Think Tanks
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Ifo Institute: Income Tax Reforms Saved German Taxpayers EUR 15 Billion Despite Fiscal Drag
MUNICH, Germany, March 7 (TNSxrep) -- ifo Institute issued the following news release on March 6, 2026:
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Income Tax Reforms Saved German Taxpayers EUR 15 Billion Despite Fiscal Drag
The government not only offset the effects of fiscal drag in Germany between 2019 and 2023 but also provided relief, as a new study by EconPol Europe shows. "Overall, the relief effect of various income tax reforms between 2019 and 2023 was greater than the burden caused by fiscal drag," says ifo researcher Max Lay. "The relief for taxpayers in Germany was around EUR 15 billion higher than from simply offsetting
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MUNICH, Germany, March 7 (TNSxrep) -- ifo Institute issued the following news release on March 6, 2026:
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Income Tax Reforms Saved German Taxpayers EUR 15 Billion Despite Fiscal Drag
The government not only offset the effects of fiscal drag in Germany between 2019 and 2023 but also provided relief, as a new study by EconPol Europe shows. "Overall, the relief effect of various income tax reforms between 2019 and 2023 was greater than the burden caused by fiscal drag," says ifo researcher Max Lay. "The relief for taxpayers in Germany was around EUR 15 billion higher than from simply offsettingfiscal drag."
The inflation-driven increase in nominal wages would have led to many income groups slipping into a higher tax bracket. "Without income tax reforms, fiscal drag would have burdened taxpayers by an additional EUR 50 billion between 2019 and 2023," says ifo researcher Mathias Dolls. "In addition to the Inflation Adjustment Act and the 2022 tax relief package, the far-reaching abolition of the solidarity surcharge in 2021 in particular helped to more than offset the burden of fiscal drag."
Overall, the study examines the effects of fiscal drag and the political countermeasures in 21 European countries. Alongside Germany, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Austria, Croatia, Slovenia, Slovakia and Latvia have also overcompensated for the effects of fiscal drag. Finland, Ireland, France, Portugal and Greece have largely or completely offset the effect. Cyprus, Spain, Malta, Italy, Estonia, the Netherlands, Belgium and Hungary have only partially compensated for fiscal drag. "The political measures to combat fiscal drag in the affected countries covered a broad spectrum. They ranged from a tax rate linked to inflation to new deductions or changes to tax rates," says Lay.
Using harmonized microdata, the study documents the effects of so-called fiscal drag for 21 European countries. It also examines the effects of political measures to compensate for fiscal drag in the individual countries in the period from 2019 to 2023.
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Publication
2026 Working Paper
Fiscal Drag in Europe: Key Facts
Mathias Dolls, Esteban Garcia-Miralles, Max Lay, Andreas Peichl
EconPol Policy Brief 82
Learn more (https://www.ifo.de/en/econpol/publications/2026/working-paper/fiscal-drag-europe-key-facts)
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2025 Working Paper
Fiscal Drag in Theory and in Practice: A European Perspective
Esteban Garcia-Miralles, Maximilian Freier, Sara Riscado, Chrysa Leventi, Alberto Mazzoni, Glenn Abela, Laura Boyd, Baiba Brusbarde, Marion Cochard, David Cornille, Emanuele Dicarlo, Ian Debattista, Mar Delgado-Tellez, Mathias Dolls, Ludmila Fadejeva, Maria Flevotomou, Florian Henne, Alena Harrer-Bachleitner, Viktor Jaszberenyi-Kiraly, Max Lay, Laura Lehtonen, Mauro Mastrogiacomo, Tara McIndoe Calder, Mathias Moeser, Martin Nevicky, Andreas Peichl, Myroslav Pidkuyko, Mojca Roter, Frederique Savignac, Andreja Strojan Kastelec, Vaidotas Tuzikas, Nikos Ventouris, Lara Wemans
CESifo Working Paper No. 12192
Learn more (https://www.ifo.de/en/cesifo/publications/2025/working-paper/fiscal-drag-theory-and-practice-european-perspective)
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Original text here: ifo.de/en/detail-suche?size=n_10_n&filters%5B0%5D%5Bfield%5D=bundle.keyword&filters%5B0%5D%5Bvalues%5D%5B0%5D=pressemitteilung&filters%5B1%5D%5Bfield%5D=bundle.keyword&filters%5B1%5D%5Bvalues%5D%5B0%5D=pressemitteilung&filters%5B2%5D%5Bfield%5D=bundle.keyword&filters%5B2%5D%5Bvalues%5D%5B0%5D=pressemitteilung&filters%5B3%5D%5Bfield%5D=bundle.keyword&filters%5B3%5D%5Bvalues%5D%5B0%5D=pressemitteilung&sort-field=_score&sort-direction=desc
[Category: ThinkTank]
Center for American Progress: More Than Two Dozen Advocacy Groups Call for State Attorneys General To Block Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger
WASHINGTON, March 7 -- The Center for American Progress issued the following news release on March 6, 2026:
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More Than Two Dozen Advocacy Groups Call for State Attorneys General To Block Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger
More than two dozen advocacy groups representing millions of Americans are calling on state attorneys general to immediately investigate and use appropriate legal authorities to block Paramount Skydance Corp.'s pending acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.
