In case you missed it…

This week on Off the Charts, we focused on the latest job numbers, explained the causes and proposed some solutions to coming federal deficits, fact-checked claims about the health reform law, and looked ahead to the new fiscal year for states.

• On the economy, chief economist Chad Stone explained what today’s jobs report means in a series of charts.
• On the deficit, Robert Greenstein and Jim Horney testified before the President’s Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, and we posted some of their comments about how to tackle the deficit and when. Kathy Ruffing, senior policy analyst, debunked a recent Heritage Foundation report on the causes of the deficit.  And, Chuck Marr, director of federal tax policy, explained that despite Senator Scott Brown’s recent comments about avoiding steps that would increase the deficit, a gimmick in his new stimulus proposal would have increased the deficit in the long run.
• On health care, policy analyst January Angeles fact-checked a claim that the new health reform law would prompt large numbers of insured people to drop their private coverage for Medicaid.  Turns out this isn’t the case.  We also sat down with Sarah Lueck, policy analyst, to discuss the new health insurance option for young adults in our latest Q & A.
• On the state level, Shannon Spillane, deputy director of communications for strategic initiatives, discussed the tough steps that states are being forced to take to close their huge budget shortfalls.

In other news, the Center released reports on an estate tax exemption for farm estates and state budget shortfalls and cuts, testimony by Robert Greenstein and Jim Horney on the federal deficit, a podcast on the new health insurance option for young adults, and a statement by Chad Stone on today’s jobs report.