The Time Tax: How the Government Wastes Our Time—and How to Fix It

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Americans are stuck in a paperwork bureaucracy that wastes hours of precious time. Nearly three in four parents of young children told the New Practice Lab they want more quality time with their kids—which means fixing this bureaucracy isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s necessary for families to live the lives they want.

In her new book, The Time Tax: How the Government Wastes Our Time—and How to Fix It, journalist Annie Lowrey traces how paperwork, red tape, and administrative burden became a hidden cos—one that falls hardest on families, low-income individuals, and anyone simply trying to access the benefits and rights they’re owed.

Join the New Practice Lab for a fireside chat with Lowrey, mid-day on Wednesday, August 26 at New America in Washington, DC, as she unpacks how the “time tax” was built, why it persists, and what fixing it could look like. An open Q&A with the audience will follow.

Lowrey’s book will be available for purchase at the event.