Lotteries as Disguised, Regressive, and Counterproductive Taxes

Regressive Sin Taxes

A common objection to “sin taxes”—corrective taxes on goods like cigarettes, alcohol, and sugary drinks, which are believed to be over-consumed—is that they fall disproportionately on low-income consumers. This paper studies the interaction between corrective and redistributive motives in a general optimal taxation framework. On the one hand, redistributive concerns amplify the corrective benef...

Are All Lotteries Regressive? Evidence from the Powerball

The regressivity of lotteries has become an increasingly important issue in the U.S. as the number of state-run lotteries has increased. Despite this, we still know relatively little about the nature of lottery regressivity. I use a new dataset on Powerball lotto sales to analyze how regressivity varies with jackpot size within a single lotto game. I find that these large-stakes games are signi...

Glossolalia as regressive speech.

Meningioma disguised as cerebral hematoma.

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Emphysematous Pyelitis Disguised as Cholestasis and Jaundice

Emphysematous pyelitis is a rare infection of the renal pelvis occurring alone or in association with pyelonephritis. The most common cause is E. coli and diabetes is the strongest risk factor. In a retrospective review including 48 patients who were diagnosed with either emphysematous pyelitis or pyelonephritis, the mean patient age was 60 years old and women outnumbered men 6:12. The most com...