Obama to Pitch Permanent Research Tax Credit

One reason this is unlikely to pass is that Congress likes renewable tax breaks because 1) It gives Congress an "accomplishment" they can brag about. 2) Members of Congress like being lobbied for tax breaks for businesses because it allows them to extract campaign contributions and other favors. 3) They are a bunch of egotists who like being treated like VIPs by people asking them for things.

Talking about Tax policy without talking about spending policy doesn't really work. The government has been running increasing deficits, under each successive administration, from both parties, for my entire lifetime.

While I think that a tax break for research is a great idea-- in fact, make research %100 write-offable and make it permanent-- I think that the increases in all kinds of taxes and fees at other areas and the impact of inflation will overwhelm the effect of this tax break.

Time to address the disease, and stop making hay out of the symptoms.