LightNews
chusak.bsky.social
Corey Husak
@chusak.bsky.social
470 followers 110 following 45 posts
Tax and Labor Policy analysis. Currently Director at ‪@americanprogress.bsky.social‬
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs
Reposted by Corey Husak
bbkogan.bsky.social
Bobby Kogan @bbkogan.bsky.social · 1d
Truly can’t believe they took this quote
www.thebulwark.com/p/the-other-...
"They keep saying as loudly as possible, we're going to do more illegal partisan impoundments, and I think Democrats are seeing this and it just reinforces their sense they can't negotiate with these guys," Bobby Kogan, senior director of federal budget policy at the Center for American Progress, told me. "It's Darth Vader saying 'I have altered the deal, pray I don't alter it any further'—again and again and again."
14 170 810
Reposted by Corey Husak
bbkogan.bsky.social
Bobby Kogan @bbkogan.bsky.social · 23d
Shot/chaser
Trump enacted the biggest SNAP cuts in history Trump is cancelling the annual hunger survey
12 210 420
chusak.bsky.social
Corey Husak @chusak.bsky.social · Sep 10
We do 2027 and 2029 because many parts of the OBBBA are temporary or phase in slowly. This gives a view of the law's effects before and after their temporary tax cuts for tips/overtime etc expire, and as Medicaid cuts grow.

In 2029 everyone is in the negative
1 1
chusak.bsky.social
Corey Husak @chusak.bsky.social · Sep 10
This measures changes enacted, so: how will Americans' pocketbooks change Jan 2025-2027?

Includes only *new* parts of the Big Beautiful Bill, plus tariffs. (With healthcare subsidy expiration, Middle Class would be ~$300 lower)

www.americanprogress.org/article/new-...
New Trump Administration Policies Will Decrease Average Incomes for All Americans Except the Top 1 Percent
New policies in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, paired with the Trump administration’s tariffs, will leave the bottom 99 percent of Americans with less after-tax-and-transfer income by 2027, while the...
www.americanprogress.org
1 1
chusak.bsky.social
Corey Husak @chusak.bsky.social · Sep 10
Policy changes enacted since the start of the year (One Big Bill and tariffs) will hurt Americans' 2027 incomes on average at every income level by about -$1,500

Except the top 1%. They can expect a +$5,000 income bump
americanprogressaction.org
CAP Action @americanprogressaction.org · Sep 10
Donald Trump doesn't care about the working class—he is laser-focused on making the 1% richer at our expense.
A graphic with a dark background. The title at the top says, "Only the top 1% of families will see an increase in income under Trump's policies." A bar chart titled "INCOME CHANGE AS A RESULT OF NEW TRUMP POLICIES (2027)" shows the percentage change in income for different quintiles and the top 1%. Red bars show negative income changes for the Bottom 20% (-3.5%), Second 20% (-1.6%), Middle 20% (-1.1%), Fourth 20% (-1.2%), 80%-90% (-0.7%), and 90%-99% (-0.2%). A small yellow bar shows a positive income change for the "Top 1%" (+0.5%), with an annotation above it of "+$5,000." A photo of Donald Trump is in the bottom right corner with the text, "He broke his promise to you so he could give more money to millionaires." Source information is included at the bottom left.
1 34 50
Reposted by Corey Husak
christianrincon.com
@cr_possess 👻 @christianrincon.com · Sep 10
shoutout to my colleague @chusak.bsky.social for this analysis
2 2
chusak.bsky.social
Corey Husak @chusak.bsky.social · Aug 29
Do they not have free speech rights?
washingtonpost.com
The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · Aug 29
The Trump administration has fired at least seven Environmental Protection Agency employees for signing a letter nearly two months ago criticizing the agency’s leadership, according to union officials.
Trump officials fire EPA employees for signing dissent letter
The move to terminate the staffers marks an escalation in the Trump administration’s effort to clamp down on dissent within the federal bureaucracy.
wapo.st
1
Reposted by Corey Husak
jwmason.bsky.social
JW Mason @jwmason.bsky.social · Aug 26
This to me is the defining quality of the rule of law: If an official gives an illegal order, then people do not follow it. The Fed is in a stronger position to uphold this principle than a lot of other institutions.
nathantankus.bsky.social
Nathan Tankus @nathantankus.bsky.social · Aug 26
This is the make or break moment for Powell's @federalreserve.gov. If they do not defend Lisa Cook and treat her as still on the Board, the fight over the Fed as an independent agency will officially be over. see my Friday piece.

