Rebecca Thiess

Federal Budget Policy Analyst

Areas of expertise
Federal Budget Policy • Tax Policy • Social Insurance

Biography
Rebecca Thiess joined the Economic Policy Institute in June 2010. Prior to joining EPI, she worked as a policy analyst for the New America Foundation, where she focused on budget and tax policy as well as Social Security and health care reform. She has also worked as a Budget Policy Analyst for OMB Watch, a nonprofit government watchdog organization. Rebecca has a Master’s in Public Policy from Duke University, where she completed a master’s project on the pension system for state workers in North Carolina. Her areas of interest include the federal budget, deficits, Social Security and pensions, public investment, and income distribution and poverty.

Education
MPP, Duke University
BA in Urban and Environmental Policy, Occidental College

Publications by Rebecca Thiess

Blog

June 7, 2013 | Recent impacts on grant funding to state-level programs
May 31, 2013 | Social Security’s challenges continue to be modest and manageable
May 24, 2013 | Differences between House Republicans’ and Senate Democrats’ proposed funding allocations reveal their priorities
May 17, 2013 | Sequestration, detailed
May 10, 2013 | Looking ahead on the FY2014 budget
April 11, 2013 | President’s budget “compromises” on job-growth too
March 15, 2013 | Path to Prosperity? How about Path of Austerity
Feb. 6, 2013 | CBO report shows two vastly different baselines moving closer together
Jan. 7, 2013 | The Bush tax cuts are here to stay
Dec. 6, 2012 | An economy that works for the middle class won’t happen on its own
Nov. 19, 2012 | The fiscal cliff and downgrading U.S. debt
Oct. 12, 2012 | How much do you really pay in taxes?
Oct. 4, 2012 | Obama too quiet on job creation track record
Sept. 28, 2012 | Romney heavily exploits tax loopholes while slamming others for not paying income taxes
Aug. 14, 2012 | Paul Ryan on Social Security
June 27, 2012 | Emanuel misses the mark with ‘Children’s Opportunity Fund’
May 16, 2012 | Misguided views of Social Security emerge at fiscal summit
May 7, 2012 | Addressing price parity concerns
April 12, 2012 | Panel on tax fairness and reform helps address common misperceptions
March 28, 2012 | An economically and fiscally responsible budget from the Congressional Progressive Caucus
Feb. 24, 2012 | CBO shows ARRA’s continued positive impact
Feb. 17, 2012 | The Recovery Act: Evidence of success three years out
Feb. 13, 2012 | A budget for adults (especially those who’d like a job)
Jan. 13, 2012 | Krueger links progressive taxation, income inequality, and economic mobility
Jan. 6, 2012 | Romney’s tax plan for the 1%
Dec. 13, 2011 | Congressional Progressive Caucus picks up where Obama’s speech left off
Nov. 18, 2011 | House votes down BBA measure that would’ve harmed the economy even further
Nov. 18, 2011 | Progressive Caucus hearing on jobs a welcome relief from budget cuts mania
Nov. 9, 2011 | Social Security and the federal deficit (part 2)
Nov. 2, 2011 | Social Security and the federal deficit (Part 1)
Oct. 28, 2011 | Perry’s Halloween-timed budget plan should scare the bejesus out of the middle class
Sept. 19, 2011 | Buffett Rules!
Sept. 19, 2011 | Romney’s jobs plan is long on rhetoric, short on solutions
Sept. 8, 2011 | As Super Committee begins work, a push to include job creation

