Editor of DownsizingGovernment.org (@DownsizeTheFeds) at the Cato Institute.

Joined February 2013
780 Photos and videos
Chris Edwards retweeted
Federal farm subsidies have kept growing from occasional disaster relief into a sprawling system of commodity supports, crop insurance, sugar protection, and bailouts. With the backdrop of the Farm Bill, Cato’s @MrRBourne, @catoedwards, and @clark_packard discuss who really benefits, why reform never sticks, and how tariffs hurt farmers that Congress then subsidizes. Listen on Apple, Spotify, and our website.
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Chris Edwards retweeted
Trump has fired at least 21 inspectors general (IGs) since taking office and is proposing to cut real IG funding by 23 percent between FY2025-FY2031. Weakening the IG system is a surefire way to undermine the administration's "war on fraud."
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Those left critics are right--even if the EITC gets some people off the couch and increases labor supply, it pushes down market wages. Another good reason to repeal the EITC.
Also I think, another key angle of this research relevant for EITC critics from the left -- who argue it subsidizes employers (through a channel of labor supply increase).
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A decade ago, @veroderugy and I argued that the costs of the EITC outweighed the benefits, which was an unfashionable view at the time. Now, mainstream researchers are coming around. substack.com/home/post/p-194…
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Chris Edwards retweeted
The top 10% pays 60% of all federal taxes, the bottom 20% pays effectively nothing, and last year’s tax cuts added new complexity. In a new Cato Podcast episode, @CatoEdwards and @adamnmichel unpack the numbers and make the case for real reform. Apple: ow.ly/wMka50YK5aB Spotify: ow.ly/CBq350YK5aC Our website: ow.ly/9LP650YK5az
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The 2027 budget says the Trump admin will "begin the privatization of TSA’s airport screeners by requiring small airports to enroll in the screening partnership program." Good first step on a reform Cato and @ReasonFdn have proposed a long time. cato.org/blog/prevent-next-t…
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Chris Edwards retweeted
With debt already exploding, Trump's budget would boost annual defense spending $250B from today's $900B with another $350B for the war. But you're a "deficit scold" if you worry about such a big government expansion, says the WSJ. wsj.com/opinion/donald-trump…
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Chris Edwards retweeted
Despite massive federal budget deficits, spending on US Space Force is skyrocketing. aerospaceamerica.aiaa.org/u-…
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I discuss TSA and airport screening in a new piece at the Houston Chronicle. archive.is/MEp8O
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Other nations put airports, airlines, and private contractors in charge of security screening, like these 10 best airports. Congress should restructure airport screening so that travelers aren't held hostage by TSA and dysfunctional federal budgeting. cato.org/blog/fixing-airport…
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