Tag Archives: National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform

Bernie Sanders on why we need to let the tax cuts for the wealthy expire

By Mark | December 6, 2010

I just received the following letter from Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont: As you know, enormously crucial decisions are being made in Washington now which will impact the future of our country for decades. Please join me for an interactive discussion on issues ranging from how we protect Social Security for our kids and grandchildren, […]

Posted in Economics, Politics | Also tagged Bernie Sanders, Bush tax cuts, deficit, Democracy for America, Joe Biden, middle class, social security, tax the rich, the growing gap between rich and poor, the plight of the overtaxed rich | 6 Comments

The mortgage tax deduction and why it should go

By Mark | November 14, 2010

Yesterday, in a post about the President’s Commission on Fiscal Responsibility, I mentioned that co-chairs Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles suggested, amid a long laundry list of federal programs to be cut, the elimination of the mortgage tax deduction. While I deduct my mortgage interest when calculating my taxes each year, just like everyone else […]

Posted in Economics, Environment, Politics | Also tagged Alan Simpson, Brandon Zwagerman, Bush tax cuts, Erskine Bowles, estate tax, home buying, home ownership, McMansions, mortgage interest tax deduction, Murph, social engineering, sprawl, tax incentives, tax policy, urban sprawl | 28 Comments

Considering the suggestions of the Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform

By Mark | November 13, 2010

Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles, the co-chairs of the President’s National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform issued a 50-page draft proposal a few days ago, outlining what they’d recommend that we do to reign in government spending and significantly cut the nation’s deficit. They maintain that their proposal, which cuts military spending, reforms the […]

Posted in Economics, Politics | Also tagged 2037, AFL-CIO, Alan Simpson, baby boomers, Bush tax cuts, Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, deficit, Ed Lorenzen, entitlements, Erskine Bowles, gas tax, lifespan, loopholes, Marc Goldwein, middle class tax cuts, Morning Joe, mortgage interest tax deduction, Obama, Paul Krugman, Pelosi, Peter G. Peterson Foundation, retirement, retirement age, Richard Trumka, social security, tax cuts, tax loopholes, taxing the rich, the growing gap between rich and poor, the plight of the overtaxed rich | 17 Comments

Write to Eric Cantor and tell him to put military cuts on the table

By Mark | November 7, 2010

Eric Cantor, the Republican Whip for the 111th Congress, came out today and said that the GOP would not compromise on extending the Bush tax cuts for the super-wealthy. And, it may not surprise you to know, he didn’t share how exactly we’d be able to pay for them. He did, however, launch a new […]

Posted in Other, Politics | Also tagged 111th Congress, Bush tax cuts, defense spending, Eric Cantor, military spending, Rand Paul, Ron Paul, Virginia, Whip, YouCut | 6 Comments

Congressional support for cutting the military budget is beginning to come together

By Mark | October 13, 2010

Continuing our conversation of a few days ago about cutting the military budget, I just heard that Barney Frank and Ron Paul, along with 55 congressional co-signers sent a letter this evening to the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform calling for significant defense cuts. Here’s a clip from the letter: …The Department of […]