Report

May 29, 2013 | What do current federal funding levels in the wake of sequestration mean for state budgets?
April 18, 2013 | Many options exist for raising revenue in a smart and progressive manner
March 13, 2013 | The ‘Back to Work’ budget: Analysis of the Congressional Progressive Caucus budget for fiscal year 2014
Dec. 13, 2012 | ‘Small business’ and top marginal rates: Tax filers affected by proposed rate increases are not necessarily small, or businesses, or job creators
Nov. 16, 2012 | Investing in America’s economy: A budget blueprint for economic recovery
May 17, 2012 | The Ryan budget versus the Budget for All: Exacerbating versus alleviating our serious economic challenges
April 27, 2012 | The future of work: Trends and challenges for low-wage workers
March 28, 2012 | The Budget for All: A technical report on the Congressional Progressive Caucus budget for fiscal year 2013
Dec. 13, 2011 | The Restore the American Dream for the 99% Act: An analysis of job-creation provisions
June 22, 2011 | Unbalanced budgeting: Federal spending cap may endanger Social Security
June 22, 2011 | Why spending caps are poor policy: Understanding the costs and constraints of capping spending as a share of the economy
April 7, 2011 | Ryan’s budget would undermine economic security for millions
Feb. 2, 2011 | The Great Recession’s long tail: Third anniversary underscores severity of labor market woes
Dec. 2, 2010 | Deficit commission misses the mark
Oct. 20, 2010 | Impact of alternate public transit and rail investment scenarios on the labor market
Sept. 23, 2010 | How to Lose Over a Million Jobs: Sacrifice Investments to Cut Taxes for the Rich

Economic snapshot

June 12, 2013 | Cutting federal funding hurts state and local budgets and economies
Feb. 8, 2013 | Health care costs slow down
Aug. 23, 2012 | Rising health care costs are an economic, not a budget, problem
July 19, 2012 | Changes in income shares show how preferential tax rates increasingly benefit top filers
July 12, 2012 | Bush tax cut extension for top brackets would bestow windfall on wealthiest Americans
May 18, 2011 | What goes into a budget deficit?
April 28, 2011 | The People’s Budget: A Responsible Budget Plan
April 14, 2011 | Taxes on the wealthy have gone down dramatically

Commentary

Oct. 24, 2012 | Massachusetts voters have the chance to vote on budget priorities
July 28, 2011 | Five things to remember in the debt ceiling debate
June 13, 2011 | Administration’s focus on job creation a good one
May 11, 2011 | Opposing view: Focus on jobs, not deficits
March 1, 2011 | No upside to approving two-week extension of federal funding
Feb. 14, 2011 | President Obama’s 2012 budget: An analysis of the budget cuts
Feb. 9, 2011 | Republican proposal to ‘right our fiscal ship’ throws more workers overboard
Feb. 2, 2011 | Podcast: “Not your typical recession”
Jan. 25, 2011 | Discretionary Spending Cuts Would Reduce Jobs, Hurt Social Programs

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Rebecca Thiess

Federal Budget Policy Analyst

Publications by Rebecca Thiess

Blog

June 7, 2013 | Recent impacts on grant funding to state-level programs

May 31, 2013 | Social Security’s challenges continue to be modest and manageable

May 24, 2013 | Differences between House Republicans’ and Senate Democrats’ proposed funding allocations reveal their priorities

May 17, 2013 | Sequestration, detailed

May 10, 2013 | Looking ahead on the FY2014 budget

April 11, 2013 | President’s budget “compromises” on job-growth too

March 15, 2013 | Path to Prosperity? How about Path of Austerity

Feb. 6, 2013 | CBO report shows two vastly different baselines moving closer together

Jan. 7, 2013 | The Bush tax cuts are here to stay

Dec. 6, 2012 | An economy that works for the middle class won’t happen on its own

Nov. 19, 2012 | The fiscal cliff and downgrading U.S. debt

Oct. 12, 2012 | How much do you really pay in taxes?

Oct. 4, 2012 | Obama too quiet on job creation track record

Sept. 28, 2012 | Romney heavily exploits tax loopholes while slamming others for not paying income taxes

Aug. 14, 2012 | Paul Ryan on Social Security

June 27, 2012 | Emanuel misses the mark with ‘Children’s Opportunity Fund’

May 16, 2012 | Misguided views of Social Security emerge at fiscal summit

May 7, 2012 | Addressing price parity concerns

April 12, 2012 | Panel on tax fairness and reform helps address common misperceptions

March 28, 2012 | An economically and fiscally responsible budget from the Congressional Progressive Caucus

