The Dynamic New Buzz Word

'Dynamic scoring' sounds like something composers or quarterbacks do. But in fact it's the hottest buzz word from the realm of Republican legislators, who hope to use the economic technique to justify tax cuts. Already the term has ignited a controversy. Laura D'Andrea Tyson, the President's chief economist, calls the concept "dangerous." But Republican John Kasich of Ohio, who is expected to head the House Budget Committee in the new Congress, is just as strongly in favor of the idea.

Scoring is a Washington term for estimating the impact of changes in tax and spending policy on federal revenue. Traditionally, economists...

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