Symbiosis is the association of two different organisms that live attached to each other and contribute to each other's support. I wasn't expecting to read about symbiosis when I first opened Heaven on Earth: Stories of Fly Fishing, Fun & Faith, but as I read Andy...

The Romneys' tax returns confirm that America's tax and economic system is grossly inequitable. In 2010, the Romneys paid just over $3 million of taxes on about $21.6 million of reported income. That means their tax rate was less than 14% -- lower than the 15.3%...

Senator Orrin Hatch's recent comments make it obvious that he is running for reelection in a state with insensitive and extreme political views. First, he emphasized that the poor need to "share some responsibility" for the country's fiscal problems -- a modest proposal suited for literary...

It has taken about half a year for bankrupt conservative economic policies to reaffirm themselves. Conservatives took control of Congress and several state and local governments following last fall's elections. Since then, the employment situation in the United States has changed from showing signs of improvement (unemployment receded...

As a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, Jon Huntsman has been called a slightly unorthodox Mormon. Commentators debate whether religion is an insurmountable barrier to the office of president. I am surprised that religion is still a relevant part of the political discussion...

Don't look a gift horse in the mouth -- unless it comes in the form of an altruistic effort to fix the government's fiscal problems. That seems to be today's conventional wisdom. While a political battle rages over fixing the federal deficit, simple, but potentially very effective, offers to help...

This year's tax filing season coincides with the recent budget deal and President Obama's proposal to reduce the deficit by $4 trillion. We learn about cuts to public services as we write checks to pay for them. The confluence of these events frustrates most of us....

This week Governor Scott Walker gave himself kudos for closing the gap between state employees and his brother who works in private industry. The governor recognized an inequality: state employees receive better benefits than most employees in private industry. He could have done one of two things to...

Last fall the Tea Party flexed its muscles and helped send many new faces to Congress. Now the news is filled with talk of budget-cutting, and House Republicans threaten to shut down government. They propose cuts that reduce spending by $100 billion. This would be good news if our deficit...

The recent tax deal brings to mind a fable that I've told my young daughter to explain the current tax system.

In a far away land lived one prince and forty-nine paupers. The prince and the paupers all had jobs and each earned $10 of wages from those jobs. The...