Policy Fix

About Policy Fix

Factchecks, explainers and new ideas for building a fairer America. By veteran journalist and policy expert Anne Kim, author of Poverty for Profit (The New Press), and a contributing editor at the Washington Monthly. www.anneskim.com

Publisher

Anne Kim

Category

news

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

21 Jan 2025

Latest episode

24 Jan 2025

Latest episodes

4 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   24 Jan 2025

   The truth about immigrants and public benefits

   Anti-immigration advocates claim that undocumented #immigrants are a drain on taxpayer dollars and take advantage of public benefits. Anne Kim explains why this is a myth.

2. 

   24 Jan 2025

   Why you shouldn't pay for tax prep

   Did you know that in 23 states, a new government program will let you file your taxes for free? Anne Kim tells you about the government's DirectFile program and about the tax prep industry's efforts to block it. Links to sources: Direct File: https://www.irs.gov/filing/irs-direct-file-for-free GAO Report: https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-25-106933.pdf ProPublica: https://www.propublica.org/article/inside-turbotax-20-year-fight-to-stop-americans-from-filing-their-taxes-for-free ProPublica: https://www.propublica.org/article/turbotax-maker-linked-to-grassroots-campaign-against-free-simple-tax-filing Open Secrets: https://www.opensecrets.org/federal-lobbying/clients/summary?cycle=2023&id=D000026667 Open Secrets: https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/h-r-block/summary?id=D000022016 Open Secrets: https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2023/09/tax-prep-companies-lobbying-against-free-file-face-scrutiny-from-lawmakers/ IBISWorld: https://www.ibisworld.com/united-states/industry/tax-preparation-services/1399/ POLITICO: https://subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2024/07/republicans-introduce-bill-to-block-direct-file-00170628 TaxNotes: https://www.taxnotes.com/featured-news/house-republicans-urge-trump-end-direct-file/2024/12/11/7p52w National Consumer Law Center: https://www.nclc.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Rpt_2021_Tax_Time.pdf H&R Block Annual Report: https://investors.hrblock.com/static-files/21dc5fdd-67e6-4ca2-bee8-3f44c73a3447

3. 

   22 Jan 2025

   One easy way to reduce the federal budget deficit

   Elon Musk and his DOGE initiative are looking to cut government waste and reduce the federal deficit. They've proposed slashing departments and firing staff. But they're overlooking one simple fix. Anne Kim explains.

4. 

