Succinct and insightful, this book is classic Bill Hudson. He has done citizens and students a service in providing such a clear overview of the most pressing domestic policy challenge of our time. It's often said that a budget is the concrete expression of values, and in this work Hudson deftly shows how deep normative commitments drive the battles over federal taxes and spending.
-Grant Reeher, Syracuse University
Every American needs to read this well-written primer on the budget debate. It provides all the crucial facts and concepts citizens need to understand these increasingly bitter political battles and it will help them to intelligently decide where they stand on the crucial issues that will determine the future of American government.
-Douglas Amy, Mount Holyoke College
Hudson offers a comprehensible investigation of the complex politics of federal budgeting. Analyzing federal deficits and debt from the perspective of what's best for the public good, Hudson provides important insights into the causes and consequences of deficits and the national debt.
-Patrick Fisher, Seton Hall UniversityHudson does a superb job taking the reader through the ins and outs of fiscal policy, and in the process he makes this important topic very accessible. If you truly want to understand contemporary American politics, then this book is a must-read.
-Elizabeth A. Oldmixon, University of North Texas
Succinct and insightful, this book is classic Bill Hudson. He has done citizens and students a service in providing such a clear overview of the most pressing domestic policy challenge of our time. It's often said that a budget is the concrete expression of values, and in this work Hudson deftly shows how deep normative commitments drive the battles over federal taxes and spending.
-Grant Reeher, Syracuse University
Every American needs to read this well-written primer on the budget debate. It provides all the crucial facts and concepts citizens need to understand these increasingly bitter political battles and it will help them to intelligently decide where they stand on the crucial issues that will determine the future of American government.
-Douglas Amy, Mount Holyoke College
Hudson offers a comprehensible investigation of the complex politics of federal budgeting. Analyzing federal deficits and debt from the perspective of what's best for the public good, Hudson provides important insights into the causes and consequences of deficits and the national debt.
-Patrick Fisher, Seton Hall UniversityHudson does a superb job taking the reader through the ins and outs of fiscal policy, and in the process he makes this important topic very accessible. If you truly want to understand contemporary American politics, then this book is a must-read.
-Elizabeth A. Oldmixon, University of North Texas
Hudson provides a clear, concise overview of federal government finances and what drives the US national deficit position... The book does a good job of explaining why understanding arcane processes and terminology (i.e., discretionary spending, means tested entitlements, starve the beast, social insurance, tax expenditures, the budget process, and trust funds) matters for driving deficits and why not all deficits have the same economic implications. ...The book serves exactly as its title claims--and possibly a bit more. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above. -- J L. Mikesell, Indiana University--Bloomington, in CHOICE