Archive for February, 2011

Senator Udall (D – Colorado) Speaks

By John Lumbard.   Republicans are threatening to shut down the government over $100 billion in spending cuts---remember when that was considered big money?---while Democrats try to turn the event to their political advantage.  Wouldn't it make more sense to take a stand on principle and a permanent change for the...
Read More

The Keepers of the Flame

By James Schaefer.   At long last, the topic of entitlement reform  -- "the topic" -- has been broached (see Weekend Interview with Paul Ryan). These entitlements -- Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and the Prescription Drug Benefit -- are the promises that politicians have made to American citizens for decades.  We think of them...
Read More

The Grand Bargain

By John Lumbard.   In the weeks before the 2008 elections Barack Obama mused that the nation needs to strike a "grand bargain" if it's going to balance the federal budget.  You won't give up your benefits and tax breaks unless I give up mine, and the same can be said...
Read More

The Scott Adams Challenge

By James Schaefer.   Scott Adams, the author of Dilbert, recently had a feature article in the Wall Street Journal, entitled "How to Tax the Rich", and he asked readers to think up incentives that might allow our biggest taxpayers to feel a bit better about dropping hundred-thousand-dollar checks into the ravenous maw...
Read More

Amendment Filed. Call Your Congressman!

Senators Mark Udall (D-Colo.) and Richard Shelby (R-Ala.)  have introduced a Balanced-Budget Amendment to the Constitution that---are you sitting down?---includes a 20% of GDP cap on federal spending!  It requires a 3/5 vote of both houses to run deficits or overspend, but in other respects is very much like a bill...
Read More