• The Heritage Network
    • Resize:
    • A
    • A
    • A
  • Donate
  • taxes

    Morning Bell: Fighting Government Cronyism with an Opportunity Agenda

    Would you like a raise? For some workers, cronyism prevents receiving raises in pay. In early 2011, a Giant Eagle supermarket in Edinboro, Pennsylvania, wanted to give wage increases and higher starting wages to 25 employees. But a union wouldn’t let it do so. Why would a union object to … More

    The Income Tax Turns 100 Years Old

    The federal income tax is now a centenarian. On February 3, 1913, the 16th amendment to the Constitution was ratified. The revenue the income tax raises allowed Congress to greatly expand the size of the federal government. We will likely never return to a federal government the size we had … More

    Morning Bell: How to Balance the Budget in 10 Years

    Both houses of Congress have now voted to suspend the debt ceiling until May 19, buying lawmakers more time to develop a budget. The Senate would put together a budget for the first time in three years—and the details of that budget are crucial. To prevent the federal debt from … More

    Morning Bell: It’s Time to Balance the Budget

    Today, the House will vote on a proposal that would suspend the debt ceiling until May 19, buying a bit more time for the overarching budget debate. This puts off the difficult decisions that are needed to get the country’s fiscal situation in order. Heritage’s vice president for domestic and … More

    Morning Bell: Obama’s Second Inaugural Address, Translated

    Members of Congress—who are about to debate raising the debt ceiling tomorrow—should have paid attention yesterday. The President was very clear that he sees no urgency about reducing the debt and cutting the deficit. In fact, in his second inaugural address, President Barack Obama was honest about his intentions to … More

    Effective Marginal Tax Rates: A Growing Discussion

    Did you notice how your paycheck shrank in January? The expiration of temporary payroll tax cuts boosted marginal tax rates about two percentage points for most Americans. That might not be a very large number on its own, but taken together with the full range of government policies affecting workers … More

    Morning Bell: 13 Tax Increases in 2013

    New Year’s Day was tough for taxpayers. Thirteen tax increases kicked in. The deal that Congress and President Obama struck that finally—but only partially—avoided the fiscal cliff resulted in seven tax increases. Those hikes combined with six tax increases from Obamacare that also began on New Year’s Day. 13 Tax … More

    Morning Bell: The Slow Dismantling of Obamacare

    Things aren’t going so well for Obamacare. Even Democrats in Congress aren’t huge fans any more. It seems after passing the law and finding out what’s in it, the allure has faded—so much so that Congress actually repealed part of Obamacare in the fiscal cliff deal last week. That’s right—part … More

    Morning Bell: Taxes to Rise on Most American Workers

    Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) called it “a happy start to a new year.” That probably tells you all you need to know about the fiscal cliff deal that passed the House last night. The bill—which President Obama has promised to sign, though he took off for Hawaii again after the … More

    Morning Bell: Tax Hikes to Start the New Year

    While you were sleeping—or ringing in 2013—the Senate voted to raise taxes. After missing the midnight deadline, Congress and the President have technically sent the nation over the fiscal cliff, meaning higher tax rates are already in effect for all income tax brackets. But the Senate’s deal, brokered by Senate … More