Steve Leventhal
@leventhal.bsky.social
Tax geek who can communicate clearly in English. “Tax is law with just enough math to scare away most attorneys.”
Family | cooking | tax & policy | He/Him
Family | cooking | tax & policy | He/Him
Can someone help me understand why Biden and Epstein are current news topics?
Actually, I probably don’t want to know.
Actually, I probably don’t want to know.
July 17, 2025 at 1:43 AM
Can someone help me understand why Biden and Epstein are current news topics?
Actually, I probably don’t want to know.
Actually, I probably don’t want to know.
It’s fascinating to me to read the reactions from Trump supporters to the tax bill. I’m not sure they’ve actually read the bill; it seems they are responding to the political rhetoric instead.
July 5, 2025 at 4:24 AM
It’s fascinating to me to read the reactions from Trump supporters to the tax bill. I’m not sure they’ve actually read the bill; it seems they are responding to the political rhetoric instead.
Happy Bobby Bonilla Day to all who celebrate.
July 1, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Happy Bobby Bonilla Day to all who celebrate.
I’m going to prepare some tax returns and put off, for as long as possible, reading the opinions issued by SCOTUS today.
June 27, 2025 at 3:33 PM
I’m going to prepare some tax returns and put off, for as long as possible, reading the opinions issued by SCOTUS today.
I think it would be better framed as “not all the bill sections can be passed without needing cloture.”
They don’t have to be dropped.
They don’t have to be dropped.
June 27, 2025 at 12:52 AM
I think it would be better framed as “not all the bill sections can be passed without needing cloture.”
They don’t have to be dropped.
They don’t have to be dropped.
What strikes me most about the tax bill pending in the Senate is the number of sections failing to avoid the sixty-vote threshold.
Will the GOP be able to cure the language and avoid the Byrd Rule? Who knows?
Will the GOP be able to cure the language and avoid the Byrd Rule? Who knows?
June 26, 2025 at 3:42 PM
What strikes me most about the tax bill pending in the Senate is the number of sections failing to avoid the sixty-vote threshold.
Will the GOP be able to cure the language and avoid the Byrd Rule? Who knows?
Will the GOP be able to cure the language and avoid the Byrd Rule? Who knows?
People can reasonably disagree about many aspects of tax policy; however, there has never been a tax cut which paid for itself, and this bill will increase the deficit.
June 17, 2025 at 2:25 PM
People can reasonably disagree about many aspects of tax policy; however, there has never been a tax cut which paid for itself, and this bill will increase the deficit.
I’ll start paying more attention to budget bills once we’ve seen the Senate versions.
The House bills will increase the deficit, and they seem to play budget games (e.g., no tax on tips expires 2028), but there’s a lot of stuff in them that’ll have a very hard time in reconciliation.
The House bills will increase the deficit, and they seem to play budget games (e.g., no tax on tips expires 2028), but there’s a lot of stuff in them that’ll have a very hard time in reconciliation.
May 13, 2025 at 1:10 AM
I’ll start paying more attention to budget bills once we’ve seen the Senate versions.
The House bills will increase the deficit, and they seem to play budget games (e.g., no tax on tips expires 2028), but there’s a lot of stuff in them that’ll have a very hard time in reconciliation.
The House bills will increase the deficit, and they seem to play budget games (e.g., no tax on tips expires 2028), but there’s a lot of stuff in them that’ll have a very hard time in reconciliation.
I have always advised folks to avoid getting their tax advice from politicians.
It seems this may apply much more broadly: I should say avoid getting your news from politicians.
It seems this may apply much more broadly: I should say avoid getting your news from politicians.
May 4, 2025 at 10:32 PM
I have always advised folks to avoid getting their tax advice from politicians.
It seems this may apply much more broadly: I should say avoid getting your news from politicians.
It seems this may apply much more broadly: I should say avoid getting your news from politicians.
If the Senate GOP were to go through with their current plan to ignore the costs in their bill, would they also ignore the requirements to avoid anything that isn’t fiscal/budget in a reconciliation?
Does that mean there’s no more filibuster?
Does that mean there’s no more filibuster?
April 2, 2025 at 8:22 PM
If the Senate GOP were to go through with their current plan to ignore the costs in their bill, would they also ignore the requirements to avoid anything that isn’t fiscal/budget in a reconciliation?
Does that mean there’s no more filibuster?
Does that mean there’s no more filibuster?
“We are caught between a party that wants to make government fail and a party that doesn’t make government work.” — Ezra Klein to Jon Stewart
April 2, 2025 at 3:15 PM
“We are caught between a party that wants to make government fail and a party that doesn’t make government work.” — Ezra Klein to Jon Stewart
People are raising privacy concerns about DOGE’s access to IRS systems; however, I’ve seen no mention of the IRS confidential information that’s also exposed.
What’s that info? The weighting factors which are used to trigger audits, or how far could one go before an audit would be triggered.
What’s that info? The weighting factors which are used to trigger audits, or how far could one go before an audit would be triggered.
February 19, 2025 at 7:34 PM
People are raising privacy concerns about DOGE’s access to IRS systems; however, I’ve seen no mention of the IRS confidential information that’s also exposed.
