From the clashes between Federalists and Republicans in the 1790s until today, partisan battles over taxing, spending, and public debt have shaped American political development. These battles were formerly constrained by fiscal norms that mandated balanced budgets and low debt. In his Farewell...

Comprehensive: examines the historical development of the federal tax system; explains the relative importance of income taxes, payroll taxes, and other taxes in the modern era; and discusses the fairness, economic efficiency, and revenue-raising characteristics of federal tax policy -...