Just in case your Tuesday was feeling a bit too blah, here's a quick tax tidbit courtesy Bill Maher's HBO show Real Time.
Grover Norquist, founder of Americans for Tax Reform and creator of the no-tax pledge, and David Cay Johnston, Syracuse University College of Law professor and Pulitzer Prize winning tax journalist, offer their thoughts on tax rates for higher earners.
It's the second question in the Overtime segment. But if you thought there'd be a big set-to between these two, sorry.
There's also no big political philosophy surprise from either panelist.
Norquist says both federal taxes and spending are still too high.
Johnston says the wealthy have too many ways to circumvent tax payments.
The JP Morgan Chase hedge fund losses and federal regulation also are addressed (around the 4:30 mark). If you're looking for financial policy conflict, as well as info on banking regulations (and more) in Hammurabi's time, this conversation is a bit more heated.
Keep watching and at the 7:30 point or so, the panel discusses income inequality. Again, there are a few sparks.
Rounding out the show are quick discussions of U.S. corporate investment and what big companies pay their employees, as well as a look at the Davis-Bacon Act, which established the prevailing wages requirement on public works projects.
Happy viewing!
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