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.
Government Spending
The Student Loan Debate Isn't Just About Money. It's About the Experiences Students Like Me Sacrificed.
Many college graduates who made strategic choices to avoid taking on debt are now wondering if those sacrifices have put them ahead after all.
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.
Will Biden's Student Loan Debt Cancellation Plan Hold Up in Court?
The president claims broad authority to act under a post-9/11 law.
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.
When Scientists Are Gullible Activists
Here are some reasons trust in science has been dwindling.
Joe Biden's Use of Transportation Dollars To Incentivize Zoning Reform Is a Big Flop
Little, if any, of the $2.2 billion in RAISE grants have gone to jurisdictions proactively deregulating housing construction.
How To Waste $1 Trillion
Why should we believe that this boondoggle will produce better results than hundreds of other corporate welfare programs?
The Inflation Reduction Act Barely Puts a Dent in the Deficit
But it will raise taxes and sic thousands of new IRS agents on American households.
San Francisco Spent Over $20,000 on a Trash Can
“We need to have a trash can that works for the city of San Francisco,” said city project manager Lisa Zhuo.
A Year After the U.S. Withdrawal, Getting Out of Afghanistan Was Still the Right Call
Biden brought an unwinnable war to an end. But the lessons learned are only as valuable as the U.S. government’s willingness to put them to good use.
The Disappearing Differences Between Republicans and Democrats on Federal Family Spending
Many conservatives no longer appear to care much for fiscal conservatism.
Field of Welfare: How COVID Funds Might Build a Money-Losing Ballpark in a Cornfield
Is there a single movie more tied up with lousy government policy than Field of Dreams?
The Inflation Reduction Act Won't Meaningfully Address the Budget Deficit
Congress has added $2.4 trillion to the long-term deficit since President Joe Biden took office. Now they want credit for reducing the deficit by $300 billion?
Democrats' Rejection of Permit Streamlining Resolution Doesn't Bode Well for Joe Manchin's 'Side Deal'
The West Virginia senator conditioned his support for the Inflation Reduction Act on reforming federal environmental review laws. His Senate colleagues don't seem so hot on the idea.
Senate Passes $740 Billion 'Inflation Reduction Act' That Will Probably Make Inflation Worse
Plus: Inside Trump's family separation policy, a Grammarly for government, and more...
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.
Does the Democrats' New Inflation Bill Have Anything To Do With Inflation?
Plus: The editors each analyze their biggest “I was wrong” moment from past work.
The 'Inflation Reduction Act' Won't Actually Reduce Inflation
But it will hike taxes, including on Americans earning less than $200,000 annually.
The Federal Student Loan Program Was Supposed To Pay for Itself. Now, It'll Cost Taxpayers $197 Billion
A new report from the Government Accountability Office found that the Federal Student Loan Program will cost over $300 billion more than originally predicted.
Maxine Waters Says She May Not Vote for 'Shameful' Inflation Reduction Act, Citing Lack of Housing Spending
The new reconciliation bill also nixes a zoning reform program that had been included in the more expansive Build Back Better bill.
Supersizing the IRS Will Hurt the Working Rich, Not Fat-Cat Tax Evaders
And it also won't help us recover from the recession we're definitely not in.
Schumer, Manchin Strike Deal To Raise Taxes, Cut the Deficit, Spend Billions on Climate Change
The proposal reportedly hikes taxes by over $730 billion, with $300 billion of that money to be used for reducing the federal budget deficit.
Did Joe Manchin Just Sink Biden's 'Build Back Better' Plan Again?
Plus: Why government responses to risk can create more harm than good, why Denver will no longer block illegal immigrants from starting businesses, and more...
The Left and Right Are Living in Different Realities
The risk of broad and overcautious policies is one we should take more seriously.
Biden's Policies Have Increased, Not Reduced, Future Budget Deficits
Dissecting the president's misleading claims about falling deficits
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.
The Army Thinks Printers Cost Over $1 Million
Poor accounting practices mean the Department of Defense can't even tell how much money or equipment it has lost.
America's Involvement in Ukraine Increasingly Looks Like War
Joe Biden announced an additional $800 million in weapons aid for Ukraine following last week's news that CIA personnel are directing intelligence in Kyiv.
California Fights Inflation by Sending People Free Money
Plus: A New Hampshire distiller fights invasive species by turning them into whiskey, a New York City law letting non-citizens vote is overturned, and more...
Greg Abbott Spent $1,400 a Head To Bus Migrants to D.C. for a Political Stunt
Texas taxpayers might be stuck footing the hefty bill for Abbott's busing scheme.
Blame Congress for Pandemic Fraud
The inconvenient truth behind all the COVID-19 relief fraud and waste is that these government programs never should have been designed as they were.
After $6 Trillion in COVID Spending, Team Biden Is Still Complaining About a Lack of Pandemic Funds
Democrats passed trillions in pandemic relief but continue to cry poor.
Federal COVID Aid to States and Localities Cost $855,000 Per Job Saved
A new paper reveals that the state and local bailout was not only unnecessary but incredibly wasteful.
The Gas Tax Makes Sense. Biden Considers Canceling It.
Road maintenance and construction don't suddenly become free because gas hits $5 a gallon.
Rand Paul Asked Senators To Balance the Budget. Only 28 Agreed.
Rising interest rates will only make it harder to balance the budget in future years.
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 U.S. Is Spending $130 Million a Day on Military Aid for Ukraine Without Meaningful Congressional Oversight
Lawmakers are avoiding important debates about America's role in the conflict and the potential for misuse of funds and weapons.
Does Affordable Housing Make the Surrounding Neighborhood Less Affordable?
A Urban Institute research brief found that affordable housing developments in Alexandria, Virginia, were associated with a small increase in surrounding property values.
Why Biden's Claim of Cutting the Deficit Is False, in a Single Chart
...and why government spending is like an infestation of cicadas.
U.S. Spent Over $21 Billion on Afghan Police, Got 'Barely Qualified Mall Guards'
New SIGAR findings shine a light on America’s dysfunctional efforts to train the Afghan National Police, which “actually contributed to increasing criminality” in Afghanistan.
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.
Biden Says the Deficit Is Falling. Actually, It's Rising.
Under Biden, Trump, and Obama, government federal spending almost doubled.
Watchdog Report: At Least 20 Percent of Federal Pandemic Unemployment Dollars Wasted
A new report from the Government Accountability Office found that nearly $80 billion was paid out to ineligible beneficiaries or outright fraudsters.
Burn Pit Bill Creates Massive, Debt-Fueled Backdoor Expansion of the V.A. Health Care System
Iraq and Afghanistan veterans wouldn't have to show any link between their service and a long list of medical conditions to obtain government-funded healthcare.
Do We Really Need 100 Different Federal Programs To Fund Broadband?
A new GAO report finds that the government lacks a "national strategy with clear roles, goals, objectives, and performance measures."
