Social Security and Medicare Cuts Are Coming, Whether Politicians Do It or Not
As legislators refuse to act, benefits will be cut without any possibility of sheltering those seniors who are poor.
National Debt
U.S. Will Add $18.8 Trillion in New Debt by 2033
Plus: Age verification for social media, a bill to ban cannabis "gatherings," and more...
The Fight Over the Debt Ceiling Is Just Beginning
Legislators will increasingly argue over how to spend a diminishing discretionary budget while overall spending simultaneously explodes.
Mike Pompeo Says He 'Grew Up Libertarian'
These days, he may run for president. His politics have changed.
Republicans and Democrats Face Impasse Over Cutting Spending Versus Raising Taxes
Plus: Court denies motion to suppress January 6 geofence warrant, Texas may ban some immigrants from buying property, and more...
COVID Stimulus Spending Played 'Sizable Role' in Inflation
Fiscal stimulus during the pandemic contributed to an increase in inflation of about 2.6 percentage points.
Are We Making Any Progress on Police Brutality?
Plus: The editors consider the ongoing debt ceiling drama and answer a listener question about ending the war on drugs.
If Republicans Want To Cut Spending, They Should Start With the Pentagon
Sen. Rand Paul says Republicans "have to give up the sacred cow" of military spending in order to make a deal that will address the debt ceiling and balance the budget.
Social Security Is on the Brink of Collapse. The GOP Won't Touch It.
In 1950, there were more than 16 workers for every beneficiary. In 2035, that ratio will be only 2.3 workers per retiree.
The GOP's Current Plan To Cut Spending Is a Political Failure
Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are still the chief drivers of our future debt. But Republicans aren't touching them.
To Win the Speakership, Kevin McCarthy Had To Promise To Cut Spending. Good.
While some Republicans may have had misguided motivations, a few disrupted McCarthy's campaign in order to enact fiscal restraint. Their colleagues were fine with business as usual.
2022 Proved That Governments Can't Improve on Good Economic Principles
We’d all be better off if politicians spared us their experiments in subsidies, wages, and trade.
Congress and the Federal Reserve Could Be Setting Us Up for Economic Disaster
If lawmakers keep spending like they are, and if the Fed backs down from taming inflation, then the government may create a perfect storm.
Congress Can Reduce the Deficit by $7.7 Trillion in 10 Years
The Congressional Budget Office projects that future deficits will explode. But there's a way out.
$70 Million for Salmon, $3 Million for Bee-Friendly Highways, and More Absurdities in the Omnibus Spending Bill
Plus: An attempt to criminalize porn, D.C. hopes making tourism more expensive will boost tourism, and more…
Why Does Funding Government Take $1.7 Trillion and 4,000 Pages?
Plus: Title 42 order termination is on hold, the FTC vs. Meta, and more...
The Annual, Depressing 'Do Your Job Week' in Congress
Plus: The editors extend the discussion on the lack of immigration reform in this week’s bill.
November's $249 Billion Federal Budget Deficit Set a Record. Now, Congress Is Preparing To Spend Even More.
The government spent $501 billion in November but collected just $252 billion in revenue, meaning that about 50 cents of every dollar spent were borrowed.
Inflation Cools to 7.1 Percent, but Still Has a Long Way To Fall
Food prices were up 0.5 percent during November, even as energy prices fell by about 1.6 percent.
Republicans Need an Actual Plan To Grow the Economy
The biggest beneficiaries of economic growth are poor people. But the deepest case for economic growth is a moral one.
A GOP-Led Congress May Focus on Owning the Libs. Instead, It Should Focus on Owning Inflation.
If the midterms favor Republicans, their top priority needs to be the fight against inflation—whether or not they feel like they created the problem.
Biden and Journalists Agree: Republicans Would Deliberately 'Crash' the Economy
But…does that make any sense?
The Political Class Has Consistently Ignored Warnings of Fiscal Doom. Now Americans Are Paying the Price.
Warnings of inflation and rising interest rates have long been tied to high and rising debt levels.
What Would It Take for the Democrats To Really Be the Party of Opportunity?
Government should not penalize investment, thwart competition, discourage innovation and work, or obstruct production.
