Get ready for a huge deficit hike

Feb 23, 2017
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the Trump administration will have a proposed tax plan completed by August. Based on campaign promises, its broad outlines will include a substantial cut to corporate taxes and perhaps reductions in individual taxes. Whatever the details, the plan will almost certainly blow up the federal deficit, and that has big […]

Unpacking America’s complex trade with Mexico

Jan 27, 2017
The U.S.-Mexico trade relationship gets talked about by the president as if we’re being scammed. He implies that because the United States has a trade deficit with its southern neighbor, we’re just pouring money over the border. But most economists say the trade deficit with Mexico is not a problem, and, in fact, that it’s […]

Let's do the numbers... on the debt

Oct 20, 2016
Losing sleep over the deficit & debt? Don't worry...yet
As the number of the current U.S. national debt is seen on a screen, Federal Reserve Board Chair Janet Yellen testifies during a hearing before the House Financial Services Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. 

 
Alex Wong/Getty Images

CBO predicts deficits about to get a lot worse

Jan 25, 2016
The Congressional Budget Office says this is the first such increase since 2009.

The Senate might be abolished...in Ireland

Oct 4, 2013
On Friday, Ireland is voting to abolish one of the houses of the country's parliament. Supporters say the move is a cost-cutting measure as well.