America’s Cosmic Tax Gap

America’s Cosmic Tax Gap

The folks working for the federal government can do some incredible things. Over at NASA, for instance, they’re now putting the finishing touches on the new James Webb Space Telescope — an instrument The Washington Post says will be powerful enough “to capture...
Wall Street Should Pay a Sales Tax, Too

Wall Street Should Pay a Sales Tax, Too

In case there was any doubt, the presidential election fight has confirmed that blasting Wall Street, even eight years after the financial crisis, is still a vote-getter. Hillary Clinton has said she’d like to jail more bankers. Donald Trump has skewered the hedge...
Give “Tax and Spend” a Chance

Give “Tax and Spend” a Chance

This time of year, a whole lot of Americans are feeling taxed enough already. But the astonishing momentum of Bernie Sanders’s presidential candidacy reveals something else: Millions of taxpayers are willing to entertain the idea that some of us aren’t taxed enough,...
Social Security’s Dual-Income Trap

Social Security’s Dual-Income Trap

U.S. workers have paid a reduced Social Security tax rate of 4.2 percent for the past year and a half, down from the ordinary rate of 6.2 percent. For most Americans, this has meant some welcome tax relief. But one group is still paying more than its fair share....