Occupy Banksters & Crony Capitalism & GREED

House passes Trump's "big, beautiful bill" after tense GOP talks
Axios | Andrew Solender | 05/22/25

The House voted Thursday to pass President Trump's "big, beautiful bill" after weeks of Republican infighting that repeatedly threatened to tank the GOP-only legislation.

Why it matters: It's a major step toward getting the hulking fiscal package signed into law, though the Senate is likely to make substantial changes that could be difficult for House GOP hardliners to swallow.

The vote was 215-214. Two Republicans - Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Warren Davidson of Ohio - joined Democrats in voting "no," while Andy Harris of Maryland voted present.

The big picture: The bill would extend the 2017 Trump tax cuts and aims to cut $1.5 trillion in federal spending, including through Medicaid work requirements and the repeal of the Inflation Reduction Act tax credits. ... Read more

Americans support unions over big companies by a record-high margin
Click to enlarge
Axios | Emily Peck | 05/22/25

The popularity of labor unions surged over the past decade, while American sentiment toward big business has fallen, according to new data published by the liberal Economic Policy Institute.

Why it matters: The approval switcheroo helps explain, in part, why the Republican Party has been courting labor unions in recent years.

Zoom in: For the past 60 years, American National Election Studies has been surveying Americans, asking them to rate their feelings toward labor unions and big business.

Up until 2012, sentiment moved together, but in the recovery from the Global Financial Crisis things changed.

Zoom out: After the pandemic, public support for labor unions and workers increased even more. ... Read more

'White supremacists in suits and ties': the rightwing Afrikaner group in Trump's ear
TheGuardian | Chris McGreal | 02/14/25

Donald Trump's offer of political asylum to South Africa's white minority, just days after blocking genuine refugees from travelling to the US, followed years of campaigning by an Afrikaner group that has promoted "white genocide" conspiracy theories while also lobbying on behalf of Elon Musk's business interests.

Last week, Trump issued an executive order that misrepresented a new South African law, the Expropriation Act, as a racist move to persecute white Afrikaners by seizing their farms without compensation.

The law is intended to address deep inequalities as the result of apartheid and colonial legislation that resulted in the white minority, who make up just 7% of South Africa’s population, still owning more than 70% of agricultural land more than three decades after the end of the apartheid system imposed by the Afrikaner-dominated government. It permits expropriation in exceptional circumstances, such as abandoned land, but generally requires "just and equitable" compensation. ... Read more

Trump's FEMA risks "flying blind" into hurricane season
Axios | Natalie Daher | 05/21/25

President Trump's campaign to dismantle FEMA is on the verge of a high-stakes stress test, as the U.S. hurtles toward peak disaster season under uniquely dangerous conditions.

Why it matters: Extreme weather is growing deadlier and more destructive. But instead of strengthening the systems that help states respond, the Trump administration is gutting FEMA, banning climate change research and urging governors to go it alone.

State of play: With less than two weeks until the start of Atlantic hurricane season, leaks from inside the government continue to suggest that FEMA is understaffed, underfunded and underprepared.

Acting FEMA head Cameron Hamilton was fired earlier this month after testifying to Congress that eliminating the agency - as Trump has called for - is not "in the best interests of the American people."

His successor, David Richardson, has no experience managing natural disasters and acknowledged in private meetings that the agency doesn't yet have a fully formed hurricane response plan, the Wall Street Journal reported. ... Read more

Trump's $4 trillion deficit bomb
Axios | author | date

President Trump yesterday declared himself the biggest "fiscal hawk" in Washington.

He then spent the next hour urging Republicans to unite behind the most budget-busting legislation in modern U.S. history.

Why it matters: Trump's "big, beautiful bill" is projected to add trillions to the deficit over the next decade - rattling conservatives who have long warned that the U.S. is barreling toward fiscal catastrophe.

Some Republicans now find themselves trapped between two of the party's most animating principles: Deficit reduction vs. absolute loyalty to Trump.

That tension is threatening to derail Trump's vision for a new "Golden Age," which the White House hopes will begin in earnest with a vote on the House floor this week. ...

Trump Unveils Plans for 'Golden Dome' Missile Defense System
NYT | Erica L. Green | 05/20/25

The project has been a priority for Mr. Trump since he took office. He promised during the campaign to build a defense system against foreign attacks similar to Israel's Iron Dome, with air defense capabilities that intercept rockets and missiles.

