Mike & Co. — The second Presidential debate last night focused mostly on personal qualifications, the histories of each candidate, and foreign policy. But economic issues policy issues, especially tax policy, still came in for their fair share of debate, with heaping portions of demagoguery. You can find an abridged version of the 2nd debate that …
2nd Presidential Debate/Econ. & Financial Issues (Oct. 10) Read More »
Mike and Co., The VP debate last night did not make much news on the economic policy front. Perhaps the most resonant moment of the debate came when Sen. Kaine drew the contrast between HRC’s “you’re hired” vision and Mr. Trump’s “you’re fired” trademark reputation. Kaine also started to scratch the surface on Mr. Trump’s unethical …
Mike & Co. — Members of Congress are fleeing town, almost all of them headed for the campaign trail, following final passage today of the continuing resolution (CR), a stop-gap measure to fund the federal government until Dec. 9. In the end, negotiations centered in the end on assistance for residents of Flint, MI whose water …
Mike & Co. — The legislative machinery necessary to enact a CR — representing as much progress on the FY17 budget as Congress can make and keep the government running after Friday, the last day of FY16 — has been set in motion. Adjournment is imminent. We’ll go over the final CR then. But the week’s …
Mike & Co. — The operative question on the Hill right now is, when will we get out of here? The simple answer is that Congress will adjourn as soon as logistically possible the minute after the budget stop-gap measure — aka Continuing Resolution (aka CR) — has been adopted by both Houses. Bet on …
Mike & Co. — As the candidates refine their policy positions, think tanks, bloggers, journalists, and pundits try to make sense of it all for us. Sometimes there is spin, intentionally and unintentionally, as mistakes or misconceptions get amplified in the media echo chamber. So it matters who is publishing the report or the poll …
Mike & Co. — Practically every member of Congress running for re-election wants to be with the voters, not with each other with Election Day less than 50 days away. Only one thing stands between them and adjournment right now — adoption of a budget for Fiscal Year 2017, which begins in ten days. No one …
Mike & Co. — In a speech before the Economic Club of New York yesterday, Trump laid out a passably detailed economic plan. Some of the speech provides marginally clearer outlines of previously stated tax policy. The rest of it walks back the most egregious and heavily criticized aspects of his las major economic policy address …
Trump Urges Yuge Tax Cuts and New Debt (Sep. 16) Read More »
Mike & Co. — Congress is back in session now for the balance of September, with the priority items on its agenda and likely outcomes regarding leading legislation in the area of fiscal and financial regulatory policy already clarifying. Below, we review the highest priority bills and their probable disposition, from the must-pass pieces, …
Mike & Co. – Over the last 48 hours, Donald Trump has elaborated on his immigration policy, noting that while many illegal immigrants would be deported, those not deported would instead pay “back taxes.” While widely reported as a “softening” of his traditional rhetoric, these new details raise serious questions about how tax delinquency could be used as a legal …
Alt-Right/Trump and Immigration: the Price of Protection (Aug. 25) Read More »