The groups represent a broad array of interests, including free speech, labor, government reform, grassroots advocacy,
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WASHINGTON, March 7 -- The Center for American Progress issued the following news release on March 6, 2026:
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More Than Two Dozen Advocacy Groups Call for State Attorneys General To Block Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger
More than two dozen advocacy groups representing millions of Americans are calling on state attorneys general to immediately investigate and use appropriate legal authorities to block Paramount Skydance Corp.'s pending acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.
The groups represent a broad array of interests, including free speech, labor, government reform, grassroots advocacy,and voting rights. The list includes the Center for American Progress, American Economic Liberties Project, Common Cause, Democracy Defenders Fund, Center for Digital Democracy, Freedom of the Press Foundation, Indivisible, Public Knowledge, and the American Federation of Teachers, among others.
"The combined corporate behemoth would likely result in higher consumer costs from anti-competitive consolidation, layoffs of American workers, and a sharp reduction in consumers' ability to access news and entertainment programming, streaming services, and other products," the letter from the groups to state attorneys general says.
The letter notes that President Donald Trump has publicly inserted himself into merger negotiations, reportedly suggesting he supported Paramount's acquisition bid because of political support from Paramount Chairman and CEO David Ellison and his billionaire father, Larry Ellison. It argues that even when federal antitrust regulators fail to act, "states have a critically important role to play in ensuring a competitive marketplace."
The letter says the merger also raises serious First Amendment concerns, especially given speculation about how the merger would affect reporting at CNN. It cites reports that CBS News began to censor journalists' news reporting to conform to President Trump's preferred viewpoints after Skydance's acquisition of Paramount.
"We urge you to immediately investigate this merger and take any and all appropriate legal action," the letter says. "In the face of relentless corporate consolidation and rising prices, states have a critically important role to play in ensuring a competitive marketplace, even when federal antitrust regulators fail to act."
Read the letter here (https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/Paramount_Warner-Final-Merger-Letter-Release.pdf).
For more information, or to speak with an expert, please contact Sam Hananel at shananel@americanprogress.org.
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INFODOC: https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/Paramount_Warner-Final-Merger-Letter-Release.pdf
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Original text here: https://www.americanprogress.org/press/release-more-than-two-dozen-advocacy-groups-call-for-state-attorneys-general-to-block-paramount-warner-bros-merger/
[Category: ThinkTank]
America First Policy Institute: Decisive Leadership, Renewed Diplomacy
WASHINGTON, March 7 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following statement on March 6, 2026:
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Decisive Leadership, Renewed Diplomacy
The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) has released the following statement from Melissa Maldonado, director of the Western Hemisphere Initiative at AFPI, in response to the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between the United States and Venezuela:
"Under the strong, America First leadership of the Trump administration, diplomatic relations have been restored between the U.S. and Venezuela. This is a massive win and pivotal moment
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WASHINGTON, March 7 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following statement on March 6, 2026:
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Decisive Leadership, Renewed Diplomacy
The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) has released the following statement from Melissa Maldonado, director of the Western Hemisphere Initiative at AFPI, in response to the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between the United States and Venezuela:
"Under the strong, America First leadership of the Trump administration, diplomatic relations have been restored between the U.S. and Venezuela. This is a massive win and pivotal momentfor the stability, strength and partnership we hope to see in our Hemisphere.
For decades, Maduro's regime destabilized the region, spreading hostility, and narcoterrorism across the Americas. The drugs his regime trafficked were used not only to build up violent cartel networks, but also to kill our loved ones here in America.
Venezuela's socialist economy collapsed and fueled one of the largest migration crises in modern history, negatively affecting many countries, including the United States. This reengagement with the United States will prevent China, Iran, and other hostile powers from exerting influence in our backyard."
The U.S. National Security Strategy, released in November 2025, reflects a long-overdue shift in how the United States addresses the Western Hemisphere--which was viewed and treated as an afterthought for decades. AFPI will continue to champion policies that promote greater involvement with our neighbors, as safeguarding the homeland begins with securing our own neighborhood.