The United States is more than 400 times larger than Israel.

Mr. Trump has said the project will cost $175 billion, although the Congressional Budget Office said it would likely cost far more, as much as $542 billion. The president said on Tuesday that the Golden Dome would get $25 billion in funding from his tax cut and spending bill, which has yet to pass Congress. ... Read more
Read more

Tesla, SpaceX reputations crater in new Axios Harris Poll 100
Click to enlarge
Axios | Dan Primack | 05/20/25

Tesla Motors and SpaceX saw their brand reputations crater in the past year, according to new Axios Harris Poll 100 survey results.

Why it matters: Elon Musk's polarizing political activism appears to have come at the expense of his largest companies, as Republicans expressed more favorable opinions than did Democrats.

By the numbers: Tesla was in 8th place in the 2021 reputation ranking of America's 100 most visible companies, but last year tumbled to 63rd and now is near the very bottom at 95th.

It placed dead last in "character," while placing near the bottom in areas like "ethics" and "citizenship."

Six other automakers place higher, with the highest being Toyota at No. 6 and the lowest being Ford at No. 62. ... Read more

Trump's deference to Putin stunned European leaders on call
Axios | Barak Ravid,Dave Lawler | 05/20/25

Ukrainian President Zelensky and five other European leaders joined a conference call with President Trump immediately after his call with Vladimir Putin on Monday hoping to hear that Putin had agreed to a ceasefire - or the U.S. would impose penalties on him for refusing to do so.

Instead, Trump said Putin had agreed to negotiate, stressed the U.S. wouldn't be involved in those negotiations, and pushed back against the idea of imposing sanctions on Putin at the current time, two sources who were on the call and a third source briefed on the call told Axios.

Why it matters: Trump gave the impression he was getting closer to withdrawing from the issue altogether. Some leaders on the call seemed "surprised" or "shocked," the sources said. ... Read more

Washington Week with The Atlantic full episode, May 16, 2025 | Washington Week PBS | 05/16/25 | 26:45

GAO rejects DOGE attempt to land at congressional watchdog agency
Politico | Heather Richards | 05/16/25

Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency tried to place a downsizing team at the Government Accountability Office, but the congressional watchdog rebuffed the intrusion, according to an internal bulletin viewed by POLITICO’s E&E News.

DOGE recently contacted the congressional watchdog with plans to "assign a team" to the office, according to the bulletin sent to all GAO staff on Friday. The move would be a significant expansion of DOGE's effort to shrink U.S. federal agencies that are managed by the executive branch.

But GAO responded with a letter to the DOGE acting administrator, the former health care and tech executive Amy Gleason, explaining that the office is situated under the legislative branch and works for Congress, not the president.

"As such, we are not subject to DOGE or Executive Orders," GAO wrote, according to the bulletin sent to staff Friday. ... Read more

Inside The Billionaire Takeover Of The IRS | More Perfect Union | 05/08/25 | 8:48

IWhat China's spies are doing in the U.S., and what happens when they're caught | 60 Minutes | 05/18/25 | 13:16

Ali Velshi: Just when you think Trump can't make his Qatari plane controversy worse, he does | MSNBC | 05/15/25 | 8:38

Ali Velshi: Cashing in: The real cost of Trump's Middle East tour | MSNBC | 05/17/25 | 11:19

Former FBI director Comey blasted over cryptic post on Trump
Axios | Rebecca Falconer | 05/15/25

The U.S. Secret Service and Department of Homeland Security are investigating former FBI Director James Comey's Instagram post of shells arranged on a beach that read "8647," DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said Thursday evening.

Why it matters: "86" is a slang term that can mean "to get rid of" and some use it to mean to kill - something President Trump's elder son, Donald Trump Jr., pointed to on X as he shared a screenshot of Comey's since-deleted post with the comment, "Just James Comey causally calling for my dad to be murdered." ... Read more

UnitedHealth shares plunge after probe report
Click to enlarge
Axios |Ben Berkowitz | 05/15/25

Shares in UnitedHealth Group plunged on Thursday, their eighth straight day of declines, after a Wall Street Journal report on a purported criminal probe into alleged Medicare fraud.

Why it matters: The stock, a major Dow component, has now lost more than half its value since last December, when a key executive was shot and killed in broad daylight in New York City.

