© 2024 Ideastream Public Media

1375 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44115
(216) 916-6100 | (877) 399-3307

WKSU is a public media service licensed to Kent State University and operated by Ideastream Public Media.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

What Form Will Tax Reform Take?

On October 25, President Trump  tweeted, “This will be the biggest TAX CUT in the history of our country – and we need it! #TaxReform.” Since the beginning of his campaign, President Trump has called for a significant rewrite to the United States’ tax code, which hasn’t happened since the  Reagan administration

Just one week after it was revealed on November 9, the House of Representatives passed their version of a tax reform bill with 227 Republican votes. This version of the bill  includes tax cuts for corporations and small businesses, eliminates the estate tax, simplifies and collapses tax brackets from seven to four, and eliminates many deductions, including those for student loan interest.  All of these changes amount to a $1.4 trillion deficit. A Senate panel has also approved a version of the bill, paving the way for a full Senate consideration after Thanksgiving. A main difference between the two includes a provision in the Senate’s version that eliminates the legal requirement that almost all Americans buy health insurance or pay a penalty.

Panelists include:
Jared Bernstein, Senior Fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy, and former Chief Economist and Economic Adviser to Vice President Joseph Biden
Grover Norquist, President, Americans for Tax Reform
Marna Ricker, Central Region Tax Managing Partner, EY

This conversation is moderated by  Cleveland.com's Washington Bureau Chief  Stephen Koff.

Jean-Marie Papoi is a digital producer for the arts & culture team at Ideastream Public Media.