The New Liberal Podcast Do Democrats have a 'Slopulism' problem? ft. Ben Ritz
Mar 28, 2026
Ben Ritz, VP of Policy Development at the Progressive Policy Institute and federal budget analyst, critiques Democratic fiscal fantasies. He explains why flashy tax-cut proposals fail budget math. The conversation probes inflation risks, limits of taxing the rich, and the political cost of promising benefits without honest funding.
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Don't Pair Big Spending With Middle Class Tax Cuts
- Avoid proposing large spending while simultaneously cutting middle-class taxes without a credible revenue plan.
- Ritz argues such proposals boost inflation and undermine Democrats' ability to show government can work.
Taxing the Rich Has A Much Lower Revenue Ceiling Than Politicians Claim
- Politically feasible revenue from taxing the wealthy is far smaller than headline math suggests.
- Ritz's 2024 analysis found a ~$10–15 trillion mathematical ceiling over 10 years, but political reality trimmed enacted revenue to far less.
Two Democratic Tax Plans Produce Very Different Outcomes
- Two Democratic tax proposals differ greatly in scale and distributional effect.
- Van Hollen's plan costs ~$1.5T and spares couples under ~$92k; Cory Booker's standard-deduction approach costs ~$7T and disproportionately benefits upper-middle earners.