Since then the company has been under public pressure amid broader questions about the insurance industry, and this week its CEO stepped down abruptly.

By the numbers: UnitedHealth shares were down $56, or 18%, at $252 in mid-morning trade Thursday.

The stock traded north of $600 last December, before insurance unit leader Brian Thompson's killing in NYC. ... Read more

Bruce Springsteen calls Trump's Administration 'Incompetent, and Treasonous' at UK Show.

How billions in U.S. tax money is swindled overseas each year | 60 Minutes | 05/12/25 | 12:47

How law firms targeted by Trump are responding to White House pressure | 60 Minutes | 05/04/25 | 14:21

Orban's Fidesz party proposes Russia-style crackdown on Hungary's civil society
Politico | Elena Giordano | 05/14/25

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party submitted a controversial bill to parliament Wednesday in what critics see as an attack on civil society.

The bill, entitled On the Transparency of Public Life, would allow the Sovereignty Protection Office to blacklist organizations receiving foreign funding, including from EU grants, if it deems them a "threat" to national sovereignty.

The Sovereignty Protection Office is a government authority established in December 2023 with the power to investigate any groups or individual recipients of foreign funding. ... Read more

Putin to skip summit with Ukraine and send low-level negotiators
Axios | Barak Ravid | 05/14/25

Russian leader Vladimir Putin has decided to skip the summit with Ukraine he called for and send a lower level delegation for the direct talks planned to take place in Istanbul on Thursday.

Why it matters: If the direct negotiations take place, it will be the first such talks between Russia and Ukraine since March 2022.

Putin's decision was also his way of getting out of a trilateral leader summit that President Trump pushed for and that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has already said he is willing to attend. ... Read more

Israel agrees to resume Gaza aid after two month freeze, foundation says
Click to enlarge
Axios | Barak Ravid | 05/14/25

The Israeli government has agreed to resume humanitarian aid delivery to Palestinians in Gaza, the new Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) said in a statement on Wednesday.

Why it matters: Israel has frozen all supplies of food, water and medicine to Gaza for two months, and the UN has warned food supplies will run out within days. The foundation said Israel had agreed to resume aid imminently though the Israeli government has not confirmed that.

Resuming aid delivery was the key condition of the GHF - established with backing from the U.S. and Israel - for it launching a new aid delivery mechanism in Gaza, which Israel says will allow aid to be delivered without being controlled by Hamas.

But the announcement comes as Israel is preparing for a massive operation to flatten and occupy the entire enclave if no ceasefire deal is reached this week. ... Read more

Trump Suffers From Size Envy | Qatar's Gift Plane Will Cost U.S. Over $1 Billion | EWR In Crisis | Stephen Colbert | 05/15/25 | 11:41

20 states sue Trump admin over immigration enforcement funding threats
Axios | Rebecca Falconer | 05/14/25

A coalition of 20 Democratic attorneys general is suing President Trump's administration over threats to withhold billions of dollars in federal funding if they don't follow his immigration enforcement polices.

The big picture: California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who's leading the two lawsuits, said at a Tuesday briefing that threats to cut funds for emergency services and infrastructure maintenance represented "a blatantly illegal attempt to bully states" into enacting Trump's agenda.

Driving the news: Trump signed executive orders last month directing federal agencies to document "sanctuary cities" that are not complying with his immigration agenda, and the White House said those that failed to do so "may lose federal funding."

The conditions would affect state projects including disaster relief, flood mitigation, and railroad, bridge and airport construction, the states argue in the lawsuits that were filed Tuesday. ... Read more

Trump Gets A Free Plane | China Tariffs Paused | Judge Jeanine Heads To D.C. | Stephen Colbert | 05/13/25 | 11:24

Murphy On Trump's Middle East Trip: This Is A National Security Disaster And A Moral Abomination. | Senator Chris Murphy | 05/13/25 | 20:34

Murphy On Trump's Middle East Trip (shorter version) | Senator Chris Murphy | 05/13/25 | 2:58

The mysterious new industry cranking out billionaires | Good Work | 05/10/25 | 14:59

Yes, This is Project 2025 | LegalEagle | 05/10/25 | 30:44

Why Donald Trump's medical records say more than he realizes | Rachel Maddow/MSNBC | 05/13/25 | 11:19

Rule of law is 'endangered,' chief justice says
Politico | Josh Gerstein | 05/12/25

Chief Justice John Roberts described the rule of law as "endangered" and warned against "trashing the justices," but speaking in Washington Monday he didn’t point fingers directly at President Donald Trump or his allies for publicly excoriating judges who've ruled against aspects of Trump’s agenda.

