Friday, June 03, 2011

Official Inquiry: What Are Tax Loopholes?

Dear Mara Liasson,

Please be aware this is an official inquiry from luridtransom. We announced that the next NPR reporter we heard use the term “tax loophole” would receive an official inquiry. This announcement was made on the public internets. So don’t say you weren’t warned.

On June 1, I caught the tail end of a story you did on the Congressional negotiations to raise the debt ceiling. In fact, here’s a link to your story – http://www.wbur.org/npr/136855840/house-gop-obama-hold-frank-talk-on-debt

This is from your story: “Democrats say they're open to some changes to Medicare, but not unless Republicans agree to more revenues — either tax hikes or a limit to tax loopholes.”

What did you mean by the term “tax loopholes”? Have the Democrats made specific proposals to limit tax loopholes? If so, what are they? Is tax loopholes your term, or did it come from someone else?

We’ve noticed during the recent talk of debt and deficits that NPR reporters are quite fond of the term tax loophole. Being all ignorant, we’re unsure what it means. Is a tax loophole different from a tax deduction or credit allowed by the Internal Revenue Code? If so, what is the difference? Please explain.

Thank you in advance for your candid and thorough answer, which we will post on the intertronica.

Regards,
luridtransom

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