Budget

Trump’s Plan to Overhaul the Government

By Yuval Rosenberg

The Trump administration on Thursday unveiled a sweeping proposal to reorganize the federal government by merging departments, shrinking agencies, consolidating social safety net programs, selling...
Everything You Need to Know About the New GOP Budget

By Yuval Rosenberg

House Republicans released a 2019 budget proposal Tuesday that, though it stands little chance of advancing, signals the party’s priorities: The blueprint would balance the budget in nine years by...
The High Cost of Trump's Border Crisis

By Michael Rainey

In an abrupt reversal in the face of mounting political and public pressure, President Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order to end the separation of migrant children from their parents at the...
Trump Again Threatens a Government Shutdown Over Border Wall Funding

By Yuval Rosenberg

Angry over the lack of full, upfront funding for his border wall with Mexico, President Trump reportedly threatened to shut down the government in September. Politico reports that Trump “fumed to...
The Politics Behind Permanent Trillion-Dollar Deficits

By Yuval Rosenberg

Budget Guy Stan Collender writes that budget deficits under the Trump administration are projected to hit $1 trillion in 2020 — and keep rising to $1.5 trillion in fiscal 2028. “But what’s most...

House Committee to Mark Up Doomed 2019 Budget

By Yuval Rosenberg

House Budget Committee Chairman Steve Womack (R-AR) announced Monday that his panel will hold a two-day markup of the fiscal 2019 budget resolution on Wednesday and Thursday. The resolution...
Another Way Trump’s Trade War Could Hurt the US

By Yuval Rosenberg

Peter Boockvar, chief investment officer at the Bleakley Advisory Group, adds another wrinkle to the dangers of an emerging trade war. In a Monday morning email, Boockvar notes that foreigners were...
Trump Calls for the Military to Add a Space Force

By Michael Rainey

President Trump ordered the Defense Department on Monday to take steps toward creating a new branch of the military focused on space. "I am hereby directing the Department of Defense and Pentagon to...
Is Trump Really Saving Money by Canceling ‘War Games’ in South Korea?

By Michael Rainey

President Trump announced Tuesday that the extensive joint military exercises the U.S. regularly holds with South Korea will cease as he seeks to improve relations with North Korea. In addition to...
Congress Faces a Rocky Road to November

By Yuval Rosenberg

The news headlines may be dominated by stories about President Trump, North Korea, trade wars and the special counsel investigation into Russian interference in U.S. elections, but budget expert Stan...

Why Medicare Spending on Brand-Name Drugs Soared Even as Prescriptions Fell

By Yuval Rosenberg

Medicare has spent more on brand-name medications in recent years even as the program’s beneficiaries filled fewer prescriptions for such drugs, according to a new report by a government watchdog...
A Cheaper Way to Build the 355-Ship Navy?

By Michael Rainey

The U.S. Navy plans to increase the size of its fleet to 355 ships, up from the current level of 283 ships, and President Trump has enthusiastically supported the buildup, recently telling graduates...
Putting the $17 Million Price Tag of the Mueller Investigation in Context

By Yuval Rosenberg

Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia to interfere in the 2016 election (and related matters) cost the government more than $16.7...
Why Some White Voters Are Souring on Welfare Programs

By Michael Rainey

Americans are becoming more critical of welfare programs, and researchers have found that racial resentment plays a significant role in the recent shift in attitudes. In a paper published in the...
Does This Mean No More Infrastructure Weeks?

By Michael Rainey

It looks like the Trump administration is throwing in the shovel on its infrastructure plans this year. White House Legislative Affairs Director Marc Short told reporters Friday that the White House’...