In Case You Missed It...

This week on Off the Charts, we focused on the safety net, the federal budget and taxes, jobs, health care, and Social Security.

• On the safety net, Richard Kogan reviewed the history of block grants to show that House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s “Opportunity Grant” would be susceptible to cuts. LaDonna Pavetti explained why the Opportunity Grant would likely force cuts in food and housing assistance.  Douglas Rice noted that Ryan’s anti-poverty plan should worry those who are concerned about affordable housing.  Chye-Ching Huang illustrated the impact of Ryan’s proposal to expand the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for childless workers.
• On the federal budget and taxes, Paul Van de Water described why it would be a mistake to require federal agencies to adopt “generational accounting.”  Chuck Marr explained how President Reagan’s actions made him a true champion of the EITC.  Chye-Ching Huang highlighted reports from the International Monetary Fund and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development supporting a stronger EITC and minimum wage.
• On jobs, we laid out where things stand for the unemployed.  Chad Stone illustrated how July’s jobs numbers show that the labor market is moving in the right direction but still has a ways to go.
• On health care, Matt Broaddus pointed to new data showing that adopting a “per capita cap” for federal Medicaid funding would harm states.  January Angeles highlighted our new guide on the tax rules that “navigators” and others helping people apply for health coverage need to understand.
• On Social Security, we excerpted statements from Robert Greenstein and Paul Van de Water on the new Social Security and Medicare trustees’ reports.  Van de Water explained why Social Security’s immediate priority should be to raise the share of payroll taxes allocated to Disability Insurance.

Chad Stone issued a statement on the July jobs report. We held a media briefing on the Social Security and Medicare trustees’ reports and issued statements by Robert Greenstein and Paul Van de Water. We updated our backgrounder on unemployment insurance, our chart book on the legacy of the Great Recession, and our papers on strengthening the EITC for childless workers and the need to replenish the Disability Insurance trust fund.  We also updated our roundup of materials on the Ryan poverty plan.

CBPP’s Chart of the Week:
 

A variety of news outlets featured CBPP’s work and experts recently. Here are some highlights:

Paul Ryan’s nonprofit pipe dream
MSNBC
July 30, 2014

Just How Much Does Paul Ryan Want The Government To Plan Poor People's Lives?
Huffington Post
July 30, 2014

Paul Ryan's one crazy trick to hurt all the poor
Daily Kos
July 29, 2014

House Republicans Pass Bill to Lower Taxes on the Rich and Raise Taxes on the Poor
Mother Jones
July 28, 2014

House Republicans Just Passed Another Tax Cut for the Rich—While Hurting the Poor
The New Republic
July 28, 2014

Social Security – The Train Wreck That Doesn’t Need to Happen
The Fiscal Times
July 28, 2014