The 2008 presidential campaign will drive much of the policy discussion for the new year, while weighty issues like climate change, trade, health care and immigration will go on the back burner until a new administration takes office in 2009. “Charlie Rangel’s tax reforms will be a 2009 issue. Forget about big fixes for big problems,” said Bruce Josten, executive vice president of government affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “Climate change, entitlement, the mother of all tax reform, it’s unlikely that Congress will race to legislate on those items, but will sit and hope their candidate wins,” he said. Regulators like the IRS may be in more of a fix-it mode.… Read More