Common wisdom tells us that corporations, the rich, and the conservative politician that serve them, are opposed to big government. Common wisdom also says that these same groups support something called the free market.

However, as is often the case, the real world is much different than common wisdom would have it.

Recently Mitt Romney’s waffling about whether or not to release his tax returns has been highlighted in the news. Another tax-related item, that has largely escaped attention, is a report released earlier this month by the Internal Revenue Service. IRS figures show that tax cheating robbed the public of about $385 billion during a single year. A closer look shows that the IRS is probably underestimating tax evasion, that tax cheating is most prevalent among the top-income brackets, and that Republicans have been in the forefront of preventing the IRS from enforcing tax laws.

The unemployment numbers for December, released on Friday, represented an improvement. The employment situation is getting better, but the economy is not nearly out of trouble yet. The official unemployment rate is still high, at 8.5%. The economy generated a healthy 200,000 new jobs in December. However, if employment were to continue to grow at this rate, it would take until 2019 for unemployment to return to its pre-recession rate.

With the economy still in the doldrums, most state and local governments continue to face severe budgetary challenges. The need for vital government safety-net programs is growing at the same time when tax revenues are falling. Yet, an estimated $70 billion in state and local taxpayer dollars is given away each year in the form of subsidies for businesses, according to a cautious appraisal by Kenneth P. Thomas at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Several months ago, this image was widely circulated through social media. This famous Lewis Hine photo, shows early 20th Century children working in a cotton mill who were so small they had to climb up on the equipment to mend bobbins. The caption reads, “Until the government got involved, these kids had jobs.”

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), an international body composed of 34 of the world’s most economically powerful nations, has just released a new compilation of health statistics. This study sheds light on the costs and quality of health care in those nations.

How well does the United States compare with its peers in the latest OECD data?

The “Super Committee” continued to disagree over which austerity program to impose on America last week. However, elsewhere on the hill, the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) held an ad hoc hearing focusing on the country’s true needs: putting people back to work and boosting economic recovery.

Whatever happened to poverty? Once upon a time when the Great Society was in full swing, we attempted to wage a war on it. Today it is a one-day news story or, to be more precise, two one-day stories. In September the Census Bureau reported... (continue reading)

Intercity bus service in this country is built upon a low-cost economic model that is creating tragic consequences. Real solutions are needed to address the most important cause of passenger fatality: driver fatigue.

The Financial Transactions Tax (FTT) is an idea whose time has come. It deserves serious attention as the “super committee” continues to meet to try to find ways to reduce budget deficits.

This year, the outstanding student loan total in the U.S. will top $1 trillion. Add this crushing debt to the fact that in today’s economy young people have fewer job opportunities, and you get a scary financial future for those of us who believed college would be the pathway to success.

When the economy slows down, governments at the national, state and local levels inevitably find increased demands on social safety-net programs and decreased revenues. Since the economic downturn that started in 2008, unemployment has skyrocketed, demands for government services have soared, and tax revenues have plummeted because of sinking property values, shrinking incomes and high joblessness.

Eric Cantor (R-VA) cancelled a speech at the Wharton School last Friday, when he heard that it would be open to the public. However, his office did release a copy of the remarks that he had prepared for the occasion. They provide an understanding of how little the House Majority Leader has to say about the severe economic inequalities that are the focus protests throughout the nation.

Recently Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain was asked by Alan Murray of the Wall Street Journal for his opinion on the Occupy Wall Street protests. His reaction: “Don’t blame the big banks. If you don’t have a job and you’re not rich, blame yourself.”

The overlords of the American economy claim to be genuinely mystified by the Occupy Wall Street movement. Their confusion alternates with occasional expressions of fear that somehow the “rabble” has been roused. They are clearly very uncomfortable that people are rising up, not just in New York, but all around the nation, and questioning the economic status quo.

Citizens for Tax Justice spells it out clearly.  It's the special low rate on dividends and capital gains (among other special deals) that warps our tax code.

Last week the Federal Reserve Board met in Washington and decided to take measures to bring down long-term interest rates in order to get the economy growing. As they were meeting, they received an unusual letter from the top four leaders of the Republican Party in Congress urging them not to act.

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) is history, and today is one of the best days of my life. Though I was discharged before the policy was implemented, I fought long and hard beside some of the most outspoken people in the fight, and now ALL members of the military will have the opportunity to serve openly, and without worry of discharge.

Rick Perry recently garnered lots of attention for making the false claim that Social Security is a Ponzi scheme. It is not... Last week Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) introduced legislation to strengthen Social Security even further. The Keeping Our Social Security Promises Act would make Social Security fully solvent for at least the next 75 years without cutting benefits or changing the retirement age.

President Obama’s jobs proposal has given us something to rally around. After suffering through a year of irrelevant distractions about deficits and debts, we finally have a program for which we can build enthusiasm and support.