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.
Debt
Student Debt Forgiveness Folly
Plus: The editors field a listener question on abortion.
Emma Camp: Student Loan Forgiveness Is Bad News and Bad Policy
Assistant Editor Emma Camp unpacks how Biden's student loan forgiveness plan is deeply misguided.
A Few Ideas for the Better Government Americans Desperately Want
From cronyist subsidies to an unfair tax code, there are several key fixes Congress could make to better serve the public.
The Student Loan Forgiveness Fiasco
Plus: Spider study sheds light on how misinformation spreads, Airbnb regulation ruled unconstitutional, and more...
Biden's New Student Loan Forgiveness Plan Helps Mostly People Who Don't Need It
Biden's plan to forgive nearly $300 billion in student loan debt will disproportionately help affluent Americans.
Biden's Student Debt Relief Plan Will Worsen Inflation
"Student loan relief would lead some people to spend more," warns Obama economic advisor and Harvard economist Jason Furman
Biden Reportedly Set To Forgive $10K Student Debt for Americans Earning Over Six Figures
Unsurprisingly, wealthier Americans will be the prime beneficiaries of the White House's soon-to-be-announced student loan forgiveness scheme.
The Disappearing Differences Between Republicans and Democrats on Federal Family Spending
Many conservatives no longer appear to care much for fiscal conservatism.
Jon Stewart Accuses GOP of 'Cruelty' for Wanting Minor Amendments to Pricey Veterans' Bill
Senate Republicans have raised reasonable objections that legislation covering veterans' health conditions linked to toxic burn pits will allow for more spending on unrelated items.
Don't Cancel Student Debt
Making their monthly payments is a major drag for millions in their 20s and 30s, but federal forgiveness is the stupidest way to address this problem.
Democrats Are Trying To Push Through Another 'Build Back Better' Bill. It Would Only Make Inflation Worse.
Here's hoping we don't wind up with more of the spending and favoritism that's become so common.
A Wonky Evisceration of Biden's Bad Deficit Math
Interest rates and servicing costs could push us into worrisome territory sooner than we think.
Why Everything About Politics Sucks, in 1 Chart
Only 6 percent of Americans say the federal government is extremely "careful with taxpayer money," yet those same Americans consistently report that they want the government to do more.
Social Security Is Running Toward Insolvency
Despite a few encouraging analyses, the numbers just don't add up.
Biden Says the Deficit Is Falling. Actually, It's Rising.
Under Biden, Trump, and Obama, government federal spending almost doubled.
Biden Is Clueless About Inflation
The president's $5.8 trillion budget shows he wants more of the same government spending that is already sending prices through the roof.
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.
America's $30 Trillion National Debt Should Be a Wake Up Call
But Washington just keeps hitting the snooze button.
'We' Didn't Increase the Debt. Politicians, Congress, and Bureaucrats Did.
Using "we" implies a collective responsibility, creates the false impression that most people are on board, and hints that we'll share equally in the benefits.
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.
The Perverse Incentives of Puerto Rico's Debt Deal
Habitual debt busts are one Latin American export that is better left on the dock.
Our Looming Trillion Dollar Doom
Plus: the unintended consequences of mandating COVID vaccines for students
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.
Medicare Is About To Run Out of Money. Democrats Want To Make the Program Cost Even More.
The federal health care program is on track for a trust fund shortfall in just five years. But instead of paying for the program that exists, Democrats want to expand it.
When Government Spending Hurts the Most Vulnerable
As inflation increases, we need a low-debt environment.
Economist John Cochrane Is Still Worried About the Debt
The U.S. national debt held by the public is currently almost $22 trillion, surpassing the country's annual GDP for the first time since World War II.
Magical Thinking Abounds in New Budget Deal Discourse
Plus: The growing trust gap, pandemic-low unemployment numbers, and more...
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill Shows That Republicans Love Big Government Just as Much as Democrats
We don't have a gridlock problem. We have a spending problem.
Many Politicians Claim That Increased Spending Sparks Economic Growth. Here's Why That's Misleading.
A new study finds that as the government expands, the private sector shrinks.
Biden's Astronomical Budget Proposal Even Has Some Democrats Worried
The spending plan demonstrates an unwillingness to govern and a preference for pandering to special interests.
Yes, the National Debt Matters
Many Democrats and Republicans act like spending isn't an issue. Here's why they're wrong.
Looming Budget Catastrophe in Pictures So Simple Even Congress Can Understand
Maybe drawings can deter elected officials from their outrageous spending habits where detailed reports have failed to attract their attention.
Biden's $1.5 Trillion Budget Request Would Fund All Nails Needed for the Coffin of Fiscal Restraint
The White House is proposing an 8.4 percent boost in discretionary spending, which comes on top of Biden's $1.9 trillion pandemic relief bill, and his proposed $2.3 trillion American Jobs Plan.
Does National Debt Still Matter? America's Greatest Gamble
Fiscal hawks have been sounding the alarm about rising debt levels for decades, but their nightmare scenario of runaway inflation hasn't come to pass. How do we know if this time is different?
Congress Uses COVID-19 As a Cover for an Epidemic of Fiscal Recklessness
Legislators view the disease as a license to spend like there’s no tomorrow.
Stop Trying To Create a Zero-Risk Society
We will likely grapple with the consequences of ill-advised COVID-19 policies for years to come.
Beware the COVID-19 Debt Hangover
Biden's proposed stimulus spending might give a modest boost, but in the long run it'll slow the economy.
Universal Student Debt Forgiveness Is Regressive, Say Economists
Plus: Uber abandons self-driving autos, on being "both loud and silenced," and more...
Forgiving Student Debt Wouldn't Be a Major Economic Stimulus
Despite Elizabeth Warren's contention that it is the "single most effective economic stimulus that is available through executive action," forgiving student debt is a bad idea.
Neera Tanden, Biden's Pick for Budget Office: Now Is Not the Time To 'Worry About Raising Deficits and Debt'
She once suggested that if Americans care about the deficit so much, maybe we should make Libya pay for it.
Joe Biden's $11 Trillion Plan To Bankrupt America
The president-elect promised record levels of spending and taxes on the campaign trail. Will he succeed?
Biden and Trump Offer Competing Tax Proposals, but Both Ignore Economic Reality
Trump plans to steal less of other people’s cash then Biden does, though neither has any serious suggestions for paying for their spending schemes.
The Next COVID Stimulus Bill Could Cost Trillions of Dollars or Might Not Happen at All
There's a fox, a goose, and a bag of grain. And a hippopotamus in the middle of the river.
Congress Continues to Spend Delusional Amounts of Money
Even without further spending increases, the Congressional Budget Office projects that the national debt will hit 107 percent of GDP in 2023.
America's Debt Will be Twice the Size of the Economy by 2050
The Congressional Budget Office warns that higher levels of debt will slow economic growth significantly in the years ahead.
After the Stimulus Binge, Brace for a Crash
Skyrocketing debt, higher borrowing costs, and a hobbled economy are predicted in the latest Congressional Budget Office report.
