Biden Goes Big
Somehow, policy makers slid from "never waste a crisis" to "everything is a crisis," a development that is particularly irksome during an actual crisis.
Budget
Federal Spending Is Out of Control. No, Earmarks Won't Change That.
Congress throws far too much money at special interests.
In First Tie-Breaking Vote, Kamala Harris Helps Senate Dems Pass Budget Resolution
Plus: Pandemic housing prices are overvalued, U.S. will withdraw support for war in Yemen, and more...
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.
Brian Riedl: Donald Trump, Joe Biden, and $6 Trillion Budgets
How to slow massive and unchecked national deficits in an age of runaway spending and divided government.
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.
States Aren't Getting a Federal Coronavirus Bailout. Most Will Be Fine.
The COVID-19 pandemic will strain some state budgets, but you shouldn't believe the predictions about catastrophic cuts.
The COVID-19 Pandemic Is Crushing State Budgets. A Federal Bailout Is Still a Bad Idea.
There is no state that will weather the COVID-19 pandemic without making difficult decisions. But the revenue hit will be less severe in places that were being thrifty and vigilant.
The Federal Budget Deficit in June Was Bigger Than the Entire Federal Budget Deficit for 2018
Remember when $1 trillion annual deficits were worryingly large? Last month’s budget gap was $864 billion.
The Next Pandemic Will Be Caused by the National Debt. It Will Crater the Economy.
Debt held by the public equals about 100 percent of GDP. That's hurting growth and will fuel a major crisis.
3 Libertarian Tips for the #DefundPolice Movement
Reducing law enforcement requires more than merely cutting and shifting a budget.
The Pandemic Is a Reminder That Many Regulations Are Both Costly and Unnecessary
It took a crisis for policymakers to see that hundreds of rules were not worth the burdens they imposed.
As COVID-19 Approached, CDC Asked Congress for More Money To Fight the Drug War
Most of the items included in the CDC's 2021 budget request are important, serious matters. But many have nothing to do with the agency's mission.
America's Long-Term Debt Crisis Is Now a Short-Term Problem
Even in a healthy economy, rising debt and deficits posed challenges. The current crisis has magnified those problems.
Social Security Will Be Insolvent Even Sooner Than Expected, Thanks to COVID-19 Pandemic
A new report from the Social Security Administration expects the program to hit insolvency by 2035. Some experts say it could happen as soon as 2028 if there is a serious recession.
A Trillion-Dollar Deficit This Year Is Now Officially the Best Case Scenario
The coronavirus is going to crater tax revenues and hike spending. And the Congressional Budget Office says the deficit was going to exceed $1 trillion even before all that.
Political Opportunists Are Using Coronavirus Fears To Push Whatever Policies They Already Wanted
No matter how bad the outbreak might turn out to be, politicians will find a way to make it worse.
Trump Will Raid Pentagon's War on Terror Slush Fund To Build His Border Wall
The administration also plans to move $2.2 billion originally earmarked for purchasing vehicles, ships, and aircraft to cover wall construction costs.
Trump's Budget Follows in the Footsteps of Giant Spenders
It’s a testament to fiscal irresponsibility.
Trump's Budget Plan Is an Economic Fantasy
The president’s plan calls for modest cuts made easy by unlikely growth.
Despite $4.4 Trillion in Spending Cuts, Trump's Budget Won't Balance Until 2035
And whether it balances at all depends on some creative accounting. Meanwhile, it proposes $2 billion in new spending on the border wall.
Republican Deficit Hypocrisy Will Make America's Debt Problems Much Harder To Solve
A new report shows federal budget deficits pushing past $1 trillion for the next decade.
Yes, Rhode Island Should Legalize Marijuana. No, the State Shouldn't Run the Shops.
Gov. Gina Raimondo wants to sell weed to balance the state's budget.
The 2020s Will Be the Decade of Deficit Doomsday
America will have to pay for its spending spree and its wars.
Congress' Budget Deal Kills Solar Industry Tax Credits
The solar industry has benefited from "temporary" tax credits for decades. These might finally be allowed to lapse.