Feb. 24, 2012 | CBO shows ARRA’s continued positive impact

Feb. 17, 2012 | The Recovery Act: Evidence of success three years out

Feb. 13, 2012 | A budget for adults (especially those who’d like a job)

Jan. 13, 2012 | Krueger links progressive taxation, income inequality, and economic mobility

Jan. 6, 2012 | Romney’s tax plan for the 1%

Dec. 13, 2011 | Congressional Progressive Caucus picks up where Obama’s speech left off

Nov. 18, 2011 | House votes down BBA measure that would’ve harmed the economy even further

Nov. 18, 2011 | Progressive Caucus hearing on jobs a welcome relief from budget cuts mania

Nov. 9, 2011 | Social Security and the federal deficit (part 2)

Nov. 2, 2011 | Social Security and the federal deficit (Part 1)

Oct. 28, 2011 | Perry’s Halloween-timed budget plan should scare the bejesus out of the middle class

Sept. 19, 2011 | Buffett Rules!

Sept. 19, 2011 | Romney’s jobs plan is long on rhetoric, short on solutions

Sept. 8, 2011 | As Super Committee begins work, a push to include job creation

Report

May 29, 2013 | What do current federal funding levels in the wake of sequestration mean for state budgets?

April 18, 2013 | Many options exist for raising revenue in a smart and progressive manner

March 13, 2013 | The ‘Back to Work’ budget: Analysis of the Congressional Progressive Caucus budget for fiscal year 2014

Dec. 13, 2012 | ‘Small business’ and top marginal rates: Tax filers affected by proposed rate increases are not necessarily small, or businesses, or job creators

Nov. 16, 2012 | Investing in America’s economy: A budget blueprint for economic recovery

May 17, 2012 | The Ryan budget versus the Budget for All: Exacerbating versus alleviating our serious economic challenges

April 27, 2012 | The future of work: Trends and challenges for low-wage workers

March 28, 2012 | The Budget for All: A technical report on the Congressional Progressive Caucus budget for fiscal year 2013

Dec. 13, 2011 | The Restore the American Dream for the 99% Act: An analysis of job-creation provisions

June 22, 2011 | Unbalanced budgeting: Federal spending cap may endanger Social Security

June 22, 2011 | Why spending caps are poor policy: Understanding the costs and constraints of capping spending as a share of the economy

April 7, 2011 | Ryan’s budget would undermine economic security for millions

Feb. 2, 2011 | The Great Recession’s long tail: Third anniversary underscores severity of labor market woes

Dec. 2, 2010 | Deficit commission misses the mark

Oct. 20, 2010 | Impact of alternate public transit and rail investment scenarios on the labor market

Sept. 23, 2010 | How to Lose Over a Million Jobs: Sacrifice Investments to Cut Taxes for the Rich

Economic snapshot

June 12, 2013 | Cutting federal funding hurts state and local budgets and economies

Feb. 8, 2013 | Health care costs slow down

Aug. 23, 2012 | Rising health care costs are an economic, not a budget, problem

July 19, 2012 | Changes in income shares show how preferential tax rates increasingly benefit top filers

July 12, 2012 | Bush tax cut extension for top brackets would bestow windfall on wealthiest Americans

May 18, 2011 | What goes into a budget deficit?

April 28, 2011 | The People’s Budget: A Responsible Budget Plan

April 14, 2011 | Taxes on the wealthy have gone down dramatically

Commentary

Oct. 24, 2012 | Massachusetts voters have the chance to vote on budget priorities

July 28, 2011 | Five things to remember in the debt ceiling debate

June 13, 2011 | Administration’s focus on job creation a good one

May 11, 2011 | Opposing view: Focus on jobs, not deficits

March 1, 2011 | No upside to approving two-week extension of federal funding

Feb. 14, 2011 | President Obama’s 2012 budget: An analysis of the budget cuts

Feb. 9, 2011 | Republican proposal to ‘right our fiscal ship’ throws more workers overboard

Feb. 2, 2011 | Podcast: “Not your typical recession”

Jan. 25, 2011 | Discretionary Spending Cuts Would Reduce Jobs, Hurt Social Programs

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