Topic: Americans for Tax Reform

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Economist Mom
A rift over the GOP's tax pledge?

Over the past generation, the GOP's pledge to introduce no new taxes has become the essential conservative credential. But some Republicans are refusing to sign.
'Buffett rule' fails, but it will be back

The Buffet rule to raise taxes on millionaires couldn't get through the Senate, but both parties promise to make it a campaign issue as the nation heads toward Election 2012.
Why the Simpson-Bowles budget defeat isn't the end of the line

Simpson-Bowles is still the top bipartisan budget deal out there – and Congress may need it when it faces a showdown in December over the expiring Bush tax cuts and mandated spending cuts.
Payroll tax deal close: Why did Republicans back down? (+video)

Senate Republicans came to a realization on the payroll tax cut fight: We got the policy right but the politics wrong and it’s time to move on. Specifics of the deal are still being hashed out.
Real battle in New Hampshire primary is for No. 2, and it's getting fierce

Mitt Romney has a 20-point lead heading into Tuesday's GOP in New Hampshire, polls show. But more than one-third of likely GOP voters there are undecided, intensifying the race for second.
The Vote
Donald Trump to moderate GOP debate. But what if nobody shows up?

Billionaire and reality show host Donald Trump is scheduled to moderate a Republican presidential debate. But only Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich have agreed to participate.
Tax VOX
A fix on the horizon for the online sales tax mess

The new measure  would allow states to require online retailers to collect sales taxes on all purchases, as long as the states first agree to simplify their sales tax rules. Remarkably, the idea has broad support in the business community and may actually pass.
Cracks in GOP promise of no new taxes for deficit cuts?

To help the deficit 'super committee' reach a deal, some Republicans appear to be open to the idea of ending some tax breaks, despite opposition from antitax crusaders.
Is Rick Perry on the comeback trail?

Rick Perry has snagged the media spotlight with his flat tax plan, among other moves. Is it enough to get Rick Perry's campaign on track, asks DCDecoder.
Tax the rich: Should millionaires really pay more?

The fight over raising levies on the wealthy, a theme of the 'Occupy Wall Street' protests, is about more than money. It's a clash over fundamental American values.
Why stalemate suits GOP just fine in Round 2 of deficit fight

The GOP knows it will get $1.2 trillion in deficit cuts this year no matter what. That gives it less incentive to compromise with President Obama on a deal that raises taxes on the rich.
Did tea party lawmakers win the great debt debate? They don't think so.

GOP leaders made a point of congratulating the tea party for its role in the debt ceiling debate. 'You've actually won,' Sen. Mitch McConnell said. But the movement sees only a job unfinished.
National debt-ceiling deal: Why did that take so long?

The haggling over the national debt-ceiling deal exposed a growing issue for Congress: the influence of ideological pledges is limiting prospects for compromise.
Economist Mom
What Grover Norquist means by 'no new taxes'

Norquist says that letting Bush tax cuts expire wouldn't violate the pledge of 'no new taxes,' but it would violate the position of his organization, Americans for Tax Reform
Trillion-dollar question in debt-ceiling talks: What can pass the House?

President Obama and the Senate appear to be on the same page in debt-ceiling talks. But House Republicans are so far holding firm on their no-new-taxes demands.
McConnell's last ditch debt ceiling plan: What's in it for Republicans?

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell proposes a 'last choice option' that would allow President Obama to raise the national debt ceiling without GOP support.
Debt ceiling deal: Boehner's no-new-taxes pledge calms jittery conservatives

Conservative groups had been worried that House Speaker John Boehner would agree to some tax increases in a deal to trim deficits and raise the debt ceiling.
Debt ceiling: Why Sunday could be make-or-break day for 'grand bargain'

President Obama is pushing for a comprehensive deal to raise the debt ceiling and trim long-term deficits. But any big deal will require arm-twisting in Congress, and time is running out.
National debt talks: Signs some in GOP may yield on tax 'loopholes'?

Republican and Democratic leaders resume talks with President Obama Thursday on raising the national debt limit and bringing down the deficit. Will anyone bring more to the table this time?
Why the latest round of debt talks ground to a halt

On Monday, President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden will hold meetings with Sens. Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell to discuss the status of the debt talks.
Economist Mom
A first crack in the GOP’s 'no new taxes' armor?

Sen. Tom Coburn wants to abandon the Republican promise not to raise taxes, and he may be convincing other Republicans to consider the same
Ethanol vote: First step toward extinction for federal tax subsidies?

Sen. Tom Coburn's bid to end tax subsidies for ethanol failed. But the measure got 34 GOP votes, suggesting that many Republicans are open to eliminating tax breaks to trim the deficit.
GOP quandary: Is a vote to eliminate tax breaks actually a tax hike?

One of the few potential points of bipartisan compromise in the budget stalemate is reining in tax breaks. A Senate vote Tuesday could reveal whether GOP senators are on board.
A glint of compromise in Congress's debt limit stalemate?

Republicans say they'll raise the debt limit only if Congress passes 'real savings' in the form of spending cuts. Democrats prefer tax increases. A Senate vote Tuesday could offer a way to help bridge the divide.
'Taxes are off the table': GOP family feud over what that means, exactly

Two GOP icons of fiscal restraint clash over eliminating certain subsidies or tax credits. Should savings reduce the budget deficit or go back to taxpayers?