Taxes, a recent report confirmed, have become the biggest bill for the average American, says the Committee to Unleash Prosperity. This was illustrated by a recent online chart.

Taxation aimed at generating revenue for the state very often produces unintended negative consequences by altering the economic incentives of individuals and businesses. When governments levy or increase taxes on income, investment, or goods, they create deadweight loss—reducing the overall economic efficiency and volume of transactions that would otherwise occur naturally.

On August 3, 1940, a mere six months into World War II, Ludwig von Mises arrived with his wife in New York City.

The fifty-eight-year-old Austrian economist had narrowly escaped Europe as the continent was engulfed by war. Because air travel was not an option amid the escalating fighting, the couple had to cross by bus from their home in Geneva, Switzerland, across southern France, into Spain, and eventually to a port in Portugal, where a ship would take them across the Atlantic.

I noticed just recently that a new billboard has gone up a few miles from my house. It features a Marine in uniform along with the caption: What Do Marines Fight For?

Never have I been gifted with such a tremendous article prompt.

So, what do Marines fight for?

On Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released its September employment report, and it’s clear that the overall job market is anemic, at best. In September, total payroll job growth totaled 29,000, well below expectations, and a very small number as far as job growth goes. This contradicts the administration’s narrative that job growth is resilient or “bouncing back” or otherwise a sign of a strong economy. 

As the midterm election draws near, a number of Republicans in tough races are distancing themselves from President Trump’s war. The war is unpopular because it has inflicted economic pain on the already-suffering American people.

No, I am not talking about the Iran War. I am talking about President Trump’s tariff war.

The Tax Foundation estimates that, since he returned to the White House, President Trump has imposed tariffs on about 54 percent of imported goods.