TaxVox

The voices of Tax Policy Center's researchers and staff

Federal Budget and Economy

Congress Shouldn’t Forget About Tax Entitlements In Its Search for Deficit Reduction

October 22, 2013 –
Yesterday, Washington Post columnist Bob Samuelson urged lawmakers to “just eliminate…the whole notion of entitlements.” His provocative argument: The very word "entitlement" makes people believe...
Federal Budget and Economy

One Modest Path to a No-Drama Budget Deal

October 17, 2013 –
The conventional wisdom is that next January, Congress and President Obama will be in exactly the same place they’ve been for most of the past...
Federal Budget and Economy

The Un-Default: Congress Has Become A Seinfeld Episode

October 16, 2013 –
Like Seinfeld, the classic 1990s TV comedy, Congress is increasingly about…nothing. If the agreement reached by Senate leaders this afternoon sticks (and given recent history,...
Federal Budget and Economy

The U.S.May Not Default on Friday But Washington Is Still Playing A Dangerous Game

October 15, 2013 –
What’s going to happen on October 18 if Congress doesn’t vote to increase the debt limit? Probably nothing. Make no mistake, Washington is still wading...
Individual Taxes

States Recovering Unevenly and Fed Shutdown Not Helping

October 15, 2013 –
The latest edition of the Tax Policy Center’s State and Local Finance Initiative ’s State Economic Monitor finds that revenue growth is accelerating in most...
Federal Budget and Economy

Should We Eliminate the Extraordinary Measures?

October 11, 2013 –
You’ve probably heard that Treasury will hit the debt limit on October 17 and soon thereafter it won’t be able to pay all of America’s...
Federal Budget and Economy

Latest House Debt Limit Plan Will Accomplish Nothing

October 10, 2013 –
Washington may be about to do what it does best--kick the can down the road. House Republicans have tentatively agreed on a plan to extend...
Federal Budget and Economy

It is Never Good When the U.S. Treasury Gets Compared to Brazil

October 8, 2013 –
The other day, I was talking to a guy who closely watches Washington for big foreign investors. Like most of us, his clients are struggling...
Federal Budget and Economy

Actually, the United States Has Defaulted

October 4, 2013 –
Since the day of Alexander Hamilton, the United States has never defaulted on the federal debt. That’s what we budget-watchers always say. It’s a great...
Federal Budget and Economy

Government Shutdowns Threaten To Become The New Normal

October 3, 2013 –
President Obama must continue to refuse to negotiate policy while the government is shut down. If he does not hold firm on this principle, these...