What Can the US Learn from Other Countries' Health Care Systems?

Although a plurality of Americans believe that their country has the world's best health care systems, international rankings provide little support for that claim. This slideshow examines data from several international comparisons, and discusses the problems they reveal. This is the first in an occasional series; future posts will look at what can be learned from the experience of individual countries.

Keywords: Health care, international rankings

Slideshow: How Chronic Budget Optimism Helped Dig the Hole We're In

Each year's federal budget is based on assumptions about economic growth, unemployment, and other variables in the year being budgeted and those beyond. This slideshow examines the realism of the assumptions made in past budgets, and the consequences of chronic budget optimism.

Keywords: Budget, deficit, fiscal policy, economic growth, unemployment.

Slideshow: A Policy Dilemma: Budget Deficit vs. Infrastructure Deficit

As the budget season moves into full swing, infrastructure is not only on the table, but in the center of the table. Does the US government spend too much, or too little, on infrastructure? This slideshow addresses the issue of how we can tell.

Keywords: Budget deficit, infrastructure

Slideshow: The Case Against the Mortgage Interest Deduction

This slideshow outlines the case against the US federal tax deduction for mortgage interest expense. It concludes that the deduction encourages speculation and price instability, crowds out more productive forms of investment, and contributes substantially to the federal deficit, while providing benefits primarily to high-income households.

Keywords: Housing, tax policy, mortgage interest, imputed rent, deficit.