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We Are Better Than This: How Government Should Spend Our Money
We Are Better Than This fundamentally reframes budget debates in the United States. Author Edward D. Kleinbard explains how the public's preoccupation with tax policy alone has obscured any understanding of government's ability to complement the private sector through investment and insurance programs that enhance the general welfare and prosperity of our society at large.
He argues that when we choose how government should spend and tax, we open a window into our "fiscal soul," because those choices are the means by which we express the values we cherish and the regard in which we hold our fellow citizens. Though these values are being diminished by short-sighted decisions to starve government, strategic government spending can directly make citizens happier, healthier, and even wealthier.
Expertly combining the latest economic research with his insider knowledge of the budget process into a simple yet compelling narrative, he unmasks the tax mythologies and false arguments that too often dominate contemporary discourse about budget policies. Large quantities of comparative data are succinctly distilled to situate the United States among its peer countries, so that readers can judge for themselves whether contemporary budget choices really reflect our aspirational fiscal soul.
Kleinbard's presentation takes a multi-disciplinary approach, drawing on economics, finance, law, political science and moral philosophy. He uniquely weaves economic research and moral philosophy together by emphasizing our welfare, not just our national income, and by contrasting the actual beliefs of Adam Smith, a great moral philosopher, with the cartoon version of the man presented by proponents of the most extreme forms of private market triumphalism.
He argues that when we choose how government should spend and tax, we open a window into our "fiscal soul," because those choices are the means by which we express the values we cherish and the regard in which we hold our fellow citizens. Though these values are being diminished by short-sighted decisions to starve government, strategic government spending can directly make citizens happier, healthier, and even wealthier.
Expertly combining the latest economic research with his insider knowledge of the budget process into a simple yet compelling narrative, he unmasks the tax mythologies and false arguments that too often dominate contemporary discourse about budget policies. Large quantities of comparative data are succinctly distilled to situate the United States among its peer countries, so that readers can judge for themselves whether contemporary budget choices really reflect our aspirational fiscal soul.
Kleinbard's presentation takes a multi-disciplinary approach, drawing on economics, finance, law, political science and moral philosophy. He uniquely weaves economic research and moral philosophy together by emphasizing our welfare, not just our national income, and by contrasting the actual beliefs of Adam Smith, a great moral philosopher, with the cartoon version of the man presented by proponents of the most extreme forms of private market triumphalism.
544 pages, Hardcover
First published August 29, 2014
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216 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 19, 2016
This book is rigorous, compassionate, and hilarious. And it's a tax policy book. Especially the first 1/3 of the book is just amazing and eye-opening.
September 5, 2022
I tried, but just couldn't finish this book. There were two problems. First, it is not written in an "easy-reading" style. I found it dense - more like a text book than a book for the general public. Second, despite the author's assertions to the contrary, the portion of it that I managed to get through was mostly liberal talking points or evidence-free attacks on conservative economic approaches. More "the government can and should do more things and is only held back because it lacks the secret sauce that I'm providing in this book" than "here are the core tasks that government must do and how it can do them better."
September 25, 2017
Attempts to imagine what rational public policy would look like. One nice factoid: the US currently spends more per capita on health care than any other country in the world. If we could reduce our spending levels to even #2-ranked Norway, we'd save $1 trillion per year -- and cover everyone, and do so better by far than we do now.
March 7, 2021
While I wanted to know/learn more about this subject. I find this book quite hard to get through. The language used seems unnecessarily difficult. Makes reading it a real pain.
So I will for now give up on it, perhaps I'll pick it up later, the content was pretty decent but after about 10% of it I just wasn't enjoying reading this at all and couldn't imagine having to do another 90% of the same.
So I will for now give up on it, perhaps I'll pick it up later, the content was pretty decent but after about 10% of it I just wasn't enjoying reading this at all and couldn't imagine having to do another 90% of the same.
