In addition to the report I wrote about earlier, the CBO has made the data underlying that report available in an Excel spreadsheet. Like Republicans and tax cuts, I just can't resist graphing income and tax data. So, here you go. This graph represents the shares of after-tax income for the lowest 4 quintiles and the top quintile. I knew the 2001-2003 Bush tax cuts were skewed toward the rich, but this graph really puts things into perspective. (Click on image to enlarge)

The newest addition to The View, Whoopi Goldberg, is telling viewers that she wants to repeal the estate tax. Here's EPI's Jared Bernstein on her misinformation campaign.

In an attempt to have people pay attention to the issue of the national debt, a recent Associated Press article lead with the eye-catching headline of "National Debt Grows $1 Million a Minute." Wow! $1,000,000.00 a minute! That's quite a bit of cash. The article is well worth a read and should make you even more disappointed that the current Congress is considering waiving PAYGO rules for a patch to the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT). Such a move would add $50 billion to the debt immediately and the issue will have to be revisited all over again next year because the legislation being considered is only for one year. If they pass the AMT patch without paying for it this year, I wonder if they will pay for it next year? argh...