Scott Bessent’s 3 Percent Deficit Target Would Require Massive Cuts to Anti-Poverty Programs and Middle-Class Tax Increases ArticleJanuary 15, 2025 Scott Bessent’s 3 Percent Deficit Target Would Require Massive Cuts to Anti-Poverty Programs and Middle-Class Tax Increases Basic arithmetic suggests that the fiscal goals of President-elect Donald Trump’s treasury pick would slash health care and food security for working- and middle-class families while renewing tax cuts tilted to the wealthy. Jan 15, 2025 Brendan Duke, Bobby Kogan
Republican Tax Legislators’ Potential Framework for Extending Trump’s Tax Cuts Is a Gimmick That Would Cost More Than Advertised ReportDecember 17, 2024 Republican Tax Legislators’ Potential Framework for Extending Trump’s Tax Cuts Is a Gimmick That Would Cost More Than Advertised Using a current policy baseline to mask the cost of extending Trump’s tax cuts is a gimmick that cannot change the fact that doing so would increase the deficit. Dec 17, 2024 Bobby Kogan, Brendan Duke, Sophie Cohen
Progressive Principles for the 2025 Tax Debate: Having No Deal Is Better Than Having a Bad Deal ReportDecember 9, 2024 Progressive Principles for the 2025 Tax Debate: Having No Deal Is Better Than Having a Bad Deal Facing the $4 trillion expiration of the Trump tax cuts next year, Congress must not greenlight a tax deal that will worsen income inequality and lose revenue. Dec 9, 2024 Brendan Duke, Bobby Kogan, Jessica Vela
Americans’ Wages Are Higher Than They Have Ever Been, and Employment Is Near Its All-Time High ArticleOctober 17, 2024 Americans’ Wages Are Higher Than They Have Ever Been, and Employment Is Near Its All-Time High After adjusting for inflation, wages are higher than at any point in U.S. history, and after adjusting for age and sex, the percentage of the population that is employed is around its peak in U.S. history. Oct 17, 2024 Bobby Kogan, Brendan Duke
The Trump Tax Cuts Led to Record-Low, Not High, Revenues Outside of a Recession ArticleAugust 28, 2024 The Trump Tax Cuts Led to Record-Low, Not High, Revenues Outside of a Recession Federal revenues lag far behind pre-tax cut budget projections. Aug 28, 2024 Bobby Kogan, Brendan Duke, Jessica Vela
Project 2025’s Tax Plan Would Raise Taxes on the Middle Class and Cut Taxes for the Wealthy ArticleAugust 27, 2024 Project 2025’s Tax Plan Would Raise Taxes on the Middle Class and Cut Taxes for the Wealthy The far-right extremist playbook would immediately raise taxes for the middle class by thousands of dollars while also pushing for long-term changes that could raise taxes by $5,900. Aug 27, 2024 Brendan Duke
New Student Debt Relief Policies Fix Broken Promises and Benefit Borrowers Most in Need ArticleAugust 7, 2024 New Student Debt Relief Policies Fix Broken Promises and Benefit Borrowers Most in Need The Biden-Harris administration proposed new regulations that would bring the share of student loan borrowers across the country who receive full or partial relief to about 3 in 4, targeting those who are the most likely to struggle repaying their debt. Aug 7, 2024 Sara Partridge, Madison Weiss, Brendan Duke
Sen. Ted Cruz’s No Tax on Tips Act Does Little for Low- and Moderate-Wage Workers But Opens Door to Tax Abuse by Wealthy ArticleJuly 17, 2024 Sen. Ted Cruz’s No Tax on Tips Act Does Little for Low- and Moderate-Wage Workers But Opens Door to Tax Abuse by Wealthy This legislation may sound like pro-worker tax reform, but it’s just more of the 2017 tax law’s empty promises for workers and giveaways for the wealthy. Jul 17, 2024 Brendan Duke
The Inflation Reduction Act Still Reduces the Deficit ArticleJune 27, 2024 The Inflation Reduction Act Still Reduces the Deficit Higher clean energy tax credit costs mean they are working better than expected. Jun 27, 2024 Bobby Kogan, Brendan Duke
Wealth of Younger Americans Is Historically High ArticleApril 24, 2024 Wealth of Younger Americans Is Historically High Due to a historic economic recovery, inflation-adjusted wealth for younger Americans has grown 49 percent since right before the pandemic—a positive trend following decades of stagnation. Apr 24, 2024 Brendan Duke, Christian E. Weller
Our aging and low-income workforce needs a broader tax break In the NewsApril 18, 2024 Our aging and low-income workforce needs a broader tax break In The Hill, Beth Almeida and Brendan Duke write about why the United States needs an expanded earned income tax credit. Apr 18, 2024 The Hill Beth Almeida, Brendan Duke