"The notion that rule of law governs is the basic proposition," Roberts said during an appearance at Georgetown Law. "Certainly as a matter of theory, but also as a matter of practice, we need to stop and reflect every now and then how rare that is, certainly rare throughout history, and rare in the world today."

As many legal experts express grave concern about Trump's attacks on law firms and with several federal judges advancing inquiries into whether the administration is refusing to comply with court orders, Roberts took a longer-term view Monday. He blamed schools for shortchanging civics education and leaving students with little understanding of the structure of U.S. government or the role of the courts. ... Read more

D.C.'s DOGE recession is fast approaching
Axios | Cuneyt Dil | 05/13/25

Signs of a DOGE recession are flashing in D.C. - rising unemployment, less credit card spending and jitters about more federal cuts.

Why it matters: A local "mild recession" is expected as the Trump administration downsizes the capital city's big factory - the federal government, employer to 17% of the region's workforce.

State of play: Even before most of the federal job cuts, the number of unemployed residents in D.C. increased 12.2% in February over last year, city stats show.

"Negative" is the city's credit outlook, Moody's Ratings declared last month. The agency yanked D.C.'s perfect triple-A bond rating, making it potentially pricier to finance projects.

Spending at big retailers in the region dropped 2% in April, the Washington Post reported after crunching credit card data from Earnest Analytics. Everyday locals are skipping pricey gym memberships and dining out less, business owners tell the Post.

D.C. home listings are soaring. ... Read more

Pharma is facing its nightmare scenario
Axios | Caitlin Owens | 05/13/25

President Trump's bombshell executive order aimed at lowering U.S. drug prices is a step toward a worst-case scenario for the pharmaceutical industry. Some critics say the industry could have done more to avoid it, even though Trump's policies are causing turmoil in almost every sector of the economy.

Why it matters: Trump's announcement could be the start of enormous global disruption for the pharmaceutical industry - or it's the least-bad version of what was on the table, depending on who you ask.

But the continued risk of a "most favored nation" policy that pegs U.S. drug prices to those paid in other developed nations is a massive threat to drugmakers' bottom lines, especially coming on top of the pharmaceutical tariffs Trump has said he wants to impose.

The big questions are whether it ever comes to fruition, and whether drugmakers could have done more to avoid getting to this place at all, especially given Trump's laser focus on drug prices and the populist leanings within the GOP. ... ... ... Read more

MAHA's messy marriage
Axios | Zachary Basu,Caitlin Owens | 05/12/25

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s short time leading America's health agencies has already destabilized the uneasy alliance that vaulted him into President Trump's Cabinet.

Why it matters: The "Make America Healthy Again" movement - a loose umbrella of vaccine skeptics, wellness influencers, and anti-pharma crusaders - was envisioned as a revolution against the medical establishment.

But its attempt to integrate with the federal health apparatus — and the MAGA purists who comprise the backbone of Trump's base - has so far proven deeply dysfunctional.

The big picture: The anti-establishment takeover of Health and Human Services - a sprawling agency that accounts for the largest share of domestic federal spending - has become one of the most chaotic experiments of Trump's second term. ... Read more

Trump says European Union is "nastier than China"
Axios | April Rubin | 05/12/25

President Trump said the "European Union is, in many ways, nastier than China," during a news conference on Monday.

Why it matters: The stakes of a prolonged U.S.-EU standoff over Trump's tariffs are high. With nearly a trillion dollars worth of trade last year, U.S. companies exported more than twice to the EU what they sent to China.

Driving the news: During the news conference, Trump announced an executive order aimed at cutting prescription drugs and pharmaceutical prices.

He said that Europeans should have to pay more for health care and take on financial burdens.

Trump said the U.S. has "all the cards" in trade deals with the EU. ... Read more

Who benefits from tax legislation so far
Axios | Emily Peck | 05/12/25

... ... ...

the draft released would add $5 trillion to the primary deficit through 2034, according to a weekend analysis from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, close to $2 trillion more than current policy.

