Heritage Action for America on Taxes: No Compromise
Heritage Foundation's 501(c)4 offshoot is targeting some proposals in the new tax deal. But what they're really attacking is the idea of compromise. Heritage Action for America, the 501(c)4 political off-shoot of the Heritage Foundation, has decided that it does not like some of the provisions in …Obama's Tax Cut Damage Control Flops
One day after the announcement of a tax cut extension, President Obama has his hands full trying to calm his base. So the Republicans prevent decoupling of the tax cuts, set a 35 percent baseline on the estate tax, and extend the tax cuts for two years. And all they had to give up was an …Obama's Tax Deal: Who Won, Who Lost?
On Monday, Obama announced a deal with the GOP to extend the Bush tax cuts. F F 's contributors weigh in on the political winners and losers. Late on Monday, December 6th, President Obama announced that a deal had been reached with the Republican leadership over how to handle the Bush tax …The Estate Tax Rises from the Dead
The tax cut extension deal includes a proposal to reinstate the estate tax with a $5 million exemption. But forcing only a few families to bear the tax seems troubling. Among the tax proposals being advanced as a compromise by the President and Republican leadership yesterday was a proposal to …A Good Day for Supply-Siders
The decision to extend the Bush era tax cuts is a win-win. It will either boost the economy or force government to accept some tough spending cuts. A rule of thumb in negotiations is that when both sides leave the table annoyed, it means that a good compromise was made. The deal hammered out …With Less Payroll Taxes, Who Funds Social Security?
Both Democrats and the GOP can take credit for the payroll tax cut, but have they given enough thought to how it will change the funding of Social Security? Slicing 2 points off payroll tax rates gives Democrats and Republicans each something to cheer. Republicans can applaud a truly stimulative …Obama's Tax Deal: What the Dems Lost
Obama's tax deal with harm him politically and might not spark an economic recovery. The president sold out to the GOP and didn't get anything in return. 1) It is hard to figure out what Obama was thinking in making this tax deal with Congressional Republicans. I doubt that he imagined he would …Let's Make a Deal
The tax cut extension is a good sign for the country: it shows Obama can compromise and that House Republicans know how to drive a hard bargain. The tax cut deal that President Obama and congressional Republicans have reached seems like a good omen to me. According to current media reports, Obama …Obama's Tax Cut Win
The deal to extend tax cuts for the rich may disappoint the left, but President Obama knew that raising taxes in an economic slump simply wouldn't make much sense. I don’t remember when I first heard the little ditty, “When in trouble… when in doubt….run in circles… scream and shout!” But, I …What Really Keeps Bernanke Up at Night
On 60 Minutes , Fed Chairman Bernanke was resolute in defending his own (pretty good) record. But he also revealed some larger fears about the economy. Ben Bernanke's interview with 60 Minutes Sunday showed the Fed chairman to be resolute in defending his own (pretty good) record. Reading …Too Fat to Fight
With one in four Americans too overweight to enlist, our military is facing a new national security threat. More soldiers are discharged from military service because of obesity than because of the much debated "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. As my latest column for CNN points out, with one in …FF's RNC Chair Whip Count
Updated: Reince Priebus has decided to jump into the RNC chairman's contest. Click here for F F 's whip count and track all of the endorsements in the race. The Republican National Committee has a unique role to play in the GOP, a role that is particularly important during presidential …Redefining the Rich
It used to be that a millionaire was someone with a million dollars, but Congress might be pushing a new definition. It used to be that a millionaire was someone with a million dollars. Nowadays, though, the term is often used to refer to people who make a million dollars a year . (See here , …Stephen Walt's Non-Existent Saudi Lobby
Stephen Walt seems to believe that the Arab states have no lobbying presence in Washington. Is he serious? Steve Walt describes himself as "a realist in an ideological age." And then he writes the following: Saudi Arabia and the other Arab states have no meaningful lobby in Washington, …Sarah Shoots and Misses
At Frum Forum , we've decided to watch Sarah Palin's Alaska , so you don't have to. This week: Sarah grabs her gun. A Very Special Fact-Check from our Loyal Readers at Conservatives4Palin.com: Ian Lazaran , one of the bloggers at Conservaties4Palin.com (and apparently an avid reader of our …The Right Way to Cut Defense
It would be a colossal mistake to cut our overall level of defense spending. However, there are reforms which could streamline the budget and protect our military. As they say in Congress, I’d like to revise and extend my remarks about the Bowles-Simpson deficit reduction plan. I’m struck …The Prowl: Surviving the Office Holiday Party
The average office holiday party is usually a staid affair involving awkward conversation with the boss' spouse and someone getting inappropriately drunk. Now that Thanksgiving is over, it is time to move on to Christmas/Chanukah/Kwanza/Festivus/whatever. This of course means that it is also time …The Fat Diaries: Stop Dissing the Potato
Some government health agencies are trying to cut down on our potato consumption. But is the much maligned tuber really that harmful? By now, everyone's heard of the " Twinkie diet ." Now there's a new guy on the “I ate only [insert food here]” bandwagon. After 60 days, the head of the …