Budget Watchdog All Federal
The podcast dedicated to making sense of the budget, spending, and tax issues facing the nation. We cut through the partisan rhetoric and talking points to bring you the facts about what's being talked about, bandied about, and pushed in Washington. Budget Watchdog All Federal is brought to you by Taxpayers for Common Sense.
Episodes
111 episodes
Iran, War Powers, and the Budget
Two weeks into the U.S. military campaign against Iran — launched without congressional authorization — the costs are staggering. Estimates put taxpayer exposure at up to $28 billion already, with no clear end in sight. TCS President Steve Elli...
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Episode 111
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25:35
The Farm Bill Lives
While breaking news about U.S. military action against Iran dominates the headlines, a consequential piece of legislation quietly cleared a major hurdle in Washington. In the early morning hours of March 5th, after a 20-hour marathon markup ses...
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Episode 110
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36:51
Trump Tariff Takedown
In a historic 6-3 ruling the U.S. Supreme Court struck down President Trump's sweeping global tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), holding that the Constitution's taxing power belongs squarely to Congre...
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Episode 109
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19:43
Why Golden Dome is Bad for American Taxpayers
TCS President Steve Ellis and Policy Analyst Gabe Murphy break down President Trump's Golden Dome missile defense program—an ambitious vision to shield the entire United States from nuclear attack. With potential costs ranging from $3.6 to $6 t...
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Episode 108
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14:51
Short Shutdown
Congress faces a partial government shutdown at midnight over Department of Homeland Security funding—but the border enforcement operations at the center of the fight will continue largely uninterrupted. Last summer's reconciliation bill locked...
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Episode 107
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14:32
Pentagon Plus-Up: Trump's $1.5 Trillion Defense Proposal
Just when you thought Pentagon spending couldn't get more out of control, President Trump proposes a 50% budget increase in one year—rocketing Defense spending from $901 billion to $1.5 trillion. That's $500 billion more... and tariffs won't co...
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Episode 106
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18:05
Inside the $12 Billion Farm Bailout
The Trump administration has announced a $12 billion agricultural bailout package as trade wars squeeze American farmers—a familiar scenario from the first Trump administration. TCS Director of Research and Policy Josh Sewell joins host Steve E...
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Episode 105
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15:56
FEMA Reform: Billion-Dollar Disasters and the Push for Taxpayer Protection
With nearly 30 billion-dollar extreme weather events in 2024 alone, disaster costs are spiraling out of control—and Congress is finally taking action. Steve Ellis sits down with TCS Director of Research Josh Sewell and Policy Analyst Tyler Work...
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Episode 104
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25:33
Half a Billion and Counting: The Hidden Cost of National Guard Deployments
Nearly half a billion dollars spent, families separated over the holidays, small businesses operating short-staffed, and violent crime was already declining. TCS Policy Analyst Gabe Murphy breaks down the mounting taxpayer costs of National Gua...
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Episode 103
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11:25
Shutdown Postmortem
After 43 days, the longest government shutdown in U.S. history has ended. But at what cost? Steve Ellis and Josh Sewell break down the $60 billion price tag taxpayers absorbed for absolutely nothing. Beyond the waste, the Trump administration u...
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Episode 102
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31:00
The Antideficiency Act, Explained
In the midst of a full government shutdown, the Trump administration has taken an unprecedented step: firing thousands of federal workers while government funding remains frozen. The problem? This might violate the Anti-Deficiency Act, a law on...
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Episode 101
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28:06
TCS Turns 30
Celebrate our 100th episode and TCS's 30th anniversary! Join President Steve Ellis, co-founder Jill Lancelot, and former President Ryan Alexander as they reveal the untold story behind Taxpayers for Common Sense. From killing the infamous Bridg...
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Episode 100
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26:03
Government Shutdown Countdown
With just days until a potential government shutdown, TCS President Steve Ellis and Director of Research and Policy Josh Sewell break down the looming crisis facing taxpayers. From the controversial "pocket rescission" maneuver to the unprecede...
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Episode 99
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21:50
NDAA 2026 and Pentagon Accountability
This episode of Budget Watchdog All Federal dives into the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2026, examining critical taxpayer protection measures at stake. Host Steve Ellis and policy analyst Gabe Murphy discuss the Pentagon's...
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Episode 98
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21:09
20 Years After Katrina: Are We Still Paying Premium Prices for Poor Planning?
Twenty years after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, we're still making the same costly mistakes. Despite spending over $122 billion on flood control since the 1920s, average annual flood damages had tripled even before Katrina hit. ...
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Episode 97
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18:10
Up in Smoke: The Methane Waste Crisis Costing Taxpayers Billions
The EPA's delay of methane waste standards will cost taxpayers $170 million as billions of cubic feet of natural gas escape into the atmosphere instead of reaching markets. Host Steve Ellis explores this fiscal and health crisis with TCS Vice P...
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Episode 96
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23:39
Rule by Tariff: When Trade Policy Meets Wishful Thinking Economics
In this episode, TCS President Steve Ellis and Director of Research Josh Sewell tackle the Trump administration's tariff bonanza and explain why counting tariff chickens before they hatch is a recipe for fiscal disaster. They break down how tar...
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Episode 95
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19:32
Who Pays When Disaster Strikes, Now?
The Trump administration is proposing fundamental changes to federal disaster response, shifting from FEMA's current model toward block grants that give states more control. The goal: reduce federal bureaucracy and empower local decision-making...
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Episode 94
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31:56
Warrior's Right to Repair - When Military Equipment Breaks, Who Gets to Fix It?
What happens when a CT scanner breaks down in Afghanistan and soldiers can't repair it themselves? Or when the Navy has to fly contractors out to sea just to fix basic equipment? This episode dives into the Pentagon's "right to repair" problem ...
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Episode 93
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17:48
Feeding the World Without Frying the Planet with Michael Grunwald
New York Times bestselling author Michael Grunwald joins host Steve Ellis to discuss his forthcoming book "We Are Eating the Earth: the Race to Fix Our Food System and Save Our Climate,"...
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Episode 92
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46:59
One Big Beautiful Bill, Many Ugly Problems
Senate Republicans are scrambling to craft their version of President Trump's massive budget reconciliation package before a self-imposed July 4th deadline – and they're making the House's already bloated bill even worse. The Senate Armed Servi...
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Episode 91
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18:46
Are Tariffs Offsetting the New Tax Cut? What the CBO Report Really Says
The Congressional Budget Office just dropped a bombshell: Trump's tariff policies could reduce deficits by $2.8 trillion over 10 years. Sounds great for fiscal hawks, right? Wrong. Steve Ellis and Josh Sewell break down why this "deficit reduct...
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Episode 90
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26:57
Base Instincts - The Case for Military Base Closures
In this episode of Budget Watchdog All Federal, host Steve Ellis sits down with TCS Policy Analyst Gabe Murphy to discuss their comprehensive new report, "
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Episode 89
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34:36
Big Beautiful Bill: Trump's $5 Trillion Gamble
In this episode of Budget Watchdog All Federal, host Steve Ellis and Director of Research Josh Sewell break down President Trump's massive reconciliation package that passed the House by the razor-thin margin of 215-214. The "one big beautiful ...
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Episode 88
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25:47
Slashing and Shifting: Inside President Trump's FY2026 Budget Proposal
In this episode of Budget Watchdog All Federal, Steve Ellis and Josh Sewell analyze President Trump's newly released "skinny budget" for fiscal year 2026, which proposes $163 billion in cuts primarily to domestic programs while increasing fundi...
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Episode 87
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21:44