Government

The value of the dollar dropped some 10 percent in 2017. That’s the greenback’s worst performance in more than a decade. And analysts say the dollar could lose even more ground this year.  Click the audio player above to hear the full story. 

This week, the Senate is set to vote on President Donald Trump’s nominee for Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. But like many of Trump’s picks, John Rood is a controversial nominee.  Click the audio player above to hear the full story. 

It’s been a decade since the Great Recession, and while a lot of things in the economy have recovered, state funding for public schools is still lagging behind pre-Recession levels, after accounting for inflation. That’s according to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, a think tank that focuses on ways that federal and state […]

Americans overseas pay income taxes both in the U.S. and in the countries where they work. Now lawmakers could lighten the burden for individuals. As the tax overhaul is drafted in Washington, a range of complaints about expat taxes will be considered.  Click the audio player above to hear the full story. 

A vote by the U.S. Senate last night allowing banks to keep using mandatory arbitration clauses in their contracts with consumers — rather than allowing class action lawsuits —essentially preserves the status quo. You might think that more fine print in more and more contracts would mean a lot more arbitration and a bonanza for […]

In Washington, it’s another day of drama as Republicans race against the clock to repeal Obamacare. Senator John McCain said today he could not, in good conscience, vote for the latest version of the Obamacare repeal. That means if one more Senate Republican becomes a hard no, the bill is basically dead. In a statement, […]

Many of the first responders in Houston have been civilians organized into rescue squads. Their work has the support and approval of government agencies, who have realized that local volunteers can move faster than any bureaucracy. It’s an approach to disaster management that has become codified into policy. Click the audio player above to hear […]