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July 1, 2025
More Information Sharing Means Fewer Taxpayer Losses to Fraud
Last month, Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) introduced a resolution of inquiry objecting to the Trump administration’s development of a “centralized database” that “compiles American citizens’ personal information across federal agencies and departments.”…
May 19, 2025
The Case for Shifting More Welfare Costs to States
As part of Congressional Republicans’ drive to craft “one big beautiful bill” reflecting Donald Trump’s tax and spending agenda, the House Agriculture committee on May 14 approved several proposals that…
May 6, 2025
What DOGE Flagged as Unemployment Fraud Is Just the Tip of the Iceberg—Most of Which Will Never Be Recovered
The Department of Government Efficiency recently spotlighted unemployment benefits paid to tens of thousands of individuals whose reported birthdates indicated they were either children or dead. One claimant’s birthdate even suggested he or she hadn’t been born yet. As Elon Musk said, “Your tax dollars…
April 23, 2025
In Case of Emergency, Open Block Grant: Part 2
Congress’s efforts to produce “one big, beautiful bill” that reflects President Donald Trump’s tax and spending priorities is about to kick into high gear as the House and Senate turn…
April 23, 2025
In Case of Emergency, Open Block Grant: Part 1
…strides in increasing work and earnings and reducing poverty, as one of us (Weidinger) noted on the 25th anniversary of the 1996 law: After reform, welfare caseloads plummeted as millions…
March 11, 2025
Democrats’ DOGE Delusions
While occupied with budget bills to keep the government open and set future spending and tax levels, Congress is also cleaning up past messes. Today, the House is expected to…
February 24, 2025
What Do You Call an Automatic Stabilizer that Doesn’t Shrink When Conditions Improve? The Biden Food Stamps Blowout
…of us (Weidinger) explained in a March 2023 Wall Street Journal oped, “In July 2022, when California’s unemployment rate reached a record low of 3.9%, its food-stamp caseload reached a…
February 4, 2025
Snip, Snip: Spending Cuts Are Coming
Republicans’ agenda of cutting taxes and increasing spending on their policy priorities depends significantly on identifying productive spending reductions. But just cutting spending will not be enough. Republicans must also…
January 3, 2025
Thanks, Joe Manchin
…that logic and proves that traditional American values like hard work, and putting policy over party, still matter. Thanks, Senator Manchin, for reminding us of those simple and enduring truths….
December 31, 2024
Farewell, President Stimulus
When it comes to stimulus, President Joe Biden has carved out a signature spot in American history. From his role as “sheriff” overseeing Democrats’ massive 2009 stimulus law to signing an even bigger…