Favorite Rejects 2021-09-23

Noah Smith 🐇 @Noahpinion

It is weird. A few people I know say stuff like "It's not even worth bringing a child into this world, because it's about to be destroyed", and then almost everyone else is like, "Sure climate change is bad, but what about the SALT deduction?"...

Josh Barro @jbarro

I see essays premised on "overwhelming anxiety" related to climate being a common mental health issue, and then I look at Gallup polling on the "most important problem" in the US and see three (3) percent of Americans name *any* environment issue. https://t.co/QbpYXMblK6

Noah Smith 🐇 @Noahpinion

There are these people who talk about how life isn't even worth living because of climate catastrophe etc. etc., and then more than 2/3 of Americans say they wouldn't pay $10 a month or accept a 25-cent gas tax to fight climate change.

Brian Gawalt @bgawalt

"Daddy, overnight I *grew*!" "How big did you grow?" "Now I'm the size of a parent!" "Oh, nice; what are you gonna do now, that you couldn't do yesterday?" "I'm gonna make *mistakes!*"

Kim-Mai Cutler @kimmaicutler

Not having a step-up basis for heirs/inheritance but making Americans pay unrealized capital gains or mark-to-market taxes on volatile and illiquid holdings seems dumb.

Lindsey McPherson @lindsemcpherson

UPDATE on pay-for framework: Neal and Wyden were both party to the agreement on what does not appear a significantly narrowed menu of options. Neal says everything in the Ways and Means reported bill is on the menu. But stepped up basis, which was on Wyden's menu, is not.

Matthew Yglesias @mattyglesias

There's a real issue about Airbnb's impact on housing supply (though also a way to fix it other than banning Airbnb) but what's the case that lots of tourists coming to your city is bad? Seems like a good way to create jobs, income, and tax revenue.