The new study was commissioned by the American Action Forum and conducted by the Center for Public Finance at Rice University. It was authored by John Diamond, the center's director and a former staff member on the Joint Committee on Taxation.
The study used estimating methods similar to those used by the Joint Committee on Taxation and the Congressional Budget Office.
The analysis showed the significant negative economic effects of Build Back Better. According to the study, the House-passed bill would lead to "long-run reductions in GDP, private investment, capital, hours worked, and labor compensation." It would reduce economic growth, result in a loss of 650,000 jobs, and reduce wages by $350 per worker.
The study also analyzed a scaled-back version of the House bill as suggested by Manchin, which included $500 billion in deficit reduction. This bill would be less harmful to the economy but would still reduce economic growth, employment, and compensation.
The study shows that the proposed tax increases would have a negative impact on the economy, far outweighing any potential benefits from the increased spending. It demonstrates that passing major tax increases would end up depressing the economy and everyone's economic well-being.