www.crisesnotes.com/trump-vs-pow...
2 89 380
Reposted by Corey Husak
arindube.bsky.social
Arin Dube @arindube.bsky.social · Aug 26
This action by Lisa Cook is courageous, principled, and deserves broad support.
bencasselman.bsky.social
Ben Casselman @bencasselman.bsky.social · Aug 26
Just received this statement from Lisa Cook:
"President Trump purported to fire me 'for cause' when no cause exists under the law, and he has no authority to do so. I will not resign. I will continue to carry out my duties to help the American economy as I have been doing since 2022."
bencasselman.bsky.social
Ben Casselman @bencasselman.bsky.social · Aug 26
President Trump said he is firing Lisa Cook, a Federal Reserve governor, "effective immediately." It's his most direct assault yet on Fed independence -- and a step that it is far from clear he can legally take.
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/25/u... #EconSky
2 140 570
chusak.bsky.social
Corey Husak @chusak.bsky.social · Aug 26
Lisa Cook is absolutely right to ignore Trump's lawless, illegal attempt to fire her.

The Fed must always remain independent.
kyledcheney.bsky.social
Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney.bsky.social · Aug 26
UPDATE: Lisa Cook says she's not going anywhere and Trump's bid to fire her is baseless. www.politico.com/news/2025/08...
1 6
chusak.bsky.social
Corey Husak @chusak.bsky.social · Aug 23
One thing leftists seem to believe is that Democrats can run against, achieve power, and use power to go to war with the most powerful institutions in society:
- police
- military
- courts
- billionaires
- corporate power structure
- social conservatism

You actually need some (2?3?) on your side.
goldwagnathan.bsky.social
Nathan Goldwag @goldwagnathan.bsky.social · Aug 23
If, four years from now, Democratic voters view the military negatively or skeptically, this will be treated as a problem that is incumbent *for the Democratic party to solve*, not as a failure by the DoD leadership or something that requires policy shifts to ameliorate.
sodrock.bsky.social
Secretary of Defense Rock @sodrock.bsky.social · Aug 23
This might be true but as @mikeblack114.bsky.social pointed out, its been several generations since the military was viewed very negatively/skeptically even tho that has usually been the default throughout American history like I think some GOFO’s can’t envision a situation where they’re pariahs
1
Reposted by Corey Husak
kennedyandara.bsky.social
Kennedy Andara @kennedyandara.bsky.social · Aug 6
A jobs day to remember! Check out my latest video for the full story on what happened on Friday and what this means for our economy
americanprogress.bsky.social
Center for American Progress @americanprogress.bsky.social · Aug 6
Last week's jobs day report revealed that the Trump administration's economic policies are seriously harming the economy. So, what did President Trump do? He fired the messenger. CAP's @kennedyandara.bsky.social explains the full story:
8 6
Reposted by Corey Husak
jamellebouie.net
jamelle @jamellebouie.net · Aug 2
the voting rights act is, in its entirety, obviously constitutional under the 15th amendment, which gives congress broad and proactive authority to stop racial discrimination in voting. and you know it is obviously constitutional because roberts has had to invent entire new doctrines to gut it.
rickhasen.bsky.social
Rick Hasen @rickhasen.bsky.social · Aug 1
The Supreme Court knocked down one of the two pillars of the Voting Rights Act in 2013 in the Shelby County case. It has now gone out of its way to consider whether it should knock down the other, by rescheduling arguments in a case it could have resolved in June under existing precedent.
rickhasen.bsky.social
Rick Hasen @rickhasen.bsky.social · Aug 1
****Breaking:**** Supreme Court, in Order Asking for Additional Briefing in Louisiana Voting Case, Appears to Put the Constitutionality of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act into Question electionlawblog.org?p=151301
140 2.7K 10K
chusak.bsky.social
Corey Husak @chusak.bsky.social · Aug 1
Healthcare, the one industry still doing major hiring, is in for big federal cuts.

First, NIH and NSF cuts this year. Next, ACA subsidy cuts starting next year. Then, Medicaid cuts starting in the coming years.

How long do they keep hiring for?
carlquintanilla.bsky.social
Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · Aug 1
“The labor market is in trouble.”

