10 Years and $3 Billion for a New Mail Truck?
Oshkosh Defense’s USPS van is thousands of dollars more expensive than the industry standard.
Government Spending
An Efficiency Commission Led by Elon Musk Would Be Good for the Government
The idea, proposed by former President Donald Trump, could curb waste and step in where our delinquent legislators are asleep on the job.
Take Two
Plus: The Senate wrestles with IVF funding, a dictator dies, and SpaceX passengers conduct the first-ever private spacewalk.
Why Trump's Child Care Policy Incoherence Matters
If the Republican Party's presidential candidate can't articulate a supply-side alternative to costly Democratic proposals, then government will get bigger.
Harris' Candidacy Puts a Spotlight on California's Failed Policies
From overspending to the state's overly powerful unions, California keeps sticking to the taxpayer.
Trump's Proposals Would Add $5.8 Trillion to the Deficit
Vice President Kamala Harris would add about $2 trillion to the deficit.
Trump and Harris' Economic Plans Are Depressingly Similar
Both campaigns represent variations on a theme of big, fiscally irresponsible, hyper-interventionist government.
Who Is the Real Kamala Harris? A Big Government Liberal.
Harris has flip-flopped on many issues, but she's been consistent on her desire to spend more of your money.
Nobody Cared About Bernie's Speech
Plus: Obama endorses building more housing, why CEOs are paid so much, and more...
Mike Pence's Sensible (and Probably Doomed) Plan To Fix the National Debt
Lawmakers must be willing to reform so-called "mandatory spending," Pence's nonprofit argues in a new document.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz Used COVID Relief Money on Things That Had Nothing To Do With COVID
Minnesota used federal taxpayer dollars to cover state workers' parking costs, fund the Minnesota Zoo, and teach minority-owned businesses how to apply for government contracts.
The U.S. Can't Afford To Cut Taxes on Social Security Benefits
The campaign promise from Donald Trump sounds nice, but it would be disastrous when considering the program is already racing toward insolvency.
Chase Oliver: Q&A With the Controversial Libertarian Party Candidate
The 2024 Libertarian Party presidential candidate speaks out about the Israel-Hamas war, the authoritarian impulses of both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, and homophobia within his own party.
Lessons for the U.S. from Japan's Lost Decade
Facing an economic downturn in the 1990s, Japan racked up debt. America should not repeat that mistake.
The Real Economic Catastrophe Will Be Caused by the U.S. Debt
Should we blame Biden and the politicians applauding him for their unwillingness to address our looming fiscal disaster?
Biden Administration Says It Will Finalize Second Attempt at Blanket Student Loan Forgiveness This Fall
If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.
Secret Service May Get Even More Money After Failing To Protect Trump
Government agencies are expensive, incompetent, and overreaching. The Secret Service is no exception.
RFK Jr. Pays Lip Service to the Debt While Pushing Policies That Would Increase It
It's good to hear a candidate actually talk about our spending problem. But his campaign promises would exacerbate it.
Paris Spent $1.5 Billion Cleaning Poop Out of the Seine, and It's Still Too Dirty for Olympic Swimming
Athletes still can't swim in the Seine River after Paris wasted $1.5 billion trying to clean it for Olympic events.
No, the Secret Service Is Not Underfunded
As lawmakers investigate what went wrong at the Pennsylvania Trump rally, they should resist calls to give the agency more money.
Bad News for Universal Basic Income
Researchers found that giving people $1,000 every month for three years resulted in decreased productivity and earnings, and more leisure time.
Congressional Budget Office Estimates Recent Increase in Immigration will Reduce the Budget Deficit
A new CBO report concludes it will save the federal government almost $1 trillion over the next ten years.
'The Problem Is Spending': Libertarian Presidential Nominee Chase Oliver's Vision for the Future
The candidate supports gun rights, wants to privatize government programs, and would radically reduce the number of federal employees.
Harris Promises Expensive Paid Leave and Child Care Subsidies in First Campaign Speech
Both had been dropped from the Inflation Reduction Act over concerns about the bill's cost and the amount of borrowing needed to pay for them.
Federal Court Blocks Biden's Income-Based Student Loan Forgiveness Plan
The SAVE plan would have dramatically reduced the amount borrowers were required to pay back before receiving forgiveness—and cost taxpayers almost $500 billion over the next decade.
Republicans Don't Even Pretend To Want To Cut Government Anymore
This week left no doubt that the GOP's current leadership wants the government to do more, spend more, and meddle more.
Here's How To Pay for Trump's Tax Cuts
There seems to be general bipartisan agreement on keeping a majority of the cuts, which are set to expire. They can be financed by cleaning out the tax code of unfair breaks.
MAGA Voters Try To Convince a Libertarian To Vote Trump
Reason's Emma Camp attended the Republican National Convention to ask delegates and voters who they think libertarians should vote for this year and why.
The Best of Reason: Why Did Americans Stop Caring About the National Debt?
Both parties—and the voters—are to blame for the national debt fiasco.
Republicans Hammer Biden on Inflation. But Do They Have a Better Plan?
Opening night of the Republican National Convention programmed a central issue with a Trumpian twist: "Make America Wealthy Again."
Why Did Americans Stop Caring About the National Debt?
Both parties—and the voters—are to blame for the national debt fiasco.
The 2024 GOP Platform Promises To 'Make America Affordable Again.' So Why Are They Embracing Fiscal Insanity?
Although former President Donald Trump's deregulatory agenda would make some positive changes, it's simply not enough.
Biden vs. Trump: Housing Policy Edition
How do the two major party candidates stack up on housing policy?
The National Debt Is Crossing an Ominous Line
The U.S. has successfully navigated past debt challenges, notably in the 1990s. Policymakers can fix this if they find the will to do so.
Biden, Trump, and RFK Jr. Are All Anti-Freedom
Those three presidential candidates are making promises that would have bewildered and horrified the Founding Fathers.
Gorsuch Apes NIMBY Government Lies in Supreme Court's Grants Pass Decision
Plus: A disappointing first round of "Baby YIMBY" grant awards, President Joe Biden endorses rent control, and House Republicans propose cutting housing spending.
Numb to the Numbers
The national debt has become an alarm bell ringing in the distance that people are pretending not to hear, especially in the city that caused the problem.
Federal IOU: August/September 2024 Puzzle
"Period during which America's national debt was about $75 million"
Why Has Joe Biden's $42 Billion Broadband Program Not Connected One Single Household?
The senior Republican FCC commissioner blames progressive politics, while lawmakers and telecom companies blame bureaucratic red tape.
America Is in a Debt Crisis. Will Trump or Biden Address It at the Debate?
The candidate who grasps the gravity of this situation and proposes concrete steps to address it will demonstrate the leadership our nation now desperately needs. The stakes couldn't be higher.
The Best of Reason: What If the U.S. Cuts Off Aid to Israel?
Ending U.S. aid would give Washington less leverage in the Middle East. That's why it's worth doing.
Eating Doritos While Drowning in Debt
Plus: A listener asks if there are any libertarian solutions to rising obesity rates.
'Vast Majority' of Pandemic Employee Retention Credit Claims Are Likely Scams, Says IRS
Just the latest development in the continuing saga of COVID stimulus fraud.
Federal Budget Deficit Forecast Jumps $400 Billion, Fueled by Student Debt Forgiveness
The Congressional Budget Office reports the 2024 budget deficit will near $2 trillion.
The National Debt Is Now So High That Every American Essentially Owes $100,000
We could grow our way out of our debt burden if politicians would limit spending increases to just below America's average yearly economic growth. But they won't even do that.