   21 Jan 2025

   Private accounts: How NOT to save Social Security

   Social Security is going broke, and some people argue that "private accounts" are the best way to save the program. Journalist and lawyer Anne Kim explains why Social Security privatization won't work and suggests a better way to ensure the program's future financial footing. Sources cited: Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget: https://www.crfb.org/blogs/cbo-social... (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa2VhUmp3NW5zTW5tSlpkcUFObkxldnQ0NGU5QXxBQ3Jtc0tralBIOGw4a0w2aXc0TVBRT043WWZhZ3Q2MWpLZHZSTTFGRy15RkRXZVg0NXFmRGhYb055R2cyYXc0VFQxM1dZQ0E2TDU3bzl0a01KTWtrMWxfeU9uc0Fra1ZhczJCNFdqbDN5UlVPRFhhR1FoY25rZw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.crfb.org%2Fblogs%2Fcbo-social-security-ten-years-insolvency&v=SfM9c8doEC4) CNN: https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/31/politi... (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbEVBZ0g1dzdvQk15QjVsbmZqRTVVdXllYU1ZZ3xBQ3Jtc0tudks5M1pmM1pFMVBlSHFyOW43OFloV0ZlZ0JiaDRUOHdka0tRaEFRamgybEdsdUk0cWJoWUhZTVBFWjg0ME40Z2VEdDNaUWtxdXZsX1ZlTjA3THdiVnk5STcwNXVVQlZKOFpvRUFaTXRRSmtmVFhZUQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2023%2F03%2F31%2Fpolitics%2Fsocial-security-benefits-decrease%2Findex.html&v=SfM9c8doEC4) Social Security Administration: https://www.ssa.gov/oact/trsum/ (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbVdFWGNQNFF4OGpfLUxEaGVkNGktV3BYNmFQZ3xBQ3Jtc0tsS1ZSMjZwcWlPUjM0dzZGOE5UMU1WUDE0VjFYaGxrLWhDLU50M3JGdFRMMWk2Tk9PN2ZzVzVlSjlfTlI1QzV3WV8zLVZaenNnaWhYN3VmVVBPd0FYRUlDVklPc3Zva3F0N2tGNW1TVElBMmVmQ1dMVQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ssa.gov%2Foact%2Ftrsum%2F&v=SfM9c8doEC4) Macrotrends.net: https://www.macrotrends.net/2324/sp-5... (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqblVIelg3Q3ktRXh4eEVmd1Y2SUVDUG1OSXBqQXxBQ3Jtc0tsSnl2NUxUeVFmclpTY292Wjcwdnp0V2JXTHFmdEwtWnJoMzEwVHdYdHAyNjJ5U3g0T2FDam5lRmtMS2d4c1ZjeWZXOXlGeDlnUEt4dVl1aHBPQ1FtS1Zydmhaa0VaUTlKVzdJblVub2dTbkJBWFhtVQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.macrotrends.net%2F2324%2Fsp-500-historical-chart-data&v=SfM9c8doEC4) Federal Reserve: https://www.federalreserve.gov/econre... (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnBWZk1MaFhvUFI1VmIybE5DVEJBc1RTWUlGUXxBQ3Jtc0tuM0dIUGxHTFFNei0yWTJoUUw2WWszR0UtZ0dZTE1xbUI5eTd5cmtXMFFKSzdGZmlidUt2Y2FRUF9qSFdacWNfYUtGeHdvLTQ0bDl3UkQzNDNCZDcyWW9YVU9GVTNaYkJCQV9mYWJ4b3JVYmpBbDNhVQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.federalreserve.gov%2Feconres%2Fnotes%2Ffeds-notes%2Fasset-ownership-and-the-uneven-recovery-from-the-great-recession-20180913.html&v=SfM9c8doEC4) Pew Research Center: https://www.pewresearch.org/short-rea... (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbF9jMmZITWhhSlM3aVdqcmI2WlN0RV9TOXZtd3xBQ3Jtc0tuVXV2NHNZd01oLTRTQWpFU0xxV202N3pxcV8zV1pNaklkWXAxOGZ5NFVWR2ZzTlBzZGFDRi1NQWJDdFRscjVUN1Q2MW42d3FZVm93X1NrMksyekpBeVpBZk01NzJlWUlUSUZhUHMxSHJGbVUxeVROcw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pewresearch.org%2Fshort-reads%2F2017%2F11%2F01%2Fhow-wealth-inequality-has-changed-in-the-u-s-since-the-great-recession-by-race-ethnicity-and-income%2F&v=SfM9c8doEC4) Federal