"A much-higher quality version of the America-does-it-better genre is a striking new report from the Manhattan Institute. It... makes the case that the US outperforms Europe even on what is supposed to be Europe’s strongest suit." ft.com/content/440dc8…

The relationship between retirement benefits and prior payroll taxes is largely arbitrary: realclearpolicy.com/articles/2024/…

"Entitlements in the U.S. are designed mostly to provide a targeted floor of assistance to those unable to work. This greatly reduces the cost of financing a social safety net, while doing much less to crowd out incomes from private employment." manhattan.institute/article/americ…

"the more entitlement programs are expanded beyond [those in greatest need], the more additional expenditure serves merely to displace people providing for themselves—and the more taxes must be imposed upon those of modest means" manhattan.institute/article/americ…

Census surveys should ask respondents what cars they drive to help researchers distill sociological phenomena into soundbites.