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  • Entitlements, Taxes & Spending

    Replace the culture of entitlement with the culture of mutual responsibility.

    Senator Hatch Gets It Right on Tax Extenders

    On December 31, a set of approximately 50 tax-reducing provisions commonly referred to as the “tax extenders” expired. These provisions, which apply to both individuals and businesses, include popular measures such as the Research and Experimentation credit for businesses and the optional deduction for state and local sales taxes for … More

    Note to Congress: Swear Off Phony War Savings, Now and Forever

    Though the idea has been thoroughly discredited, the President and Members of Congress are still considering a large, thoroughly bogus “savings” option to help cover their profligate spending: They intend to claim war spending that was never going to be spent as “savings”—and then spend it on something else. It … More

    Morning Bell: Federal Workers Overpaid, and CBO Agrees

    Here’s some news that federal bureaucrats in Washington — and indeed around the country — don’t want to hear: According to a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report released this week, federal workers are paid higher than their private-sector counterparts. The “alarming news” hit the national media yesterday, but there’s a … More

    Budget Outlook Getting Worse, CBO Report Shows

    The figures released today by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) once again reflect the magnitude of the federal government’s fiscal problem and the urgent need for Congress and the President to address it. Some key points: The 2012 deficit, projected at $1.079 trillion, represents the fourth consecutive year of deficits … More

    Are the British Practicing “Austerity”?

    Some prominent left-wing commentators have devoted weekly columns and blogs to the notion that Great Britain has misguidedly pursued harsh spending “austerity” and that doing so has left the country lingering in unnecessary anguish. In the opinion pages of The New York Times, Paul Krugman inveighs that: Britain, in particular, … More

    CBO Sets the Record Straight on Federal Pay

    The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released a report yesterday showing that federal employees receive substantially more compensation than similarly skilled workers in the private sector. National media, from The New York Times to National Public Radio, reported this “news.” The CBO report was spurred in part by two years of … More

    Rep. Gohmert Stands in Support of Saving the American Dream

    Earlier this week, Representative Louie Gohmert (R–TX) visited The Heritage Foundation to show his support for Saving the American Dream as well as our nationwide educational effort with the Family Research Council, the Your Money, Your Values, Your Vote 2012 Tour. Speaking to an impromptu audience gathered at Heritage, Gohmert’s … More

    Morning Bell: Mitt Romney’s Taxes and True Reform

    How many times should your money be taxed? One time? Two times? Three times? Four? Sounds like a ridiculous proposition, but that’s the true story of capital gains taxes in America, and it’s one that’s not being told in the continuing debate over Governor Mitt Romney’s taxes. For more than … More

    Romney’s Taxes: Too Little or Too Much?

    Much has been made of Mitt Romney’s asserted 15 percent or so tax rate. There is both a material error and an irony to this story. The release of Romney’s tax returns for 2009 and 2010 and a preliminary assessment for 2011 shows a remarkably consistent picture. First, he makes … More

    Stop the Madness: National Debt Threatens our Prosperity

    I propose this simple New Year’s resolution for Congress, pass a budget before borrowing any more money. Today marks the 1,000th day without a budget from Senate Democrats. The last time they passed a budget, you had never heard of the iPad. Tiger Woods was only known for his golfing … More