Reserve Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking: https://www.federalreserve.gov/public... (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbmFpUDBvQm5TMDBldWMxWHUwckZ3ODlLblBhZ3xBQ3Jtc0tuZlgteXNGeDAyTGZxZkxhdmpINHpKMVM0c0hPdk81d1FpdnBndExTZFF1RE9jU1ltZ3ZWbi0yTFN6QXNRT1p5cUVYTjhVYlI2dmZwbmtuaVBCVWJZUTBpaHE2QWUyRVM3eVVsZVQ0QlNEbFg5TXQ1Yw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.federalreserve.gov%2Fpublications%2Ffiles%2F2023-report-economic-well-being-us-households-202405.pdf&v=SfM9c8doEC4) Lending Tree: https://www.lendingtree.com/credit-ca... (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa1NuYS0wMEdUdGVhcWo3TERkTndlVU5tdjhXd3xBQ3Jtc0tuR0FrbFpUXzdVYVNyZWdPM19XaUZkVUJDR2YtSG1DaDJOa3ZqNklVSVhITjlhU05lZ2pXTnZNWWhnOGZ5U3FvVlhxdkVfMk1Uc0N0NHZoRi1wbHQ1a09obWQtNm96SEtmOE4xY3U1SVdTdWotajRqaw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lendingtree.com%2Fcredit-cards%2Fstudy%2Fcredit-card-debt-statistics%2F&v=SfM9c8doEC4) Lending Tree: https://www.lendingtree.com/student/s... (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbmE1NkszX29fZnFJRnRyNVN6Q0JNb1NkdW9FUXxBQ3Jtc0tsSVJZeGZXVW9RSGlQa2o1VktUbjlRQ0c3UzlXT01DTkJHWXlnSUtUekVaelhpMDNaOXk2NlNYb0Z3MDhDb0hCU0FDaFRweFcyS3l4b19RSG85dEFELXd4VTR4a2lRTEUzVC1XUDZ1NEtEaW5sQmtIVQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lendingtree.com%2Fstudent%2Fstudent-loan-debt-statistics%2F%23%3A%7E%3Atext%3DAmericans%2520owe%2520%25241.74%2520trillion%2520in%2520federal%2520and%2520private%2520student%2520loan%2Cis%2520private%2520student%2520loan%2520debt&v=SfM9c8doEC4). Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances: https://www.federalreserve.gov/public... (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbHJoYk5lRmg2clgzT1kyR1ZVZlZURC04Rk1id3xBQ3Jtc0tud1NQVGo0QjBJQktpZ01wbXVSYWUxd2k4ZDc2bVpicHQxZ0NDOHE5SjV6a0FuVFFNOTY3VE1uaEt0T080cG1QcDNmV1JkSXo2aEhuX3FVSEpLcnZPU2tlbWNCMElhQ2pKY2g0X3ZqNzE2RDliSHFRTQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.federalreserve.gov%2Fpublications%2Ffiles%2Fscf23.pdf&v=SfM9c8doEC4) CNBC: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/11/19/bank-... (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbk5qVEtQRHBhbS1oTXE4dXpwU2xfTjg2Q3lTd3xBQ3Jtc0tsMTlYY0E2Y0tLeGpPX1lKYTZOSXd5M2stMG5vNGxlWWtVTktoaHRsU2FRTDZlMW9DRVJpOTU0SGVNeWt6NkhtT2pfSERlZUFvN1RBamwtWTlWbUhLSTVkdGxlN0twQ3pGalp5MlFrdDVtV29SLWdXYw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnbc.com%2F2024%2F11%2F19%2Fbank-of-america-nearly-half-of-americans-live-paycheck-to-paycheck.html%23%3A%7E%3Atext%3DBy%2520that%2520measure%252C%2520around%252030%2Con%2520necessities%252C%2520the%2520bank%2520reports&v=SfM9c8doEC4) Bank of America: https://institute.bankofamerica.com/e... (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa3dQSVc1Vm1MOWF4aE5PQVdVR0V4OGlTN0dDd3xBQ3Jtc0tscks5eHU3SGtGREJoRHdrV2Rvejl4czhYMzhrU05NczkwdFhkY0hVSTVOWHliYWNfRlQwc2pkWS1ZWFFVa0xMTU9VTkd0X1IyQ0NmbWZSUDgydTNoaG1LbktsallYUU44Zl9kdHJUZWk3c1hPSnpqaw&q=https%3A%2F%2Finstitute.bankofamerica.com%2Feconomic-insights%2Fpaycheck-to-paycheck-lower-income-households.html&v=SfM9c8doEC4) CNBC: