Taxpayers for Common Sense

By exercising “Section 5 Charter Act Authority,” Secretaries of Agriculture have increasingly used the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) to increase spending, expand farm supports, and at times directly undermine Congressional intent. taxpayer.net/agriculture/the…

Since March 2026, the Administration has canceled 12 offshore wind leases through buyouts costing taxpayers up to $3.9 billion. The buyouts return that money and forfeit future lease payments & operating fees. taxpayer.net/energy-natural-…

Today is election day! 🗳️ Voting is both a right and a responsibility. If you haven't voted yet, make sure to get out today and make your voice heard!

Our Quote of the Week for the week of November 2 comes from @RepAdamSmith. Our Quote of the Week is released with our Weekly Wastebasket newsletter. Sign up to receive our Wastebasket here: taxpayer.net/wastebasket/

Want more than tariff talking points? TCS digs into the numbers behind federal spending and tax decisions. Give today to keep our analysis independent. taxpayer.net/an-appeal-tarif…

DEBTrimental: This week’s total federal debt clock:

This Halloween season, the Pentagon's budget request is the stuff of nightmares. A staggering $1.5 trillion for FY2027, including $350 billion through reconciliation. That's a trick for taxpayers and a treat for the military industry. taxpayer.net/budget-appropri…

The Iran War has cost taxpayers & national security—dearly. The administration is threatening to escalate after the midterms, & another aircraft carrier is on its way to the region. Congress can end this by tightening the purse strings. taxpayer.net/national-securi…

EPA’s proposed rule would weaken methane waste standards and let operators rely more on burning gas instead of capturing it. Lower costs for oil and gas companies don’t automatically mean savings for taxpayers. Our analysis: taxpayer.net/energy-natural-…

Cutting the IRS won't reduce the deficit. Last year, the agency lost more than 31,000 employees. Now, a watchdog report has identified nearly half a million questionable tax returns accepted during the 2026 filing season. taxpayer.net/budget-appropri…

Big revenue promises deserve a close look, and TCS has been taking that look for more than 30 years. Support nonpartisan analysis of tariffs and what they cost taxpayers. taxpayer.net/an-appeal-tarif…

Fully repealing the Roadless Rule could cost taxpayers billions in subsidized road construction & maintenance, exacerbate taxpayer losses from money losing timber sales, increase wildfire risks, and weaken the health of our national forests. taxpayer.net/energy-natural-…

This Halloween, taxpayers might soon be getting a treat from Congress: a bipartisan fiscal commission tasked with keeping the national debt in check. But Congress must act to pass the legislation before it becomes a ghost of legislation past. taxpayer.net/budget-appropri…

Happy Halloween! The scariest monster in Washington? The national debt. The debt has now surpassed $40.5 trillion, with net interest payments reaching $1.14 trillion in FY2026. Congress needs to act. taxpayer.net/budget-appropri…

FEMA wants states to rely less on federal disaster aid. Meanwhile, GAO found the agency cut staff without assessing its workforce needs. Cutting first and planning later is a gamble with taxpayer dollars. Our take. taxpayer.net/disaster/govern…

EPA wants to eliminate its Super Emitter Program for investigating unusually large methane releases. After delaying implementation, the agency now proposes scrapping it altogether. Less oversight won’t make wasted gas disappear. Our analysis: taxpayer.net/energy-natural-…

How much has the Iran War costing taxpayers? Over $2,000 per household & counting. Check the numbers. taxpayer.net/national-securi…

On October 7, the EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced plans to propose changes to standards that reduce methane and volatile organic compound emissions from the oil and gas sector. Read our response here: taxpayer.net/energy-natural-…

Cutting IRS funding costs taxpayers more than it saves. CBO estimates that $11.7 billion in recent IRS funding cuts will result in $38.6 billion in lost revenue over a decade. That's $3.30 lost for every $1 cut. taxpayer.net/budget-appropri…

Who pays when an oil well is abandoned? Because of outdated bonding requirements, taxpayers could be left to cover the bill.. TCS’s new report looks at what North Dakota’s federal oil and gas leasing has cost taxpayers, and what’s still at risk. taxpayer.net/energy-natural-…