Sorting through the business lobbies’ diverse interests on tax reform

This fall a major showdown is brewing over tax and budget priorities in our nation’s capital.  Senator Max Baucus (D-Montana) and Congressman Dave Camp (R-Michigan) have been laying groundwork for a rewrite of the U.S. tax code.

Food Stamps and Farmers: The House of Representatives Got it So Wrong

After failing to pass a Farm Bill that included farm subsidies and food assistance (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or food stamps) in June, the House of Representatives narrowly passed a skeleton of a Farm Bill on July 11—without the food stamps. The House effectively left 46 million Americans wondering how to feed themselves and theirContinue reading “Food Stamps and Farmers: The House of Representatives Got it So Wrong”

Conservatives Continue Their Budget Myths While Threatening to Make Childhood Hunger a SNAP

Who crashed the economy? If one turns the pages of Paul Ryan’s spine-chilling budget one sees who conservatives like himself believe to be the biggest threats to the US Economy: Hungry children and pregnant mothers.

Take These Chains Off My CPI (Consumer Price Index)

 The deficit crowd cheered when the President included a concept called “Chained CPI” in his 2014 Budget. This is a proposal to change the way the Consumer Price Index (CPI) is calculated. This change is about as wonky as wonk-dome can get, but here’s a try. Currently the CPI grows based on overall increases inContinue reading “Take These Chains Off My CPI (Consumer Price Index)”

Tax Havens for Big Business? Small Business Owners Say ‘Not so fast’

Multi-Partisan small business owners spoke out earlier this month, further distinguishing their interests from those of Big Business. Wednesday, in his post “Has the Budget Crisis Du Jour Got You Down?” Bill Daley pointed out that if Congress were to close one tax loophole on offshore accounts, it could be enough to create a ‘jobContinue reading “Tax Havens for Big Business? Small Business Owners Say ‘Not so fast’”

Has Budget Crisis du Jour Got You Down?

The debate about the national economy seems to have slipped into the shadows. You may be breathing a sigh of relief. Shadows on the budget are inevitable with the Congress focusing on immigration and the press focusing on the attack in Boston.

2012 Job Gap Report

“Broken Bootstraps: Falling Behind on Full-Time Work,” is the 14th annual installment of a joint study by Alliance for a Just Society and its affiliates in 7 states.   Unemployment rates in all states are still high. A modest $9.00/hr. minimum wage has been mentioned at the federal level. Even that income would leave mostContinue reading “2012 Job Gap Report”

Medicaid Matters in Idaho

“Medicaid does more than provide health coverage and services for seniors, low-income  children and families, and people with disabilities. It is also an economic engine.” An Alliance report released just last month details the growing need for medicaid coverage in the state, while lawmakers are continuing a trend toward reducing more critical services. The resultContinue reading “Medicaid Matters in Idaho”

With the New Year comes a new Fiscal Showdown

On the first day of the 2013, Congress passed a legislative compromise to address the so-called ‘fiscal cliff,’ while setting the stage for Round 2 of an ongoing Fiscal Showdown.

What We Can’t Afford to Give Up in the Budget Fight

  A report released by AFL-CIO lays out the state-by-state impact of cutting Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare.