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 about Moral Hazard and the old budget watchdog adage, "No matter how wasteful, no bad idea is ever truly dead in Washington, especially when there are billions of dollars on the line. You have to kill, kill, kill until it’s dead, dead, dead.”

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 Analyst Josh Sewell joins host Steve Ellis for an exercise in understanding the report and what it really means for taxpayers. 

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, "Yes! And it will be a game-changer!"  

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 you. 

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 deadlines can have on policy priorities.
 

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.