Obama

The Obama administration recently signaled to the business community that it could countenance some version of a territorial tax system for income earned abroad by U.S. businesses. Tax reform enthusiasts have seized on this perhaps a little too desperately, as evidence that reform will occur this year. It’s a thin reed, however: If any tax reform does pass Congress it will happen in spite of, and not because of, this administration.

With President Obama, there’s always a catch. In the 2014 budget he announced last week, Obama proposed a more accurate way of calculating the inflation rate for annual cost-of-living increases in Social Security. It’s a technical change in pursuit of honesty and good government. And if adopted, it would cause benefits to grow more slowly, though almost imperceptibly so. Republican leaders in Congress ought to be delighted since they had “championed”—Obama’s word—the idea in the first place.

With President Obama, there’s always a catch. In the 2014 budget he announced last week, Obama proposed a more accurate way of calculating the inflation rate for annual cost-of-living increases in Social Security. It’s a technical change in pursuit of honesty and good government. And if adopted, it would cause benefits to grow more slowly, though almost imperceptibly so. Republican leaders in Congress ought to be delighted since they had “championed”—Obama’s word—the idea in the first place.

THE WEEKLY STANDARD podcast with William Kristol on the economy, North Korea, and Obamacare. Hosted by Michael Graham.

THE WEEKLY STANDARD podcast with William Kristol on the economy, North Korea, and Obamacare. Hosted by Michael Graham.

THE WEEKLY STANDARD podcast with Bill Kristol on the North Korea problem and the Obama Administration's missile defense policy failure. Hosted by Michael Graham.

THE WEEKLY STANDARD podcast with William Kristol on the future of the GOP. Hosted by Michael Graham.

THE WEEKLY STANDARD podcast with William Kristol on the future of the GOP. Hosted by Michael Graham.

THE WEEKLY STANDARD podcast with Elliott Abrams on the president's Middle East trip and his piece "Obama in Jerusalem." Hosted by Michael Graham.

THE WEEKLY STANDARD podcast with Elliott Abrams on the president's Middle East trip and his piece "Obama in Jerusalem." Hosted by Michael Graham.

Today,  the sons of Abraham and the daughters of Sarah are fulfilling the dream of the ages​—​to be ‘masters of their own fate’ in ‘their own sovereign state.’ .  .  .

Today,  the sons of Abraham and the daughters of Sarah are fulfilling the dream of the ages​—​to be ‘masters of their own fate’ in ‘their own sovereign state.’ .  .  .