A few facts about the budget: 1. Tax revenue as a percent of GDP is incredibly low. Lower than even the lowest of the Reagan years. Lower by far than the Clinton years. 2. Popular programs are popular. 3. Raising taxes on those making more than $250,000 a year is popular. 4. People who want… Continue reading Austerity Bombe
Author: Nathan Hunstad
Historical Tax Incidence
Note: These graphs have been corrected in the 2012 Tax Incidence post. I like analysis, and I like tax policy. Put the two together, as I’ve done before, and it’s a pretty sweet time. But I have a lot of numbers at my disposal, much more than the past couple of years. So because I… Continue reading Historical Tax Incidence
The CISSP Exam
Last Sunday, I took and passed the CISSP exam. I had made it a personal goal to pass the exam before the end of the year, and I’m happy to say that I have achieved my goal. What was my study plan? Read on…
Election Postmortem
So, how did I do? Pretty well I’d say, although my super-secret strategy was basically to believe Nate Silver. I didn’t get everything right, but pretty much everywhere I was wrong I was too pessimistic: the DFL did take back the MN House, Obama did have a good night and won Florida, he won MN… Continue reading Election Postmortem
Electoral Prognostications
So here’s where I lay out my predictions for two days hence…
The Legislature, Then and Now
I worked at the legislature for almost 11 years. The first six of those years were when the Republicans had the majority in the house. Then came four years of a DFL majority, and then a return to the Republican majority that we have today. Even though only four years separated the two Republican majorities,… Continue reading The Legislature, Then and Now
Thus passes history
Two things were in the news this week that, while not necessarily effecting me immediately today, nevertheless represent things that had a large influence on who I am as a person. The first was the decision that Newsweek will no longer produce its print magazine, ending almost 80 years of print editions. The second, announced… Continue reading Thus passes history
I’m unelectable!
NPR’s Planet Money decided to talk to a bunch of economists of all stripes to ask what they would like to see in an economic platform for a presidential candidate. They came up with this: eliminating the mortgage interest and health care deductions, corporate income tax, income tax, a carbon tax, and legalized marijuana. Aside… Continue reading I’m unelectable!
I’m the 53%
It’s piling on at this point to comment on Mitt Romney’s utter disdain for almost half of the U.S. population. If you really want the good stuff, check out Ezra Klein, Josh Marshall, David Frum, Kevin Drum, and Atrios (actually, you should be reading them ever day). But if there’s one thing that I am,… Continue reading I’m the 53%
The Role of the Media
I don’t believe in objective journalism, in that I don’t think it exists. I’ve long ranted against expecting objective journalism, which these days, essentially results in “he said, she said” and “balanced” reporting. One of the biggest gaps to result is the fact that very, very rarely will the media call out people as liars.… Continue reading The Role of the Media