December 28, 2012
Fiscal Cliff: Obama Says It’s “Déjà Vu All Over Again”
In a late afternoon press conference on Friday, President Obama said:
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December 28, 2012
The “Fiscal Cliff” Tells Us Two Things About Republicans
All the dire language about the fiscal cliff tells us two things about Republicans.
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December 13, 2012
Speaker John Boehner Says We Have A Spending Problem
Speaker John Boehner and pretty much the entire Republican Party and even some Democrats say we have a spending problem, not a revenue problem. But with any Republican claim, you would be well advised to do a little research. Luckily I’ve done it for you!
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December 11, 2012
McConnell, Republicans, Wrong On The Debt Ceiling
Last week, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell either showed his lack of understanding of the debt ceiling, or he showed his lack of respect for Americans by lying about it.
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December 10, 2012
Obama: Anti-Union Laws Are “The Right To Work For Less Money”
Speaking in Detroit earlier today, President Obama criticized Michigan Republicans attempt to strip union workers of their rights by passing a so-called “right to work” law, which is another way of saying anti-union or union-busting law.
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December 7, 2012
Employment Situation: ‘Losing Faith In Humanity’ Edition
When you see an article titled (“73% of New Jobs Created in Last 5 Months Are in Government“) you know you need to take a deep breath and say aloud “serenity now.” Because anybody who has paid attention to the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports over the past months and years knows that the public sector (i.e. “government”) has shed jobs almost every month in the aftermath of the Great Recession. And if you wish to maintain your sanity, I advise you to steer clear of that article’s comments section.
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December 7, 2012
Fiscal Cliff: Tax Hike Generates More Hot Air Than Pain
There are two things you should note about the “fiscal cliff” debate. 1. There’s an awful lot of hot air being generated for a paltry four or five point tax hike. 2. Republicans clearly are acknowledging that spending cuts, at least the ones they don’t like, will hurt the economy.
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December 4, 2012
Republican “Car-Crashing” Logic On Economic Growth And Increased Revenue
Republican logic on how to grow the economy and increase federal tax revenue, in three simple steps:
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December 3, 2012
A Pledge To Never Raise Taxes Is Indefensible
To paraphrase MSNBC’s Chris Hayes, saying you will never raise taxes, only lower taxes, is indefensible. There is no intellectual argument that justifies signing a pledge stating you will never raise taxes under any circumstances.
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December 3, 2012
Tax Revenue, Post-WWII, Averages 17.7 Percent Of GDP
In the years since World War II (1946-2011), federal tax receipts have averaged 17.7% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This is probably the best way to gauge the federal tax burden because it compares it to economic output. Since there are many arguments in and out of Washington D.C. about the effects of taxation on economic growth, it makes sense to directly compare the measure of taxation (total federal tax receipts) with the measure of economic output (GDP).
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