Blog
Welcome to our blog – The Bottom Line, where you’ll find up-to-date commentary and analysis on the most important news in the fiscal world. Below is a list of our blog posts.
CBO: The Role of Automatic Stabilizers in Deficits
Yesterday, CBO released a report on the effect of automatic stabilizers on the deficit, showing that in recent years, they have added hundreds of...
The Case for a Debt Failsafe
Yesterday, CRFB released an analysis of President Obama's new deficit reduction framework meant to save $4 trillion dollars over 12 years. Using CBO's...
CRFB Releases Paper Analyzing President's Framework
This morning, CRFB released a paper analyzing President Obama's new budget framework which the President laid out last week in a speech at the George...
Ideas for Improving IPAB
As our readers know, CRFB is a big proponent of the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) created under health reform to control Medicare cost...
The IMF on Fiscal Adjustments
As we have been looking at a number of fiscal plans for the US recently, the IMF has a useful appendix in its most recent Fiscal Monitor on what has...
CBO Releases Full Analysis of President's Budget
The Congressional Budget Office has released its full analysis of President Obama's FY 2012 budget request. While the new report goes into greater...
Trouble Ahead? S&P Cuts US Ratings Outlook
Today, the S&P has cut the US ratings outlook from stable to negative, while maintaining our triple-A rating. While this does not represent a direct...
‘Line’ Items: Tax Day Edition
Happy Tax Day – Today is about the consequences of procrastination for the great many waiting until the last minute to file their federal income tax...
A Special 10/40
In the spirit of Tax Day today the Bottom Line presents its own special “10/40” (don’t worry; we aren’t filing this with the IRS). Just saying the...
Actually, Comprehensive Tax Reform Can Be Progressive
Congressman Ryan has come under attack, recently, for the tax reform framework in the House Republican budget proposal. CBPP calls it "huge tax...
Giving Taxpayers a Receipt
Just in time for Tax Day on Monday, the White House website has launched a taxpayer receipt. By entering what one has paid in federal taxes, the new...
Rep. Cooper Withdraws Amendment, but Effort Was Not in Vain
Last night, Congressman Jim Cooper (D-TN) withdrew from consideration his substitute amendment to the FY 2012 budget resolution that will be voted on...