No, PPP Doesn't Justify Biden's Student Loan Bailout
The proper response to one failed bailout is not another bailout of a different group.
The Disappearing Differences Between Republicans and Democrats on Federal Family Spending
Many conservatives no longer appear to care much for fiscal conservatism.
A Wonky Evisceration of Biden's Bad Deficit Math
Interest rates and servicing costs could push us into worrisome territory sooner than we think.
The Return of Earmarks Means More Pork-Barrel Spending by Congress
Lawmakers stuffed more than $8 billion in pet projects into an omnibus federal spending bill passed in March. But wait, didn't Congress ban earmarks back in 2011?
New CBO Report Exposes Biden's Deficit-Reduction Misinformation
The president is trying to claim credit for falling deficits. Actually, his administration has overseen a $2.4 trillion increase in the long-term deficit.
Joe Biden's Phony Fiscal Responsibility
Biden gloats over a historically astronomical budget deficit as if he's accomplished something significant. He hasn't.
Don't Wait! The National Debt Is Only Getting Worse
New CBO report shows that the longer Congress waits to deal with the debt, the bigger the problem becomes.
Biden Still Wants Government Interfering in All Areas of Life
Inspiring support for Ukrainian freedom is undermined by the remainder of the president’s agenda.
Hey, Nancy Pelosi: 'National Debt Should Be a Top Priority'
A bipartisan group of lawmakers are calling for two deficit reduction ideas to be included in this year's federal budget bill.
America's $30 Trillion National Debt Should Be a Wake Up Call
But Washington just keeps hitting the snooze button.
America's Huge Pile of National Debt Makes Combating Inflation More Difficult
A one percentage point increase in interest rates translates into a $30 trillion increase in interest costs on the national debt.
Remy: Raise the Debt Ceiling Rap (Again)
Putting America's depressing fiscal policy to a beat since 2011!
McConnell Won't Block Debt Ceiling Increase, Says He Wants Democrats To 'Proudly Own It'
Plus: A Japanese billionaire will spend 12 days in space, Rep. Peter Meijer is resigned to a second political act for Donald Trump, and more...
No, the United States Has Not Always Paid Its Debts
There are five instances of the Treasury defaulting on the debt.
40 Years of Trillion-Dollar Debt
Forty years from now, it'll be much, much, much higher.
Democrats Still Want to Spend Trillions. But They Don't Want To Raise Taxes To Do It.
Plus: In-N-Out fights San Francisco's vaccine mandate, the Vienna Tourism Board gets an OnlyFans, apes protest the DEA, and more...
Why Biden's $3.5 Trillion Spending Plan Would Be Worse for the Economy Than Manchin's $1.5 Trillion Proposal
Manchin's $1.5 trillion plan is still bigger than the Obama stimulus, and would be a major expansion of government's power to redistribute wealth.
Congress Raised the Debt Ceiling Again Without Doing Anything To Fix the $28 Trillion National Debt
Plus: Why "reforming" Section 230 makes little sense, the FDA finally admits vaping is safer than smoking, the U.S. will reopen its land borders with Canada and Mexico, and more...
The Hidden History of the Trillion Dollar Coin
Friday A/V Club: In 1992, it was a paramilitary America Firster who wanted to #MintTheCoin.
Joe Manchin Is Forcing Congress To Think About the Deficit. Good.
Among Americans who aren't liberal pundits, the debt and deficit rank as major concerns. It's about time Congress noticed.
Blame Both Parties if the Federal Government Shuts Down in December
Democrats want to raise the debt ceiling, while Republicans occasionally remember they're against big government spending.
We Will Keep Spending Trillions on the Afghanistan War Long After the Last Soldier Leaves
The final price tag could eventually exceed $6 trillion, and American taxpayers will be paying the tab when the 50th anniversary of 9/11 arrives.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill Will Add More Than $250 Billion to the Deficit. Does Anyone Care?
A CBO report that might have sunk legislation in an earlier era was greeted with a bipartisan shrug.
U.S. Billionaire Wealth Would Fund Government For Just 6 Months
Mocking penis-shaped rockets is no substitute for holding the feds accountable for a looming fiscal crisis.