Bipartisan 'Bucket of Garbage' Budget Bill Contains $50 Billion in Special Interest Tax Breaks
On their own, some of those tax breaks might be defensible. Dumping them into a must-pass budget bill is not.
Even in Impeachment-Crazed D.C., It's Always a Good Time To Borrow and Spend!
Donald Trump, Democrats, and Republicans agree on trillion-dollar deficits for as far as the eye can see.
Congress' Continuing Resolution Is an Opportunity for Reform
Budget negotiations offer lawmakers the opportunity to ditch tax carve-outs and cut spending.
Trump's Nearly $1 Trillion Deficit Is Worse Than a Broken Promise
The president doesn't understand the difference between a budget deficit and a trade deficit.
Betsy DeVos Threatens To Cut Funding for Duke-UNC Middle East Studies. Why Stop There?
The Department of Education alleges the universities' research is discriminatory against certain religions.
The Pentagon Budget Battle Is a Distraction
An ever-growing military budget is yet another illustration of the GOP's abandonment of small-government principles. And Democrats aren't any better.
Is Your Hometown Balancing Its Budget by Fining Everybody It Can? Here's How To Find Out.
Governing puts together a database of cities and towns addicted to money from fines and forfeitures.
Democrats Debate To Determine Who Will Spend Us Into Oblivion
The idea that "deficits don't matter" has been growing among Trump-supporting Republicans. Democrats are preparing to take full advantage.
There's No Such Thing as 'Free Money' or Meaningless Deficits
As debt soars, federal payments to service the debt will crowd out the government's core spending responsibilities.
The Senate Will Vote on a $2.7 Trillion Budget Deal That Adds to the National Debt. The Democrats' Debates Ignored It.
CNN doesn't think Americans deserve to hear potential presidents asked about the national debt.
Stossel: Free Stuff 2020
Presidential candidates promise expensive new programs. We added up the cost.
The Terrible Thing That Trump and Elijah Cummings Agree On
While the president was launching yet another culture war, the combatants were agreeing to blow the federal budget sky high.
The House Just Passed a Budget Deal That Will Add $1.7 Trillion to the National Debt
Members of Congress are well aware of the looming threat of the $22 trillion (and growing) national debt, but seem incapable of doing anything except making it worse.
Once Again, Uncle Sam Shirks Fiscal Responsibility in Budget Deal
Trump's 2018 commitment that he would never sign a massive spending deal ever again was fake news.
Can the Freedom Caucus Convince Trump to Derail This Awful Budget Deal? If Not, Fiscal Conservatism Is Truly Dead.
The House Freedom Caucus could reverse its trend towards irrelevancy by successfully swaying Trump to turn against the new budget deal.
Possible Budget Deal Will Add $2 Trillion to the National Debt
If President Donald Trump signs the deal into law, he will have authorized a 22 percent increase in federal discretionary spending during his first term in office.
Amash: Republicans Defending Trump Are 'Hurting Themselves and They're Hurting the Country'
A new book gives insight into Amash's breakup with the Republican Party, which was well underway before Amash said Trump should face impeachment proceedings.
How To Get Better at Budgets
In a few countries, legislators have enacted policies that actually constrain spending. The U.S. has a lot to learn.
Deficit Politics May Have Gone Away, but Debt and Deficits Are Worse Than Ever
The federal budget situation used to be an emergency. What happened?
How Oakland Cops Gamed the System To Earn $30 Million in Overtime Pay
A new audit reveals how poor oversight and structural problems allowed one Oakland cop to earn $2.5 million in overtime pay in five years.
House Freedom Caucus Too Busy Scolding Justin Amash To Care About Today's Bipartisan Budget Apocalypse
What's the point of a "limited government" bloc that doesn't limit government?
Remy: Old Town Road (Lil Nas X & Billy Ray Cyrus Parody)
Making infrastructure funds fun again!
Trump's New Budget Uses More Realistic Assumptions Than His Predecessors' Did
Trump's budget projects 10 straight years of 3 percent growth. If this forecast fails to materialize, it will make the budget deficits worse than projected.
