Épisodes

  • What Happened with the CR
    Dec 23 2024

    A just-in-time CR extending current funding levels until March 14, 2025, narrowly averted a government shutdown. So what's in it? Steve Ellis and Josh Sewell take you inside the deal, including $100 billion in disaster relief, $10 billion in economic aid for farmers, and a one-year extension of the farm bill. Get the details on the grab bag of other stuff left on the cutting room floor.

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    28 min
  • Reality Check: Can Elon Musk's Team Really Cut $2 Trillion in a Year?
    Dec 11 2024

    Get the reality check on America's daunting fiscal challenges and why both parties must face hard truths about spending, taxes, and debt. TCS President Steve Ellis and Director of Research Josh Sewell dissect the bold claims of the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. While fresh eyes on Washington's spending problems are welcome, can Silicon Valley-style disruption work in the federal budget? Find out why eliminating "unauthorized" programs and firing federal workers won't come close to the promised savings and why ignoring entitlements like Social Security and Medicare is a recipe for fiscal disaster.

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    30 min
  • Lame Duck, Big Bucks: Congress's Last-Minute Spending Sprint
    Nov 8 2024

    With critical deadlines looming and major legislation hanging in the balance, TCS President Steve Ellis and Director of Policy Josh Sewell dive into what's at stake during Congress's lame duck session. They break down the pressing December 20th government funding deadline, the stalled Farm Bill reauthorization, and the likelihood of an emergency supplemental spending bill for recent disaster relief. Whether you're concerned about government spending or just want to understand what's happening in Washington, this timely discussion cuts through the partisan rhetoric to deliver the facts about the critical decisions facing Congress in its final weeks of 2024.

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    25 min
  • Pumping Profits or Storing Carbon? Oversight Gaps in Carbon Capture Subsidies
    Oct 15 2024

    Taxpayers for Common Sense explores the 45Q tax credit for carbon capture and storage, its expansion, and concerns about its implementation, oversight, and potential misuse as a subsidy for oil production.

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    19 min
  • Helene's High Cost
    Oct 3 2024

    TCS Director of Research & Policy Josh Sewell joins Steve Ellis to help answer the multi-billion dollar question: Who Pays When Disaster Strikes?

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    25 min
  • USACE Boondoggle
    Sep 5 2024

    When a wasteful government program like the Yazoo Area Pump Project is killed, it oughta stay dead. But the US Army Corps of Engineers has this pet zombie hidden in the Mississippi backwater. Listen to find out how taxpayers could be on the hook for billions in an attempt to unnecessarily re-plumb the Mississippi River and its tributaries. An environmental and fiscal disaster that benefits only a handful of farmers who are growing subsidized commodities in the floodplain.

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    27 min
  • Dear Elon
    Aug 16 2024

    We hear you! Hit play for the merits of the Elon Musk-style commission on government efficiency. TCS stalwarts Steve Ellis and Josh Sewell emphasize the need for bipartisan support, tackling both spending and revenue issues, and going beyond just eliminating waste.

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    21 min
  • Pentagon's Unsustainable Spending: The Sentinel ICBM and Next-Gen Fighter Dilemma
    Jul 24 2024

    Pentagon spending plans are spiraling out of control. From ICBMs to next-gen fighters, costs are skyrocketing while strategic benefits remain unclear. Dive into the fiscal chaos as we unpack the Air Force's budget woes and question whether these ambitious projects truly serve national security interests.

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    17 min