"So far this costly bill appears to double down on trickle down, with huge tax cuts that will further enrich the rich and not much for the rest of us," Amy Hanauer, the executive director of the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, said in a statement over the weekend.

"The top 0.1% of Americans get more from this tax bill than the bottom half of America combined," Kogan, a former Office of Management and Budget staffer, told Axios over the weekend. ... Read more

Exclusive: Democrats target Trump family's crypto empire
Axios | Stephen Neukam | 05/06/25

Senate Democrats are unveiling a sweeping new proposal to ban presidents, lawmakers and their families from issuing, endorsing or sponsoring crypto assets, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: Concerns over the Trump family's crypto ventures is threatening the passage of the bipartisan GENIUS Act, the Senate's first-ever stablecoin regulation.

Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said in a private meeting last week, first reported by Axios, that the GENIUS Act lacks basic guardrails against corruption.

Driving the news: Merkley will introduce the End Crypto Corruption Act on Tuesday, which would ban the president, vice president, members of Congress and their immediate families from issuing digital assets, such as meme coins and stablecoins. ... Read more

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert | 05/02/25 | 1:23

Congress erupts over Trump's billion-dollar crypto deal
Axios | Zachary Basu | 05/07/25

A $2 billion crypto deal involving President Trump's family and a foreign government is threatening to derail bipartisan stablecoin legislation that Congress has been working on for months.

Why it matters: Democrats see the potential for gob-smacking corruption in Trump's lucrative crypto projects, which they consider to be the clearest conflicts of interest in a sea of new business ventures launched by the president and his inner circle.

The Trump family's crypto dealings could now jeopardize legislation that the crypto industry has aggressively lobbied for as a way to gain legitimacy and legal clarity in the U.S.

What's happening: Senate Democrats unveiled a sweeping new proposal Tuesday to ban presidents, lawmakers and their families from issuing, endorsing or sponsoring crypto assets, Axios' Stephen Neukam scooped. ... Read more

Richard Wolff: Trump Just Made A BIG MISTAKE And No One Is Ready | Richard Wolff | 05/05/25 | 33:10

Two-thirds of global heating caused by richest 10%, study suggests
TheGuardian | Damien Gayle | 05/07/25

The world's wealthiest 10% are responsible for two-thirds of global heating since 1990, driving droughts and heatwaves in the poorest parts of the world, according to a study.

While researchers have previously shown that higher income groups emit disproportionately large amounts of greenhouse gases, the latest survey is the first to try to pin down how that inequality translates into responsibility for climate breakdown. It offers a powerful argument for climate finance and wealth taxes by attempting to give an evidential basis for how many people in the developed world - including more than 50% of full-time employees in the UK - bear a heightened responsibility for the climate disasters affecting people who can least afford it.

"Our study shows that extreme climate impacts are not just the result of abstract global emissions; instead we can directly link them to our lifestyle and investment choices, which in turn are linked to wealth," said Sarah Scho?ngart, a climate modelling analyst and the study's lead author. ... Read more

Trump plays the economic blame game
Axios | Neil Irwin,Courtenay Brown | 05/05/25

Last week, President Trump disowned the U.S. economy as one still shaped by his predecessor's policies.

Less than 48 hours later, he touted strong employment and said the administration was "just getting started!!!"

Why it matters: The economy did not change, but the data did. The tricky presidential balance of owning the economy - in the good and bad - is not new. But it has perhaps never been more on display than with Trump.

"I think the good parts are the Trump economy and the bad parts are the Biden economy because he's done a terrible job," the president said plainly in an interview with NBC's Kristen Welker on "Meet the Press" Sunday.

State of play: Economic conditions are being shaped almost entirely by Trump, who quickly ripped up the longstanding global trade playbook, leaving businesses and consumers scrambling. ... ... ... Read more

UN and aid groups denounce Israeli-U.S. plan for Gaza aid delivery
Axios | Barak Ravid | 05/05/25

The UN and all aid organizations operating in Gaza jointly announced they would not cooperate with an Israeli-U.S. plan to establish a new mechanism for aid delivery to Palestinians in the enclave because it "contravenes fundamental humanitarian principles."

Why it matters: Israel has been blocking the delivery of all food, water, and medicine to Gaza since the ceasefire broke down two months ago. Now that the UN has rejected the new plan, it's very unlikely donor countries will fund it, putting the resumption of aid further into doubt.

