Why the controversy over the 2020 Census Census Citizenship question?
“Those who aim to suppress the enumeration of immigrants and minorities in the census are clinging by the threads of power in an ever-changing nation. Efforts to diminish the impact of those who renew our nation and make us economically and culturally vibrant are unwise and immoral. The preservation of our representative democracy hinges on inclusion of all people. Everyone counts.” –Ruth Ellen Wasem, clinical professor of policy at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, the University of Texas in Austin. To learn more about the citizenship question, click here.
Why changing the tax code won’t mean a thing
The IRS is completely outgunned by the ultra-rich. One study of income hidden from the IRS found that it’s the richest who hide it the most effectively: the top 0.5 percent of high-earning Americans account for one-fifth of the income unreported to the IRS, amounting to some $50 billion per year. Part of that is because for the bottom 90 percent of us, wages get directly reported to the IRS making it ultra-easy to verify accurate reporting. In 2009, the IRS planned a legion of elite accountants to audit the super wealthy, but thanks to budget cuts and lobbying this team never actually came together. Instead of the target of 240 expert auditors by 2012, it had only 96 by 2014, and as of last year had only 58. So change the tax code however you want, if the enforcement of that tax code is being deliberately shortchanged it won’t mean a thing. Click here to learn more. -538 and The New York Times
