The double-standard of making the poor prove they’re worthy of government benefits – The Washington Post

The actual contents of a Rhode Island woman’s cupboard after two shopping trips paid for with food stamps. (Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post) Poverty looks pretty great if you’re not living in it. The government gives you free money to spend on steak and lobster, on tattoos and spa days, on — why not? —…

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Obama’s Tax Proposals Unlikely to Boost Middle-Class Incomes – WSJ

A new analysis suggests that President Barack Obama ’s recent tax proposals would do little to boost incomes for middle-class households, and actually could wind up raising taxes on many, at least by some measures. The analysis by the Tax Policy Center, a joint venture of the Brookings Institution and the Urban Institute, tends to undercut recent…

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Here’s what you need to know about Obama’s new plan to help families afford college – The Washington Post

U.S. President Barack Obama speaks about community college education during a visit to Pellissippi State College in Knoxville, Tennessee, January 9, 2015. Obama wants to make two years of community college free and universally available, a proposal he said on Thursday he would flesh out in his State of the Union speech later this month….

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Who Pays? 5th Edition | The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP)

Who Pays? 5th Edition Read the Report in PDF Contents: Executive Summary Introduction The 10 Most Regressive State & Local Tax Systems The Least Regressive State & Local Tax Systems The Kind of Tax Matters Income Taxes Sales & Excise Taxes Property Taxes Low Taxes or Just Regressive Taxes? The Economic Case for Tax Fairness…

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Medicaid Per Enrollee Spending: Variation Across States | The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation

Medicaid, the nation’s public health insurance program for low-income people, covers health and long-term care services for over 66 million Americans. Medicaid beneficiaries include many children, working families, low-income elderly, and individuals with disabilities. To participate in Medicaid, states are required to meet federal core requirements; however, states have significant flexibility to expand beyond program…

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