https://www.cnbc.com/2017/01/04/a-bri... (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbjdic0FjcExEWGR0dVY3al9Cd0F6WFRiUmFVUXxBQ3Jtc0tuVU5VajZ2c29FSHMwRW92dUNoTHB5cll5cGhmalpBRVZvZEVfbUV3T3F3YzFTTXozVk5sRkN6NThYdkFTWW5RQlo2ZmlpOG1Vak8xTzg1RnFEczd5RjRUN1JkMzRiUUJSUEFMZEFZRWgyNlNwb2psZw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnbc.com%2F2017%2F01%2F04%2Fa-brief-history-of-the-401k-which-changed-how-americans-retire.html&v=SfM9c8doEC4) Vanguard – How America Saves: https://institutional.vanguard.com/co... (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbEwtcHVtOWlMcF80dElrUFhkZHY4Y0V5Tmxvd3xBQ3Jtc0tuNk1iZ2hxcks3M2tIMW5SWllQRl9XWVBUcGxVV1RQcDNNdTRZTktJblhmcENvbnNXSjlwWUJzTlQzbFBwUnBHdHQxajIxUl9laEg0NDdWQTM4Z2owTkhiMkUxbkwxUkk1MUE0Umwtem1kLVF6Mk16QQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Finstitutional.vanguard.com%2Fcontent%2Fdam%2Finst%2Fiig-transformation%2Finsights%2Fpdf%2F2024%2Fhas%2Fhow_america_saves_report_2024.pdf&v=SfM9c8doEC4) Social Security Administration – Maximum Taxable Income: https://www.ssa.gov/oact/cola/cbb.html (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa0xTRVVvUjhLa3dvY0FzQmlRQ0NUa25xY1htQXxBQ3Jtc0trQzBxTXpMRENEUkcwNzBPcWJMR2dHZXVHN0prTWJ6X3NVWWhkaXc3VmltMnMtNS1hUjJIUVkwelc1VXg2QlItZ1k0NGNwYjRQV1JiZEJjNkVMbWxBcVBTbEpTY3lsV1ZEMlpKd2xramwwR2FXeVpRVQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ssa.gov%2Foact%2Fcola%2Fcbb.html&v=SfM9c8doEC4) Congressional Budget Office: https://www.cbo.gov/budget-options/60955 (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa0tDOUp6NGp4X1JDOFlabENBVFN0ZmFIc1d5QXxBQ3Jtc0tuZTdBeXNHV2JZQ3pPN0hWWV9RcHQ5a1prVXNCRW81SUN5bWkzZnZIQzgtel94SFg5VXJ3WW5fcGNsNE9FUlFrZThjWEhuZmpTUkFLYzRFRER1U0pZZGdRd09fVzhuemN0YXlZeVdXRXpDRVlsMDB0bw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbo.gov%2Fbudget-options%2F60955&v=SfM9c8doEC4) National Association of Social Insurance: https://www.nasi.org/discussion/socia... (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbDc3b1FJd3VaZDBhWldETXl6bVc3OXZJejRKUXxBQ3Jtc0treXVvWWppSmdfd2hxU2xyWVhmN01IaE9IYjhCVVRSZDhuWGR4dWtxUElUOWZ3MTdEVWhTNVR3dmxfRnNfQ0RpZjQ4bDJNNEk0SUlEWGc4ZDgxVEJHeHhqd2JWN0FMZzJCTHFORGVqbWhYa2o1VTlKVQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nasi.org%2Fdiscussion%2Fsocial-securitys-past-present-and-future%2F%23%3A%7E%3Atext%3DBefore%2520Social%2520Security%252C%2520in%25201934%2C52%2520percent%29%2520would%2520be%2520poor&v=SfM9c8doEC4). U.S. Census Bureau: https://www.census.gov/library/storie... (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa2VzcWszTXlZSW5GSGZORVpYTEFwTW9yR1lKZ3xBQ3Jtc0ttMnZfTG9aOHhxUWtLSElfamtmbmtQcV83WWZrT0t3dW9GcWVzS2g1U0xIcDRYbjJCX0xsUDI3dGZUQ0Y4eUsyaUJ5Qkp0R1lfUFV0Mmo4aV9fWXlPRmJGRzBoSVZ1d2p5bXFaTUd2cUlNTDlOczBHNA&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.census.gov%2Flibrary%2Fstories%2F2024%2F09%2Facs-child-poverty.html&v=SfM9c8doEC4) Yahoo Finance: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/elon-m... 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Podcast Authority Score: 26 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

53

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

0