Budget Watchdog All Federal

Taxpayers for Common Sense is out with a new report, " Clearing the Smoke: A Closer Look at Federal Spending and Programs on Wildfire. " Host Steve Ellis is joined by TCS Vice President Autumn Hanna, TCS Researcher Tyler Work, and Policy Analyst Mia Huang to navigate the thicket of federal programs and spending. 

The recent failure of Silicon Valley Bank harkened back to the dark days of 2008. Meanwhile, despite losing to Pratt & Whitney more than a decade ago in the battle to supply the engine for the F-35 jet fighter, Washington is suddenly abuzz about a General Electric effort to revive their alternate engine.  TCS Senior Policy Analysts Wendy Jordan and Josh Sewell join Steve Ellis for a discussion...

Josh Sewell joins Steve Ellis to pull back the curtain on how Taxpayers for Common Sense advises foreign governments on the importance of transparency in the stewardship of public resources.  Plus, everything you need to look for when President Biden’s Fiscal 2024 Budget Request is released. 

As Treasury Secretary Yellen uses extraordinary measures to keep the nation below the debt ceiling, America's total debt right now is north of $32 trillion. And the psychological "Trillion-Dollar Barrier" has been broken. The just released CBO Budget and Economic Outlook: 2023 to 2033   anticipates a federal budget deficit of $20 trillion over the next decade.  TCS Senior Policy Ana...

Does it make sense for Uncle Sam to put a thumb on the scale to reduce climate risk and the cost to taxpayers? Is that what the Biden Administration’s proposed Federal Supplier Climate Risks and Resilience Rule would do?  On this episode of the Budget Watchdog AF podcast, Ceres Accelerator for Sustainable Capital Markets Managing Director, Steven Rothstein, tells host Steve Ellis, the answer is, &...

Budget Watchdog AF takes a field trip to the corn and soybean fields of northeastern Nebraska in search of common sense on the Farm Bill.  Taxpayers for Common Sense Senior Policy Analysts Sheila Korth and Josh Sewell introduce us to the current generations of the Kinkaid family farming this land since the 1940s.  Hit play and hear what these farmers think about farm subsidies.  It will suprise yo...

What’s to be expected as lawmakers in the 118th Congress work to enact the dozen spending bills that fund government before the October 1st start of fiscal year 2024? What about the expiring Farm Bill? Possible cuts to defense spending? Hit play for the Taxpayers Guide to the 118th Congress with host Steve Ellis and TCS Senior Policy Analysts Wendy Jordan and Josh Sewell.

Host Steve Ellis is joined by the entire TCS budget watchdog pack for this 2022 year-in-review episode.  

Congress has until December 16th to enact a final FY-23 spending bill, pass another CR, or risk a partial government shutdown. Find out what’s at stake and the budget implications for taxpayers involved in the choice between omnibus and long-term CR. TCS Senior Policy Analysts Joshua Sewell and Wendy Jordan join host Steve Ellis for a conversation about the serious consequences that missing deadli...

While most of the country focused on the elections, one of the most important and widely underappreciated documents to emerge from any White House was released, the 2022 National Security Strategy.   Join Steve Ellis and TCS National Security Expert Wendy Jordan for a budget watchdog’s take on President Biden's national security vision.

There is nothing in politics as clarifying as an election.  And as the biggest, baddest, budget watchdog podcast on the block, it’s our job to help you see the clearest picture possible of what’s about to go down on Capitol Hill.  What’s still on the legislative table? What deals might be made?  What hijinx can we expect?  And of course, what might it mean for taxpayers? Joining Steve Ellis to ans...

The most spooky and creative of holidays reveals a core truth about this podcast, and Taxpayers for Common Sense itself:  budget watchdog’in is a team sport. It takes energy and precision and real doggedness to run with our pack… and so today the whole gang is here. Happy Halloween Listening... if you dare.

The budget deficit for 2022 was $1.4 trillion. That’s half of the $2.8 trillion it was in 2021. In this episode, TCS President Steve Ellis and Senior Policy Analyst Josh Sewell break down the Congressional Budget Office Report on the FY22 Federal Budget Deficit - what it means, what isn’t in it, and what is looming. 