UN aid agencies say food supplies in Gaza will run out within days. Israeli officials claim they will completely run out in three to four weeks. ... ... ... Read more

Vance defends Trump's post depicting AI-generated image of himself as pope
Politico | Katherine Long | 05/03/25

Vice President JD Vance defended President Donald Trump after he posted an AI image of himself as pope on Truth Social, dismissing the post as a joke.

"As a general rule, I'm fine with people telling jokes and not fine with people starting stupid wars that kill thousands of my countrymen," Vance wrote in a post on X on Saturday responding to a question from Bill Kristol, editor-at-large at The Bulwark, on whether or not Vance was "fine with this disrespect and mocking of the holy father." Read more

Trump proposes slashing non-defense spending by 22.6%
Axios | Hans Nichols | 05/02/25

President Trump on Friday outlined his 2026 budget request, which would slash domestic spending by almost one-fourth while boosting defense spending by 13%.

The big picture: Trump's "skinny" budget for the upcoming fiscal year comes as fears grow that the White House's trade policies are fueling a U.S. economic downturn.

Read the White House's letter to Congress here

The fiscal blueprint aims to reduce discretionary non-defense spending - which doesn't include programs like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid - by $163 billion from this year, a 22.6% cut.

DEI and "race theory" programs are among those targeted for elimination

By the numbers: For national security spending, Trump will ask for a record $1.01 trillion, for a whopping 13% increase. ... Read more

Behind the scenes: How National security adviser Waltz got the boot
magazine | author | date

President Trump soured on Mike Waltz as his national security adviser for multiple reasons. But ultimately it came down to vibes when he replaced Waltz with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who'll temporarily do both jobs.

Why it matters: The boot for Waltz - two days after the media circus on Day 100 - was this term's first big shakeup. It showed how responsive Trump remains to optics, even while feeling as empowered as ever.

How it happened: In Trump's mind, Signalgate was the first time he was unable to control the narrative or win the day, top advisers tell Axios. ... Read more

China's not backing down in Trump's game of chicken
Axiios | Dave Lawler,Christine Wang | 05/01/25

President Trump is putting China's economy through a trillion-dollar stress test, and he may not like the result.

Why it matters: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent insists China is far more reliant on the U.S. than vice-versa, and thus has no choice but to blink first.

But Chinese President Xi Jinping's disinclination to rush to the table suggests he thinks time is on China's side.

We're about to get some indications of who is right.

The big picture: China says it sent around 15% of its exports, worth $525 billion, to the U.S. last year - about 3x what flowed in the opposite direction. (U.S. data differs on the total value by nearly $100 billion, but the ratios are about the same.) ... Read more

Interview: Musk says DOGE may be here to stay
Axios | Alex Isenstadt | 05/01/25

Elon Musk acknowledges his budget-cutting exercise known as DOGE hasn't been as successful as he hoped. But he says it may go on for President Trump's entire four years in office - more than twice as long as originally planned.

Why it matters: DOGE was set up to terminate on July 4, 2026. But Musk now says his controversial group could help oversee the slashing of federal spending through the end of 2028.

"I think so," Musk said of DOGE being extended. "It's up to the president."

Zoom in: Musk held an hour-long Q&A session with Axios and about a dozen other news outlets in the White House's Roosevelt Room, just outside the Oval Office. ... Read more

Washington Week with The Atlantic full episode, 4/25/25 | PBS | 04/25/25 | 26:46

TAX REVOLT, Part Two: Supply Side Santa Claus
Click to enlarge
levernews.com | Natalie Bettendorf | 04/25/25

How a small group of economists shaped Reagan's tax policy and the future of the Republican party.

When Ronald Reagan was elected president in 1980, no one knew how much the Republican Party - and the country - was about to change. His historic tax bills in 1981 and 1986 forged a new path of American economic policy, setting the stage for today's antitax frenzy.

Behind the president's tax cuts was a small group of powerful economists who took a chance on a brand-new school of thought and sought to convert an entire generation of policymakers.

Part Two of Lever Time's special miniseries Tax Revolt tells the story of the people who pushed Ronald Reagan toward the supply-side economics he'd one day be famous for - and convinced him to launch his national war on taxes. ... Read more