by Linda Beale Fixing Sequestration (for the rich only) Once again, Congress has demonstrated that it notices mostly what affects rich people and can’t quite identify with ordinary Americans. And that it will not pass either spending laws or tax laws (which include a wealth of spending laws through the tax expenditure mechanism) that equitably […]
by Linda Beale Doggett fighting for fairness on Tax Day! On Monday, Congressman Lloyd Doggett, a long-time member of the House Ways and Means Committee, releases a GAO report showing the continued advance of corporate tax expenditures that allow corporations to pay little or no taxes year after year. “Of the many Americans who are […]
by Linda Beale Senator Warren prods bank regulators Somehow, more Senators need to start doing what Senator Warren does. Review the facts. Ask questions that force regulators to admit to what they are doing. Point out the lopsided nature of the regulators’ activities that demonstrate that they are acting more to protect the Big Banks […]
by Linda Beale Obama caves yet again: offering Social Security cuts to appease the right… Obama’s budget isn’t even released yet and he’s already caving to the “let’s make the rich richer and forget the rest” crowd. That crowd that claims that we need a capital gains preference so the rich can gather all that […]
by Linda Beale Addressing TBTF with tax and other policy: because “Big Banks Go Wrong, Pay Little Price” The New York Times today reiterated what many Americans lament–Big Banks went uncharged for serving as the main engine of the Great Recession that cost ordinary Americans jobs, homes and futures. See Andrew Ross Sorkin, Big Banks […]
by Linda Beale Senate Confirms Lew at Treasury The US Senate confirmed Jacob Lew as Treasury secretary by a 71 to 26 vote (with 20 Republicans voting with Democrats) late Wednesday. See Jeremy Peters,Senate, in a more affable mode, backs Treasury nominee, New York Times (Sept. 27, 2013). I’ve covered my reservations about Jack Lew […]
by Linda Beale Private equity and real estate managers get a “costly and unjust [tax] perk” Through a process of Wall Street interpretation of the law and the “Wall Street Rule” (that says that the government tax administration will have great difficulty gainsaying an interpretation of the tax laws that lots of high-powered–read “wealthy”–Wall Street […]
by Linda Beale Hedge Fund Tax Avoidance Schemes–using (purported) offshore reinsurers It seems that billionaires think they are entitled to it all and think they should be able to run their speculative games without paying much of anything at all in taxes to the government they depend on. And none of this is good for […]
by Linda Beale Right-Wing Mythology 101: the myth of the rich fleeing taxes One of the right-wing’s most cherished myths is that highly progressive taxes will kill state revenues, since the rich who have the money to pay them will simply move to a more accommodating jurisdiction.This is repeated in most conversations I’ve had with […]
by Linda Beale Mark Thoma puts Holtz-Eakin on (figurative) hot seat As most of the Angry Bear and ataxingmatter readers know, I do not frequently applaud the economic punditry of those freshwater economists who think the way to deal with the problem of failed market fundamentalism policies is to double-down on those failed policies. I’ve […]