Why Romney’s tax agenda doesn't add up, even if it isn’t a middle-class tax hike

http://taxvox.taxpolicycenter.org/2012/08/02/why-romneys-tax-agenda-doesnt-add-up-even-if-it-isnt-a-middle-class-tax-hike/

Of course, Romney doesn’t have to raise taxes on the middle-class. He could fix this problem with less ambitious rate cuts on ordinary income, or by raising taxes on capital income. He could pay for his initiative outside of the individual income tax system by increasing corporate taxes—though he says he’d cut them. He could cut spending even more deeply than he’s already promised, though that would hurt low- and middle-income households too. Or he could just add to the deficit.

Thus, the right question to ask Romney is not whether he wants to raise taxes on the middle-class. The right question to ask is which of his campaign promises he will abandon.

For your amusement, try out the Obama campaign's tax calculator.

Update #1 - David Firestone writes about A Tax Plan That Defies the Rules of Math in the New York Times.

Romney's role in Marriott's "abusive" tax shelters

http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/08/opinion/canellos-kleinbard-romney-taxes/index.html?hpt=hp_c1

279 economists: Obamacare will significantly strengthen our nation’s economy over the long haul

http://waysandmeans.house.gov/UploadedFiles/THOMPSON_Economists_Letter_1-26-11.pdf

We write to convey our strong conclusion that leaving in place the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 will significantly strengthen our nation’s economy over the long haul and promote more rapid economic recovery in the immediate years ahead.

An epic hacking caused by Apple and Amazon security flaws

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/08/apple-amazon-mat-honan-hacking/all/

This story highlights a terrible lesson: those who shouldn't have to - and certainly don't want to - understand computer security must nevertheless understand computer security.

What should you do?  The prominent technology blogger Farhad Manjoo writes about four things you need to do right now to avoid getting hacked.  Frankly I'm not totally clear on all of his recommendations.  But I'll add one more that I did just now, after reading Mat Honan's article: I logged into Amazon.com and deleted every credit card they had on file for me.

Only in America

Matt Miller in the Washington Post:

Only in America could a Democratic president pass Mitt Romney’s health plan and fund it partly through John McCain’s best idea from the last campaign (taxing some employer-provided plans) and be branded a “socialist.”

Repeal health care law? Forget about it.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/25/opinion/ario-jacobs-aca/index.html?hpt=hp_t3 

On Tuesday [July 24th], the Congressional Budget Office added another reason to drop the politics and get down to the hard work of health care reform. The nonpartisan organization released a report that finds the cost of repealing the reform will balloon government deficits by $109 billion between 2013 and 2022.

...

With great fanfare, House Republicans held a hearing earlier this month to profile how health reform interferes with patient care. There's one problem: They are [sic] unable to feature the leading voices of patient care -- the American Medical Association and American Hospital Association -- because those organizations support reform as good for patients.

...

Little known effect of Obamacare: health insurance prices for women set to drop

http://capsules.kaiserhealthnews.org/index.php/2012/07/health-insurance-prices-for-women-set-to-drop/

Women spend $1 billion more annually on their health insurance premiums than they would if they were men because of gender rating, according to a recent report by the National Women’s Law Center.

Under the health care overhaul, the practice is banned starting in 2014.