The next president of the United States will face enormous challenges in tax and economic policy. On September 18, the Tax Policy Center and Brookings's Opportunity 08 project hosted Senator Barack Obama for a speech on the economy, opportunity and tax policy.
Senator Obama served in the Illinois State Legislature before joining the U.S. Senate in 2005. His first law was passed with Senator Tom Coburn (R-Okla), a measure to allow every American to go online and see how their tax dollars are spent.
William Gale, vice president and director of Brookings's Economic Studies Program and a co-director of the Tax Policy Center, provided introductory remarks.