The inability of Congress to fund the government on time without drama is not one-sided. And here we are again!  TCS Vice President, Autumn Hanna, and TCS Senior Policy Analyst Josh Sewell, join show host Steve Ellis to explain the bipartisan affliction known as the Continuing Resolution and why curing it requires a bipartisan solution.

The curious and potentially catastrophic case of your tax dollars being lit on fire. Oil and gas companies waste billions of cubic feet of natural gas extracted from federal lands, royalty-free, every year by just venting it or burning it off. Hit play for the facts about how methane waste on federal lands is causing economic damage to all taxpayers – and the climate.  Host Steve Ellis is joined b...

It’s August 29th, 2022, the 17th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina making landfall on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi and Louisiana.  17 years since the country watched as much of a major U.S. city plunged underwater and more than 1800 lives were lost.  On this heavy-hearted anniversary, Steve Ellis is joined by TCS Senior Policy Analyst Josh Sewell to define the role the federal government plays in...

It took 100 years, but Congress is poised to pass the first update to the onshore oil and gas royalty rate since 1920.  It's all part of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.  TCS Vice President Autumn Hanna, and Research Analyst Mia Huang, join TCS President Steve Ellis for deep dive on the IRA provisions that directly impact reform in the federal oil and gas leasing program.  Hit play to lea...

Who doesn’t love a summer surprise? Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, comes courtesy of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV).  So, what’s in it and will it live up to its name? TCS President Steve Ellis and Senior Policy Analyst Joshua Sewell have the details in this episode of the Budget Watchdog AF podcast. 

In Washington D.C. this mid-July, 2022, the days are long.  The temperatures are high.  And the legislative headwinds on Capitol Hill are reaching gale force.  In this kind of charged and volatile political environment, it is critical that budget watchdogs keep their eye on the ball.  What ball?  The money! And – nowhere – do we --the American Taxpayers -- spend more money than at the Pentagon.  S...

Happy 4th of July, BWAF faithful! Do you know the old saying, “More bang for your buck”?  Well, this year, when it comes to fireworks on America’s birthday – the mantra is now, "More Bang? More Bucks!" Host Steve Ellis is joined by Josh Sewell – TCS Senior Policy Analyst… to explode the myths about why costs are soaring skyward.

The Biden Administration has said it is throwing everything at tackling inflation. And it is quite clear that it is not going to be solved by quick fixes. TCS President Steve Ellis and Senior Policy Analysts Josh Sewell and Wendy Jordan spell out how Congress and the administration can remove federal policies distorting the playing field for the benefit of special interests and driving up costs fo...

Are America’s green fields lined with taxpayer dollars? In this episode of Budget Watchdog AF, host Steve Ellis and TCS Ag experts, Joshua Sewell and Sheila Karpf plow fertile ground with a very special guest.  Dr. Joe Glauber served as Chief Economist at the US Department of Agriculture from 2008-2014, and in total, spent more than 30 years at USDA. Hit play and hear how much more is in the Farm...

In this episode, we explore the inexplicable gold giveaway that the 18th President of the United States signed into law to incentives the development of the west. Ulysses S. Grant signed the General Mining Law of 1872 into law. He thereby set the royalty rate on the sale of publicly owned minerals like gold, silver, copper, and uranium at ZERO. That’s right, ZERO.  This outdated and still operable...

Taxpayers for Common Sense believe our tax dollars should be wisely spent no matter what – whether that’s long-term solutions to climate change or addressing pressing issues related to the war in Ukraine.  Will the policy responses announced by Congress and the Administration do anything to address rising costs? And what impact will these changes have on long-term climate costs?  TCS Senior Policy...

With $1.6 trillion in discretionary budget authority … the Rube Goldbergian Biden FY 23 federal budget is decidedly not deficit reduction.  Hit play if you need a contextualized, nuanced, and laser-sharp read on the numbers and what they really mean.  Host Steve Ellis is joined by TCS Senior Policy Analysts Josh Sewell and Wendy Jordan.