their Taxes?
In FY 2008, Oklahomans paid an estimated $34,569,140,000 in federal, state, and local taxes, such as income taxes, sales taxes, and property taxes, to name just a few.J. Scott Moody & Wendy Warcholik, Ph.D. | August 17, 2008
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Education
Oklahoma Preschool Study Provides No Evidence of Lasting Benefits
On June 26 USA Today reported on the findings of a preschool study which concludes that Oklahoma’s government-run preschool gives a boost to the performance of all students in the short-term. This is news because the collective conclusions of previous studies overwhelmingly suggest that preschool boosts at-risk children in the short-term, but not children from middle- and upper-income families.Adam Schaeffer | August 6, 2008
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Law & Principles
Uncommon Sense, and Meese the Scholar
There's no better spokesman on law, liberty, and the Constitution than Reagan's good and faithful servant, Ed Meese.Patrick B. McGuigan | August 6, 2008
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Law & Principles
Fulfilling a Constitutional Mandate
On March 13, 2008, the Oklahoma House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly for House Joint Resolution No. 1089. By the wide margin of 92 to 3, the House resolved that "all compulsory federal legislation which directs states to comply under the threat of civil or criminal penalties or sanctions or requires states to pass legislation or lose federal funding be prohibited or repealed."Herbert W. Titus | August 3, 2008
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Law & Principles
Freedom: The History of an Idea
Today, because of the United States, more people throughout the world live in freedom than at any time in history. If we are willing to accept the challenge, it may yet be our destiny to change the course of history and to establish freedom as a universal value.J. Rufus Fears | August 1, 2008
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Culture & the Family
Oklahomans' Personal Income: An Analysis of the Private and Public Sector Components
Personal income is an important measure of Oklahoma's economic well-being. Fundamentally, personal income comes from two sources: the private sector and the public sector. Only the private sector-the proverbial "goose that lays the golden egg"-creates new income. The public sector can only redistribute income through taxes and spending.J. Scott Moody & Wendy Warcholik, Ph.D. | July 19, 2008
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Budget & Tax
Who Is This Crazy Supply-Sider?
"Supply-side" economics is the simple notion that tax rates affect growth. One of the key observations made by supply-siders is that policy makers should pay close attention to the relationship between tax rates, taxable income, and tax revenue-particularly since higher tax rates can reduce incentives to earn and report taxable income, which therefore means there is not a linear relationship between tax rates and tax revenue.Daniel J. Mitchell | July 9, 2008
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Criminal Justice
Screeds, myths, mayhem—and lawsuit reform
In PR terms, recent months have been tough for America's trial lawyers. But not as tough as the mayhem inflicted on Oklahoma's economy as we lag behind the rest of the country in lawsuit reform.Patrick B. McGuigan | July 6, 2008
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Education
A Better Way to Help Autistic Children in Oklahoma
A tax credit for donations to scholarship programs geared to autistic children, however, might be close to a free lunch for the reasons described. Though it's no panacea, it is a simple and elegant solution that would help a large number of families.Joshua Hall | July 6, 2008
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Budget & Tax
Oklahoma Income Tax Revenues Continue to Rise
The conventional wisdom-peddled by tax consumers and amplified by a largely sympathetic news media-says that, because of income-tax cuts signed into law in 2004, 2005, and 2006, Oklahoma's individual income tax revenues are declining.Steve Anderson | July 1, 2008