David Wessel

Economist David Wessel talks about Trump's plans on tariffs and tax cuts, and the potential economic impact of Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy's Department of Government Efficiency.

The economy is always a top issue for voters. David Wessel, director of the Brookings Institution’s Hutchins Center, compares the presidential candidates' plans on taxes, tariffs, housing and more.

In December, Congress is poised for another showdown on the deficit and taxes, in what is now being called the fiscal cliff. In his new book Red Ink, David Wessel explains how the federal budget got to the point where it is today -- and where to go from here.