Downsizing Blog
O Zones and HUBZones: Aimed at the Poor, Aid the Rich
The Republican Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 created 8,700 “opportunity zones” across the country which receive special capital gains tax breaks.
Postal Service: Meltdown of the Mails
The U.S. Postal Service is in a growing financial crisis as mail volume continues to plunge. The Government Accountability Office says that a “comprehensive package of actions is needed to improve USPS’s financial viability.”
Infrastructure Lovefest Bad for Taxpayers
The initial details of the $2 trillion infrastructure agreement between President Trump and Democratic congressional leaders seem to spell bad news for taxpayers.
$2 trillion: The Infrastructure Answer To What Question?
Media reports suggest President Trump and Democrat leaders have agreed in principle to a $2 trillion infrastructure plan “to upgrade the nation’s highways, railroads, bridges and broadband.”
Be Skeptical of Income and Wealth Claims
As the 2020 presidential election campaign heats up, get ready for a torrent of claims about incomes, wealth, and inequality.
Transit’s Growing Costs Drive Away Low-Income Commuters
The Census Bureau’s 2017 American Community Survey revealed that, for the first time, the median income of transit commuters has risen above the median income of all American workers.
Restructuring the U.S. Postal Service
The European postal “market is more competitive than ever, with the always-on consumer ushering in a tidal wave of change.” Congress should begin ushering in such changes in America.
The Questions Medicare for All Supporters Must Answer
Vermont senator and Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has officially unveiled the latest version of his plan for a government-run health-care system.
Leaving High-Tax Connecticut for Low-Tax Florida
Data from both the Census Bureau and Internal Revenue Service have long shown that Americans are, on net, moving from higher-tax states such as Connecticut to lower-tax states such as Florida.
Why Is U.S. Government Infrastructure So Costly?
Tracy Gordon of the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center writes interesting columns on taxes, fiscal federalism, and other economic issues. Before Congress and the administration enact another costly infrastructure bill, they should consider what Gordon wrote in a 2015 article.