Nearly everything that politicians say about taxes is at least half a lie. They are also dishonest when it comes to the national debt. Stephen Dubner finds one of the few people in Washington who is willing to tell the truth — and it’s even worse than you think.

• SOURCES:
  • Jessica Riedl, senior fellow in budget, tax, and economic policy at the Manhattan Institute.

• RESOURCES:
  • "The House Wants to Pass Trump’s Agenda in One Big Bill. Here’s What’s in It." by Margot Sanger-Katz and Alicia Parlapiano (New York Times, 2025).
  • "Correcting the Top 10 Tax Myths," by Jessica Riedl (Manhattan Institute, 2024).
  • "Spending, Taxes, and Deficits: A Book of Charts," by Jessica Riedl (Manhattan Institute, 2024).
  • "Why Did Americans Stop Caring About the National Debt?" by Jessica Riedl (Reason, 2024).
  • "A Comprehensive Federal Budget Plan to Avert a Debt Crisis," by Jessica Riedl (Manhattan Institute, 2024).
  • "When Does Federal Debt Reach Unsustainable Levels?" by Jagadeesh Gokhale, Kent Smetters, and Mariko Paulson (The Wharton School of Business, 2023).
  • "The Limits of Taxing the Rich," by Jessica Riedl (Manhattan Institute, 2023).

• EXTRAS:
  • "Farewell to a Generational Talent," by Freakonomics Radio (2024).