Entrepreneurship, Startups, and Business Formation Are Booming Across the U.S. ArticleMarch 18, 2024 Entrepreneurship, Startups, and Business Formation Are Booming Across the U.S. Applications for new businesses, the number of startups, and the total number of businesses have skyrocketed across U.S. states and counties since 2021. Mar 18, 2024 Brendan Duke
Workers’ Paychecks Are Growing More Quickly Than Prices ReportJanuary 3, 2024 Workers’ Paychecks Are Growing More Quickly Than Prices Most workers’ wages are growing more quickly than prices, and the economic recovery following the COVID-19 recession has featured historically strong real wage growth. Jan 3, 2024 Brendan Duke
Repealing the Estate Tax Is Phony Populism In the NewsJune 10, 2017 Repealing the Estate Tax Is Phony Populism Brendan V. Duke argues that President Trump's support for repealing the estate tax is incompatible with his campaign populism. Jun 10, 2017 InsideSources Brendan Duke
Interactive Map: The Midwestern Recession InteractiveJune 7, 2017 Interactive Map: The Midwestern Recession This interactive map details changes in real wages and employment rates since 2000. Jun 7, 2017 Brendan Duke, Andrew Schwartz, Mathew Brady
Obama’s Legacy on the Economy Is Anything But a Mess ReportJune 1, 2017 Obama’s Legacy on the Economy Is Anything But a Mess The economy and the labor market experienced long periods of stable growth during Barack Obama’s presidency, laying the foundation to address remaining issues in the Trump administration. Jun 1, 2017 Christian E. Weller, Brendan Duke
Toward a Marshall Plan for America ReportMay 16, 2017 Toward a Marshall Plan for America The economy is not producing access to a good, stable middle-class life for people who do not go to college. On prudential and ethical grounds, progressives must do more to create decent job opportunities and secure family situations for all working people facing difficult economic conditions not within their control. May 16, 2017 Neera Tanden, Carmel Martin, Marc Jarsulic, 6 More Brendan Duke, Ben Olinsky, Melissa Boteach, John Halpin, Ruy Teixeira, Rob Griffin
Trump: Making the Trade Deficit Great Again ReportApril 5, 2017 Trump: Making the Trade Deficit Great Again President Trump’s combination of tax cuts, hawkish monetary policy, and financial deregulation will cause the U.S. dollar and trade deficit to rise. Apr 5, 2017 Brendan Duke
Trump’s Budget Is Breaking His Promises on Manufacturing ArticleMarch 27, 2017 Trump’s Budget Is Breaking His Promises on Manufacturing President Trump’s budget proposal would cut programs vital to manufacturing workers, companies, and communities. Mar 27, 2017 Brendan Duke
COUNTERPOINT: Should the U.S. repeal the federal inheritance tax? In the NewsJanuary 9, 2017 COUNTERPOINT: Should the U.S. repeal the federal inheritance tax? Brendan Duke writes about why the United States should not repeal the federal inheritance tax. Jan 9, 2017 Illinois Business Journal Brendan Duke
5 Steps to Address Corporate America’s Short-Termism Problem ArticleSeptember 29, 2016 5 Steps to Address Corporate America’s Short-Termism Problem Here are five ways that policymakers can fix corporate America’s increasingly myopic behavior and create a sustainable long-term economy. Sep 29, 2016 Brendan Duke, Andrew Schwartz, Andy Green
Raising Wages and Rebuilding Wealth ReportSeptember 8, 2016 Raising Wages and Rebuilding Wealth To achieve economic security, middle-class Americans need policies that promote good jobs; a growing, inclusive economy; and affordable child care, higher education, health care, housing, and retirement. Sep 8, 2016 Carmel Martin, Andy Green, Brendan Duke
To Raise Productivity, Let’s Raise Wages ReportSeptember 2, 2016 To Raise Productivity, Let’s Raise Wages Policymakers trying to reverse the productivity slowdown should focus on policies that raise wages and restore full employment. Sep 2, 2016 Brendan Duke
Ending the Pass-Through Tax Loophole for Big Business ReportAugust 10, 2016 Ending the Pass-Through Tax Loophole for Big Business Closing the pass-through tax loophole used by big businesses will increase federal revenue to meet critical needs and at the same time address income inequality. Aug 10, 2016 Alexandra Thornton, Brendan Duke