One of the great lessons in life is to “keep it simple.” Yet, the most frequent violators are the people who should understand it best. I refer to the political class, specifically elected officials who (often unsuccessfully) engage needless complexities in lawmaking.

For example, there would be far more Democrats in Washington today if the drafting of Obamacare had not so violated the rule. Indeed, its primary author (Professor Jonathan Gruber) bragged that he made the language far more complex than needed — the better to confuse the opposition and disguise the bill’s heavy tax burden.