Melissa Ford Maldonado is available for comment on this topic.
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Original text here: https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/issues/decisive-leadership-renewed-diplomacy
[Category: ThinkTank]
AFPI Experts Applaud Indiana Governor Mike Braun for Signing SB 76 Into Law
WASHINGTON, March 7 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following news release on March 6, 2026:
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AFPI Experts Applaud Indiana Governor Mike Braun for Signing SB 76 into Law
The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) applauds Indiana Governor Mike Braun for signing Senate Bill 76 into law, marking a major step forward for immigration enforcement and the protection of American workers in the Hoosier State. With SB 76 now enacted, Indiana joins a growing number of states strengthening anti-sanctuary policies by pursuing stronger cooperation with federal immigration authorities
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WASHINGTON, March 7 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following news release on March 6, 2026:
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AFPI Experts Applaud Indiana Governor Mike Braun for Signing SB 76 into Law
The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) applauds Indiana Governor Mike Braun for signing Senate Bill 76 into law, marking a major step forward for immigration enforcement and the protection of American workers in the Hoosier State. With SB 76 now enacted, Indiana joins a growing number of states strengthening anti-sanctuary policies by pursuing stronger cooperation with federal immigration authoritiesand tougher consequences for those who undermine the rule of law.
Julie Kirchner, Senior Advisor for Homeland Security & Immigration at AFPI, said:
"Governor Braun's signature on SB 76 is a major win for the rule of law, for public safety, and for Hoosier workers. This legislation places Indiana at the forefront of state immigration enforcement by strengthening cooperation with federal authorities, cracking down on sanctuary policies, and creating real consequences for employers who hire illegal workers. States do not have to sit on the sidelines when it comes to illegal immigration, and Indiana has shown what strong leadership looks like."
Cooper Smith, Director of Homeland Security & Immigration and Senior Advisor for Communications at AFPI, added:
"SB 76 is a leading example of the kind of state-level action needed to restore integrity to our immigration system. Governor Braun, Attorney General Rokita, and other state leaders deserve credit for advancing common-sense policies that protect public safety, defend taxpayers, and safeguard the wages and opportunities of Americans . AFPI is proud to have supported strong immigration enforcement policies in Indiana and will continue advocating for similar reforms across the country."
In February, AFPI published an analysis (https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/issues/new-legislation-positions-indiana-at-the-forefront-of-immigration-enforcement) of SB 76 outlining how the legislation would position Indiana at the forefront of immigration enforcement by strengthening detainer compliance, empowering the attorney general to enforce the law, and protecting American workers through tougher employer sanctions.
AFPI will continue to champion America First immigration policies that secure the border, uphold the rule of law, and put American citizens first.
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Original text here: https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/issues/afpi-experts-applaud-indiana-governor-mike-braun-for-signing-sb-76-into-law
[Category: ThinkTank]
AFPI Applauds Unanimous SCOTUS Ruling to Uphold Immigration Court Asylum Decisions
WASHINGTON, March 7 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following statement on March 6, 2026:
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AFPI Applauds Unanimous SCOTUS Ruling to Uphold Immigration Court Asylum Decisions
The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) released the following statement from Chief Legal Affairs Officer Leigh Ann O'Neill in support of the unanimous decision by the Supreme Court of the United States which affirmed that federal courts must defer to immigration judges on asylum decisions unless they find substantial evidence to the contrary:
"For far too long, activist judges have circumvented
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 7 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following statement on March 6, 2026:
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AFPI Applauds Unanimous SCOTUS Ruling to Uphold Immigration Court Asylum Decisions
The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) released the following statement from Chief Legal Affairs Officer Leigh Ann O'Neill in support of the unanimous decision by the Supreme Court of the United States which affirmed that federal courts must defer to immigration judges on asylum decisions unless they find substantial evidence to the contrary:
"For far too long, activist judges have circumventedthe executive branch and imposed their own policy preferences on the American people. Their first and foremost obligation is to follow the law, not create their own. In their decision, the U.S. Supreme Court has reaffirmed not only the law, but common sense as well.
The cost of reckless and overreaching judges has been an incredible backlog in pending cases. Millions of cases built by the hardworking men and women at the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security to bring lawbreakers to account for their crimes will finally be processed without activist judges getting in the way."
