Topic: Bipartisan Policy Center
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6 ways to make tax reform happen
Here are six ideas that can guide Congress to a tax reform-deal that both parties should be able to live with – a deal that will raise necessary revenue and help pay down the debt.
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Debt-ceiling showdown: 4 reasons it's not a replay of 2011
In 2011, Congress and President Obama went to the brink of government default when congressional Republicans balked at raising the nation's debt ceiling. The spring of 2013 appears to have another debt ceiling fight in store. Here are the top four things that have changed.
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The Paul Ryan budget: 5 go-to sources for understanding it
Looking for in-depth analysis of the Paul Ryan budget plan? D.C. Decoder has compiled a list of excellent sources to help you sort out truth from fiction.
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Out of options in debt ceiling talks? Nope, here are five.
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Federal budget mess: Six ways to fix it
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Tax VOX How to improve the tax subsidy for home ownership
In spite of its widespread use and large fiscal cost, the mortgage interest deduction does little to promote home ownership, Toder writes. It provides no subsidy to the nearly two-thirds of taxpayers who do not itemize and only a modest subsidy to those in the 15 percent bracket.
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The 'sequester' has landed: Just how 'automatic' will spending cuts be? (+video)
Department heads and agency chiefs will have some flexibility to move 'sequester' cuts between accounts and to decide their pacing. But wiggle room is limited under the law, budget experts say.
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Obama's plan to replace the 'sequester': Does the math add up?
President Obama wants to replace the sequester with a package of spending cuts and tax revenues adding up to $1.5 trillion over 10 years. But some say that's not enough savings.
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Pentagon braces for furloughs in sequester: How big a hit to economy? (+video)
Thousands of Defense Department civilian employees could be furloughed if Congress proceeds with the automatic federal spending cuts poised to take effect in March under the sequester.
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Tax VOX Spending cuts: five reasons allowing sequestration is bad policy
Spending cuts will begin to automatically take effect in two weeks, Harris writes, and allowing the sequester's automatic spending cuts to happen would be terrible policy.
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6 ways to make tax reform happen
Here are six ideas that can guide Congress to a tax reform-deal that both parties should be able to live with – a deal that will raise necessary revenue and help pay down the debt.
-
Debt-ceiling showdown: 4 reasons it's not a replay of 2011
In 2011, Congress and President Obama went to the brink of government default when congressional Republicans balked at raising the nation's debt ceiling. The spring of 2013 appears to have another debt ceiling fight in store. Here are the top four things that have changed.
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Why US should be wary of attacking cyberradicals, including Al Qaeda
Missives from extremist groups such as Al Qaeda can easily be found online. But launching cyberattacks to shut their websites down is problematic – and even counterproductive, a new report finds.
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Decoder Wire What might Democrats give up in 'fiscal cliff' talks?
OK, Republicans have ceded ground on tax revenues. Now, under Obama's 'balanced' approach to averting the fiscal cliff, Democrats presumably would consent to spending cuts on entitlement programs or Obamacare. But what Dems would accept may not be what GOP has in mind.
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Cover Story
Five reasons America won't fall off the 'fiscal cliff'The political and economic ramifications are too big for Washington to let the large tax increases and spending cuts take effect. But this doesn't necessarily mean lawmakers will craft a decisive solution to the nation's fiscal woes.
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Tax VOX The real lesson about capping itemized deductions
The campaign of GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney has criticized the Tax Policy Center for new research that provides evidence that a deduction cap is a pretty good, though insufficient, idea, Gleckman writes.
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Obama vs. Romney on 'fiscal cliff': May the bolder man win, polls say (+video)
Voters want Romney and Obama to take on the tough issues concerning the nation's fiscal future, especially the $600 billion in tax hikes and spending cuts known as the 'fiscal cliff.'
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The Paul Ryan budget: 5 go-to sources for understanding it
Looking for in-depth analysis of the Paul Ryan budget plan? D.C. Decoder has compiled a list of excellent sources to help you sort out truth from fiction.
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Economist Mom What would really happen with taxes under Obama vs Romney?
The Obama campaign has taken the recent analysis of Romney's proposed tax plan as an opportunity, creating an Obama 'tax calculator' where any household can plug in their own income level, marital status, and number of children, and compare what their tax burdens would be under Obama versus under Romney. But is it fair?
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Tax reform takes bipartisan step in Senate. Could something come of it?
To 'develop trust' before taking on the heavy lifting of tax reform, Senate tax-writers are attempting to proceed along bipartisan lines, starting with the extension of a reduced number of expiring tax breaks.
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Obesity in America: Schools on the front line of the fight
With one-fifth of Americans between the ages of 6 and 19 overweight, schools are central in the campaign to fight obesity. Educators, nutritionists hope healthier school lunches, daily recess, and PE requirements can help reverse the trend.
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Tax VOX The great tax debate: Dueling Congressional tax proposals clash
While optimists may hang on to the small morsels of agreement between Senator Baucus and Representative Camp's tax reform proposals, in general the dueling plans are opposites, making bipartisan cooperation on the issue seem unlikely.
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Key Senate Democrat resists push to renew Bush tax cuts before election
House Republicans want to extend the Bush tax cuts sooner rather than later. Sen. Max Baucus, Senate Finance Committee chief, said Monday the tax code is a 'hydra' – and that lawmakers should lay groundwork and trust before tackling it.
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Payroll tax vote exposes divisions within each party
Despite the bipartisan support for the payroll tax bill, blocks in both parties had reservations: Republicans angry that the measure was not paid for, and Democrats worried about the health of Social Security.
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Five things to watch for in Obama's State of the Union
Former White House speech writers offer pointers to watching President Obama's State of the Union Tuesday night.
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Five days left: Would failure by budget super committee matter?
As the “super committee” deadline approaches, some say it won’t be disaster if the panel fails to deliver. The battles will just be fought again after the next election – and maybe then the side with the best ideas will have more political clout.
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Is Latin America prepared for a debate over geoengineering?
Latin America faces four major questions on the controversial topic of using technology to intentionally reshape aspects of Earth and its atmosphere in a way that counteracts climate change.
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Buffett rule: All about capital gains
Obama's objection—and Buffett’s—is not with rates paid by the average taxpayer who makes a million dollars or more a year Rather it is with those in this group who make most of their money from investments.
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Response to 'credible threat' shows how much has changed since 9/11
Al Qaeda may have been degraded since 2001. But the threat since 9/11 has become more complicated, decentralized and elusive with franchises, affiliates, and homegrown terrorists.
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Can 'super committee' play fair as it tries to control national debt?
The task of reining in the national debt lies in the hands of a super committee of 12, which gets down to business now that Congress is returning from its summer break.
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