September 10, 2020
The smartest readable book on the topic
I have read (literally) hundreds of political-economics books in the last decade and I think I've recommended this book more times than any other.
Kleinbard's thesis is straightforward: We, as a society, should decide what is worth doing collectively (caring for the elderly, providing healthcare for the sick, educating children, building a modern infrastructure), and then we should tax accordingly.
He does, however, do a few things that other similar books don't take the time to do.
First, he centers the economic discussion around questions of morality. If GDP growth doesn't increase societal well-being, what's the point? If government spending doesn't make citizens collectively safer and happier, what's the point? Why should we care about unemployment or poverty or inequality or recessions or national debt? Kleinbard actually explains.
Second, he dives into the debate with intellectual honesty. Most books I read in this genre state only one side of the debate. When these writers do occasionally mention dissenters, it's only to attack a strawman version. Kleinbard actually digs into the data. He cites the strongest arguments against his premises and explains why the reader should be persuaded to his side.
In the end, Kleinbard makes his case and I was convinced. Government is good for something.
I have read (literally) hundreds of political-economics books in the last decade and I think I've recommended this book more times than any other.
Kleinbard's thesis is straightforward: We, as a society, should decide what is worth doing collectively (caring for the elderly, providing healthcare for the sick, educating children, building a modern infrastructure), and then we should tax accordingly.
He does, however, do a few things that other similar books don't take the time to do.
First, he centers the economic discussion around questions of morality. If GDP growth doesn't increase societal well-being, what's the point? If government spending doesn't make citizens collectively safer and happier, what's the point? Why should we care about unemployment or poverty or inequality or recessions or national debt? Kleinbard actually explains.
Second, he dives into the debate with intellectual honesty. Most books I read in this genre state only one side of the debate. When these writers do occasionally mention dissenters, it's only to attack a strawman version. Kleinbard actually digs into the data. He cites the strongest arguments against his premises and explains why the reader should be persuaded to his side.
In the end, Kleinbard makes his case and I was convinced. Government is good for something.
July 11, 2015
Inequality is one of hottest topic nowadays. Edward Kleinbard did a fantastic job quantifying inequalities in our societies (especially US).
Apart from chapter 2, this is a highly recommended book for anyone feels the pressure of the 'free market'.
Getting along with this book, I would suggest a complete change of the current taxing system which takes from middle class more than it takes from the top 1 percent. Taxing should be based on what you have saved from last year NOT what you have earned this year; this will achieve two points:
1- It will entice top 1 percent to spend more instead of stuffing their mattresses which in turn will solidify the economy.
2- A small as 2.5% tax rate will be enough to fund governments.
Apart from chapter 2, this is a highly recommended book for anyone feels the pressure of the 'free market'.
Getting along with this book, I would suggest a complete change of the current taxing system which takes from middle class more than it takes from the top 1 percent. Taxing should be based on what you have saved from last year NOT what you have earned this year; this will achieve two points:
1- It will entice top 1 percent to spend more instead of stuffing their mattresses which in turn will solidify the economy.
2- A small as 2.5% tax rate will be enough to fund governments.
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April 14, 2015Great!
An outstanding and thought-provoking work on American fiscal policy. It also serves as an admirable sequel of sorts to Thomas Pickety's Capital in terms of offering concrete short-term policy solutions for the United States. Quite readable despite its technical topic.
An outstanding and thought-provoking work on American fiscal policy. It also serves as an admirable sequel of sorts to Thomas Pickety's Capital in terms of offering concrete short-term policy solutions for the United States. Quite readable despite its technical topic.
August 23, 2016
A dry but well-researched and propositioned treatise on how and what our government should fund from someone who provides a uniquely qualified perspective.
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May 15, 2015336.39097 K645 2015
June 27, 2016
Very detail book jam pack with information super long. Intuitive style of thinking nice approach also statistical data to back up concepts...
August 17, 2015
This book well deserves a second read. Mr. Kleinbard makes fiscal policy understandable.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews