Economy and Business
The Left and Right Agree: It’s Time to Break Up the Banks
Moments of consensus between left and right don't come frequently in Washington, and we should heed them when they occur. Right now, that means breaking up the banks. Until recently, the idea that the biggest banks have gotten too big and ought to be divided was...
Shouldn’t We Base Our Tax Policy on More than Hunches?
In January, Congress raised the top marginal tax rate on income over $450,000 from 35 to 39.6 percent. But even with this boost, that top federal rate is still less than half of what it was back in the Eisenhower years. Given the growth of the nation's debt, we need...
This Week in OtherWords: Tax Day Special Edition
This week in OtherWords, we're running a Tax Day special edition. Sam Paltrow-Krulwich talks about the "gay tax" her family must pay until the nation fully embraces marriage equality, Scott Klinger highlights the declining share of tax revenue that American...
Transplanting Taxes from Corporations to the Rest of Us
Today, corporate profits are setting all-time records while middle class families continue to struggle financially. These trends are intertwined. Whether you've clicked to send your tax forms to the IRS along the cyber-highway or dropped your return in the...
The Gay Tax
As the Supreme Court considers two cases that could lead to unprecedented rulings on the right to marriage equality, I've been paying close attention. For me, the national conversation about this civil right hits especially close to home because I'm the daughter of...
New Health Care Taxes: A Poor Prescription
An aging population and the Medicare safety net make health care costs the single biggest threat to America's fiscal future. The Obama administration is leaning on the rich to help foot the bill with two new Medicare taxes, both targeting the well-off. They take...
A Wall Street Powerhouse Attorney Talks Sense
With April 15 fast approaching, Americans are naturally thinking about taxes. But most of us won't be thinking about them the same way our forebears once did. Over the past half-century, our nation has witnessed a profound transformation in attitudes toward income...
Under-Taxing the Rich Is Uncivilized
Please don't fret about paying taxes. They're your most productive investment. As Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. noted more than a century ago, "Taxes are what we pay for civilized society." Tax cuts may bring some temporary relief for the yachting...
Taxing Economics
Don’t Cheat Your Grandma
Despite the fact that Social Security isn't contributing a penny to the federal budget deficit, fiscal hawks have convinced President Barack Obama that we must slash its benefits to save the country. He's joined the sky-is-falling crew in a crazed search for targeted...
