budget deficit
The logical contradictions of Trump’s case for tariffs
Tariffs "will always be the best way to max out our economic power," President Donald Trump declared during his first term, predicting that his trade war would "MAKE AMERICA RICH AGAIN." Not rich enough,…
CBO’s Debt Limit Projection Puts Pressure on GOP Budget Talks
The Congressional Budget Office on Wednesday released a stark forecast of when the government’s borrowing limit would be exhausted—increasing the urgency of congressional Republicans’ budget negotiations. The forecast warns…
How Pokémon helps explain DOGE
Is the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cleaning house and gutting the federal bureaucracy, or overstepping the limits of executive power while failing to cut much spending? Could it be a bit of both? Part of the…
The 10 worst Republican budget gimmicks
Being an elected Republican today means navigating a fundamental contradiction: Voters love bold spending cuts in theory but hate them in practice. Surveys have long shown that Americans want deficit reduction and a smaller…
Elon Musk makes DOGE’s numbers even harder to check
"We will make mistakes," Elon Musk said at a press conference a month ago. "Some of the things that I say will be incorrect and should be corrected." The billionaire entrepreneur, who is unofficially in…
Thune Aims to Shame Senate Democrats Into Voting for Budget Bill
Senate Majority Leader John Thune didn’t mince words at a Tuesday afternoon news conference. If a government shutdown happens, the South Dakota Republican said, it “will be entirely on the Democrats.” Thune reaffirmed that…
Democrats ‘Craving‘ Government Shutdown, GOP’s Emmer Says
House Republicans are looking to pass a continuing resolution on Tuesday to keep the government running. If a resolution isn’t passed by Friday, then nonessential parts of the government will temporarily shut down. House…