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Original text here: https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/issues/afpi-applauds-unanimous-scotus-ruling-to-uphold-immigration-court-asylum-decisions
[Category: ThinkTank]
AFPI Applauds Texas AG Opinion Solidifying Ban on Social Transitions for Children
WASHINGTON, March 7 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following news release on March 6, 2026:
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AFPI Applauds Texas AG Opinion Solidifying Ban on Social Transitions for Children
The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) applauds the recent opinion issued by the Texas Attorney General clarifying that Texas' ban on gender transitions for children applies to mental health professionals. If they facilitate hormone treatments or sex transition surgeries for children, they risk losing their license or being criminally prosecuted for child abuse. The opinion quoted the argument
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WASHINGTON, March 7 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following news release on March 6, 2026:
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AFPI Applauds Texas AG Opinion Solidifying Ban on Social Transitions for Children
The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) applauds the recent opinion issued by the Texas Attorney General clarifying that Texas' ban on gender transitions for children applies to mental health professionals. If they facilitate hormone treatments or sex transition surgeries for children, they risk losing their license or being criminally prosecuted for child abuse. The opinion quoted the argumentpresented by AFPI's brief submitted in response to the state's request for public comment, which explained that mental health professionals serve as the "clinical gatekeepers whose assessments and recommendations initiate the interventions" prohibited by the state law.
AFPI chief legal affairs officer Leigh Ann O'Neill explained that the opinion protects parents' rights and safeguards children's access to legitimate mental health support by penalizing mental health counselors who push radical gender ideology on minors:
"Children must be protected from confusion when seeking mental health counselling. They deserve support, not to be pushed towards decisions whose irreversible and life-threatening consequences they cannot fully understand. This opinion helps ensure that mental health professionals who push gender transitions on vulnerable children will face consequences."
AFPI submitted its brief on behalf of the Association for Mental Health Professionals (AMHP), which was the only mental health association in Texas that publicly responded to the request for comments by defending children and parents from gender-affirming care.
AMHP Co-Founder Kathleen Mills, LPC-S, CIMHP, praised the decision:
"It's time for the mental health community to reclaim our sanity and our professionalism. Our communities deserve at least that, especially our children. AFPI was instrumental in bringing about the desired conclusion on Texas Attorney General Opinion KP-1508. On behalf of the AMHP membership and the counselors nationwide who are trying to restore the profession, well done!"
AMHP Co-Founder Phillip Crum agreed:
"The America First Policy Institute did a fantastic job of taking materials we provided, combining it with their own research, and making a highly technical case for the Opinion that was eventually delivered. The work AFPI did will directly translate into saving the lives of innocent children in the State of Texas."
The Texas Attorney General's opinion solidifies Texas' role as one of the first states to ban mental health professionals from issuing the letters of assessment necessary for physicians to transition minors. AFPI commends this effort to protect the rights of parents and protect children from being influenced to deny biological reality.
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Original text here: https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/issues/afpi-applauds-texas-ag-opinion-solidifying-ban-on-social-transitions-for-children
[Category: ThinkTank]
AFPI Applauds Governor Braun for Signing Comprehensive Human Services Reforms Into Law
WASHINGTON, March 7 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following statement on March 6, 2026:
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AFPI Applauds Governor Braun for Signing Comprehensive Human Services Reforms into Law
Today, the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) issued the following statement from Matthew Schmid, Health & Harvest Campaign Director, about the Indiana legislature and AFPI Governor's Council Member Governor Mike Braun passing Senate Bill 1:
"Governor Braun's signature this week on a comprehensive package of welfare reforms ensures that state taxpayer-funded assistance programs benefit the people
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 7 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following statement on March 6, 2026:
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AFPI Applauds Governor Braun for Signing Comprehensive Human Services Reforms into Law
Today, the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) issued the following statement from Matthew Schmid, Health & Harvest Campaign Director, about the Indiana legislature and AFPI Governor's Council Member Governor Mike Braun passing Senate Bill 1:
"Governor Braun's signature this week on a comprehensive package of welfare reforms ensures that state taxpayer-funded assistance programs benefit the peoplewho need them most.
These reforms include commonsense guardrails such as Medicaid fraud prevention measures, closing a food stamp loophole that bypassed federal eligibility requirements, and codifying the governor's executive action from earlier this year to stop taxpayers from subsidizing unhealthy junk food purchases with food stamp dollars."
"Preserving the public trust when it comes to American generosity requires leadership."
The passage and signing of Senate Bill 1 align Indiana with new Medicaid work requirements included in the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, strengthens Medicaid program integrity and federal data sharing, and reflects policy reforms highlighted in AFPI research on closing food stamp loopholes and preserving SNAP as a nutrition-focused program.
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Original text here: https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/issues/afpi-applauds-governor-braun-for-signing-comprehensive-human-services-reforms-into-law
[Category: ThinkTank]
