tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2135788133426971614.post2863965978620085775..comments2024-03-06T02:25:35.487-08:00Comments on 21st Century Taxation: President Obama's 2015 Tax ProposalsProfessor Nellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03288632402197167948noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2135788133426971614.post-52192275970544043312015-02-03T08:53:40.147-08:002015-02-03T08:53:40.147-08:00My main reaction has been journalistic: abhorrence...My main reaction has been journalistic: abhorrence of the way the budget proposals were reported in the news media Sunday. The White House hosted a conference call with reporters, who presumably were also given at least an outline. Most news organizations included in their report direct quotes that were attributed only to "a senior White House official" but that conveyed only self-evident observations or partisan, tendentious arguments. I wish all journalists would limit their use of anonymous sources to ones with exclusive information where the information's public interest outweighs the need for readers to know the speaker's identity (with appropriate safeguards for trustworthiness and credibility). There's no need for anyone conveying essentially the same talking points as Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary, to require reporters to stipulate to "deep background" anonymous attribution. To its credit, the New York Times didn't use the quotes, but CNN, Reuters, Bloomberg-BNA, and others did.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2135788133426971614.post-44817437112248465142015-01-28T12:50:27.782-08:002015-01-28T12:50:27.782-08:00How about tax exemptions for college savings, coll...<b>How about tax exemptions for college savings, colloquially known as 529 plans?</b><br /><br />It sounds like the general public isn't ready (or willing) to give up its tax breaks very easily. I read yesterday that the President's proposal to end the college savings exemption is being dropped after facing a lot of pressure from both sides. The "middle class" is used as a crutch to suport the 529 plans yet according to the Ney York Times article on 1/27/2015, over 70% of taxpayers benefiting from this provision have household income greater than $200,000.<br /><br />What is middle class anymore?Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15734614463377896081noreply@blogger.com