What’s that info? The weighting factors which are used to trigger audits, or how far could one go before an audit would be triggered.
What’s that info? The weighting factors which are used to trigger audits, or how far could one go before an audit would be triggered.
I can see three, maybe four, sure SCOTUS votes for the (Project 2025) “let’s give the executive power of the purse” change to the constitution.
January 28, 2025 at 4:03 PM
I can see three, maybe four, sure SCOTUS votes for the (Project 2025) “let’s give the executive power of the purse” change to the constitution.
Tl;dr: my prediction for the upcoming tax bill is that the TCJA provisions will be extended for five years.
1/x
1/x
January 27, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Tl;dr: my prediction for the upcoming tax bill is that the TCJA provisions will be extended for five years.
1/x
1/x
The LEGO botanicals collection is quite fun
January 19, 2025 at 9:22 PM
The LEGO botanicals collection is quite fun
External Revenue Service?
1) When will Congress fund it?
2) Tariffs are paid by the importer, so does this agency do other import/customs tasks?
3) Many sections of the tax code address income from foreign sources. Are these in scope, too?
Call me after number one is settled.
1) When will Congress fund it?
2) Tariffs are paid by the importer, so does this agency do other import/customs tasks?
3) Many sections of the tax code address income from foreign sources. Are these in scope, too?
Call me after number one is settled.
January 15, 2025 at 5:19 AM
External Revenue Service?
1) When will Congress fund it?
2) Tariffs are paid by the importer, so does this agency do other import/customs tasks?
3) Many sections of the tax code address income from foreign sources. Are these in scope, too?
Call me after number one is settled.
1) When will Congress fund it?
2) Tariffs are paid by the importer, so does this agency do other import/customs tasks?
3) Many sections of the tax code address income from foreign sources. Are these in scope, too?
Call me after number one is settled.
GOP revisions to the way bills are evaluated by the CBO is solely to fit more cuts into a tax bill without breaking reconciliation, and it’s disingenuous to call it anything else.
We should be having a larger discussion about deficit spending by the federal government, but this isn’t it.
We should be having a larger discussion about deficit spending by the federal government, but this isn’t it.
January 14, 2025 at 3:34 PM
GOP revisions to the way bills are evaluated by the CBO is solely to fit more cuts into a tax bill without breaking reconciliation, and it’s disingenuous to call it anything else.
We should be having a larger discussion about deficit spending by the federal government, but this isn’t it.
We should be having a larger discussion about deficit spending by the federal government, but this isn’t it.
I have issues with this sixth circuit ruling against net neutrality, but I have issues with Loper Bright, so I’m in for a lot of upcoming disappointments.
www.bloomberglaw.com/public/deskt...
www.bloomberglaw.com/public/deskt...
www.bloomberglaw.com
January 3, 2025 at 3:07 AM
I have issues with this sixth circuit ruling against net neutrality, but I have issues with Loper Bright, so I’m in for a lot of upcoming disappointments.
www.bloomberglaw.com/public/deskt...
www.bloomberglaw.com/public/deskt...
No, I do not expect significant tax law changes for the upcoming season; however, all bets are off after that.
December 29, 2024 at 6:08 PM
No, I do not expect significant tax law changes for the upcoming season; however, all bets are off after that.
If we were to believe, “everyone has a conflict of interest,” why would we accept that as okay? Shouldn’t we work toward changing that?
December 29, 2024 at 6:06 PM
If we were to believe, “everyone has a conflict of interest,” why would we accept that as okay? Shouldn’t we work toward changing that?
I should have been more specific with my prediction. It seems the debt ceiling is still confusing to most elected officials.
Trump’s request to kick the can to 2029 wasn’t a surprise. I’m a little surprised Musk’s threats didn’t lead to a consensus. I guess it’s easier to get to “no.”
Trump’s request to kick the can to 2029 wasn’t a surprise. I’m a little surprised Musk’s threats didn’t lead to a consensus. I guess it’s easier to get to “no.”
5/6: House republicans won’t have any problems with the debt ceiling. Maybe we can do away with it, once and for all?
December 21, 2024 at 5:25 PM
I should have been more specific with my prediction. It seems the debt ceiling is still confusing to most elected officials.
Trump’s request to kick the can to 2029 wasn’t a surprise. I’m a little surprised Musk’s threats didn’t lead to a consensus. I guess it’s easier to get to “no.”
Trump’s request to kick the can to 2029 wasn’t a surprise. I’m a little surprised Musk’s threats didn’t lead to a consensus. I guess it’s easier to get to “no.”
Yes, that’s a lab book sitting on the hopper. How else could you improve your smoking skills, if not by gathering data?
November 28, 2024 at 5:46 PM
Yes, that’s a lab book sitting on the hopper. How else could you improve your smoking skills, if not by gathering data?
Pup is enjoying her treat.
November 22, 2024 at 6:01 AM
Pup is enjoying her treat.
A few predictions I made one week ago on a different platform, so I am repeating them here: (1/6)
November 20, 2024 at 4:57 PM
A few predictions I made one week ago on a different platform, so I am repeating them here: (1/6)