> @byheatherlong.bsky.social
2 3
Reposted by Corey Husak
americanprogress.bsky.social
Center for American Progress @americanprogress.bsky.social · Jul 31
Despite appearances, the OBBBA's "no tax on tips" provision will only benefit a small number of workers, and many of them will suffer more from the law's severe program cuts. Learn more: www.americanprogress.org/article/desp...
Illustrated infographic showing three profiles of illustrative tipped workers Jack, Marian, and Peggy. Title text says, 'Cuts to health care and food assistance matter more to tipped workers than "no tax on tips".' Subheader text shows, "Effects of selected policy changes on illustrative tipped workers, 2026."
2 11 13
chusak.bsky.social
Corey Husak @chusak.bsky.social · Jul 31
Read more here: www.americanprogress.org/article/desp...
Despite ‘No Tax on Tips,’ Trump’s Big ‘Beautiful’ Bill Is Bad for Tipped Workers
“No tax on tips” is a symbolic tax break that is very limited and poorly targets the workers who need tax relief the most. Many among the small number of workers who will benefit will also face the bi...
www.americanprogress.org
2 1
chusak.bsky.social
Corey Husak @chusak.bsky.social · Jul 31
Finally, “No Tax on Tips” will be difficult to access.

Its a tax deduction (not a credit, not a min. wage) with many restrictions. i.e. 1/3 of all tipped workers don’t have a tax liability to deduct from.

Business tax breaks in the bill don’t have similar restrictions…
1 1
chusak.bsky.social
Corey Husak @chusak.bsky.social · Jul 31
The work hours column is also important. Rs ramped up paperwork requirements for SNAP and Medicaid—Now to get lifesaving help you must consistently work >20 hrs/wk. Tipped workers often don’t control their schedule so will get kicked off. This affects waiters/bartenders in particular
1
chusak.bsky.social
Corey Husak @chusak.bsky.social · Jul 31
Tipped workers are mostly low-income and only 1/3 get health insurance at work. We present the first estimates of how many tipped workers are vulnerable to the coming Medicaid, ACA and SNAP cuts. Its well over 1 million (over 30%)
1 1
chusak.bsky.social
Corey Husak @chusak.bsky.social · Jul 31
New research from me @americanprogress.bsky.social
today: How will Trump’s OBBBA affect tipped workers?

Most have focused on “no tax on tips”, but tipped workers are esp. vulnerable to the bill’s program cuts. Medicaid & SNAP cuts vastly outweigh the worker tax cuts
1 11 9
Reposted by Corey Husak
brendanvduke.bsky.social
Brendan Duke @brendanvduke.bsky.social · Jul 21
Let's put the $3.4 trillion cost of Republican reconciliation law in context.

Its tax cuts are so costly that Republicans could have extended all of the expiring tax cuts for families (including millionaires) without cutting SNAP/Medicaid...and it would have cost *less*.
3 33 45
Reposted by Corey Husak
americanprogress.bsky.social
Center for American Progress @americanprogress.bsky.social · Jul 5
The congressional Republican bill will cause millions of low-income Americans to lose Medicaid coverage in order to fund tax giveaways for the top 1% of households.
$1 Trillion in Medicaid Cuts—$1 Trillion in Tax Giveaways for the Richest 1 Percent: The One Big ‘Beautiful’ Bill’s Budget Math
The congressional Republican bill will cause millions of low-income Americans to lose Medicaid coverage in order to fund tax giveaways for the top 1 percent of households.
www.americanprogress.org
1 10 27
chusak.bsky.social
Corey Husak @chusak.bsky.social · Jul 3
Not the most important aspect of this bill, but still an important aspect. Is it enough to kick up inflation? Perhaps only modestly, esp with tariffs.

Caveats: the $500b would be larger if not for how CBO counts student loan reforms. Baselines differ, etc
chusak.bsky.social
Corey Husak @chusak.bsky.social · Jul 3
After years of debates about inflation and fiscal stimulus, its striking that Republicans are passing a new fiscal stimulus.

Even relative to current policy, this bill pours $500 billion into the economy, mostly over the next 3 years
1
Reposted by Corey Husak
bbkogan.bsky.social
Bobby Kogan @bbkogan.bsky.social · Jul 3
My statement
It is extremely difficult to overstate the harm from this bill. There has never been a larger cut to low-income Americans in US history. The bill cuts Medicaid by roughly $1 trillion dollars, at least four times the size of what was the largest Medicaid cut before this bill. It also cuts SNAP by roughly $175 billion, the largest in history, taking food away from children. People’s lives will be ruined because of this bill as the most vulnerable have support ripped away from them. It’s egregious enough that this bill makes the poor poorer, but at the same time it makes the rich richer. This bill quite literally takes from the poor while giving to the rich. Taken together, this is therefore the largest transfer of wealth from the poor to the rich in a single law in US history. That is impossible to justify morally. It is at a fundamental level unfair. Life is unfair, and it is the purpose of government to help alleviate that unfairness. This bill moves in the wrong direction, leaving those struggling the most worse off, betraying the promise of the government working to help the people it represents.
3 68 200