One of the coolest things about this blog is its emphasis on making complex policy issues accessible to those who never had a chance to learn Tiger-Style Wonk Fu from the ancient masters. As my duty to Ezra’s dojo, I here present a list of three things that one can do to reduce people’s taxes — giving them refundable tax credits, giving them nonrefundable tax credits, and giving them tax deductions. I’ve listed these from best to worst, in order of how much they do to help the poor. What are they, you ask? And why does anyone need to know about them? Patience, Grasshopper: look below the fold and you shall understand.
Ezra Klein is a former Prospect writer and current editor-in-chief at Vox. His work has appeared in the LA Times, The Guardian, The Washington Monthly, The New Republic, Slate, and The Columbia Journalism Review. He’s been a commentator on MSNBC, CNN, NPR, and more. More by Ezra Klein