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TAX REFORM CAGE MATCH: BRUNORI V. MAULE

October 24, 2005

It's sweater vs. suit as David "Buzz" Brunori, Tax Analyst columnist, goes mano a mano with James "the Hulk" Maule in a high-profile battle over the Tax Reform Panel's work product.

Brunori makes the first move in a column for the Washington Post:

In the end, the panel did the right thing by making these proposals. Members of Congress will be inundated with calls asserting that capping the benefits will hinder pursuit of the dream of home ownership. It will do no such thing. People do not buy houses because of the tax benefits. They buy houses so that they have a place to call home.

Maule fights back with a blog countermove:

David makes a great case for repealing the deduction. On this point, he and I agree. But the Tax Reform Panel isn't proposing repeal. Its plan is to trim the deduction, in a manner that afflicts the upper middle class the most, and the middle class almost as much, but that does little to the wealthy and ultra wealthy. Although it might make sense to praise a movement in the direction of repeal, it is deceptive to take a crooked half-step as does the Panel's approach.

Since Dr. Maule throws me links and Dr. Brunori only sent me a crummy broken coffee mug, I award the match to Dr. Maule on points.

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