Budget Battles
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House Torpedoes Johnson Plan to Avert a Shutdown
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Speaker Johnson Sets Up Doomed Vote on Funding Bill
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A Turning Point in the Inflation Fight
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Trump’s Big New Tax Pledge
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Trump Says He Won’t Debate Again
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What Harris and Trump Said on Taxes and Healthcare
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Trump Pushes Republicans to ‘Close It Down’ as Shutdown Looms
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Trump Economic Plans Would Cost More Than $4 Trillion: Analysis
By Michael RaineyAn array of tax and spending proposals put forth by former President Donald Trump would raise the federal budget deficit by more than $4 trillion over the next 10 years, according to an analysis by...
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Trump’s Social Security Tax Plan Would Cost $1.5 Trillion: Analysis
By Michael RaineyFormer President Donald Trump suggested this week that he wants to repeal the income tax on Social Security benefits. “SENIORS SHOULD NOT PAY TAX ON SOCIAL SECURITY!” he posted on his social media...
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Trump’s Republican Platform Drops Any Mention of National Debt
Ahead of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee next week, the GOP on Monday published its 2024 platform — a 16-page outline of the party’s policy positions for a second Trump term. The...
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Social Security, Medicare Get Modest Boost From Strong Economy
By Michael RaineySolid economic growth in the wake of the pandemic has strengthened some of the nation’s leading social safety net programs, as robust employment increases the flow of payments into the Social...
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BlackRock CEO Warns of a Retirement Crisis
Larry Fink, the billionaire chairman and CEO of investing giant BlackRock, warns in a newly published annual letter to shareholders that it’s time to rethink retirement savings in aging countries...
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House Republican Caucus Calls for Raising the Social Security Retirement Age
By Michael RaineyThe Republican Study Committee, the largest conservative caucus in the House, released on Wednesday a 2025 budget proposal that would slash healthcare spending, raise the Social Security retirement...
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Biden Proposes a $7.3 Trillion Budget for 2025
President Biden on Monday proposed a $7.3 trillion budget for fiscal year 2025 that seeks to lower the costs of prescription drugs, child care and housing while also cutting the deficit by $3...
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House Budget Committee Approves Bill to Create Bipartisan Fiscal Commission
The House Budget Committee on Thursday approved a landmark bill to create a bipartisan fiscal commission that would make recommendations on how to address the rising national debt. The commission has...
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Romney and Manchin Call for Commission to Stabilize US Debt
By Michael RaineySens. Mitt Romney of Utah and Joe Manchin of West Virginia introduced a bill Thursday that would create a commission tasked with stabilizing the national debt. Warning that the nation’s finances are...
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US Retirement System Gets a C+
By Michael RaineyWith a mix of mandatory public and private pension programs, the Netherlands has the world’s best retirement system, according to a new ranking from the consulting firm Mercer. The European nation...
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Rising Income Inequality Hurts Social Security, Expert Says
By Michael RaineySocial Security faces a crisis in 2034, when its main trust fund is projected to become insolvent, potentially resulting in significant cuts in benefits. Simple demographics play a major role in the...
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GOP Candidates Clash Over Government Spending, Entitlements
Although the opening exchanges of last night’s Republican presidential primary debate aren’t making many highlight reels and recaps, they showed the candidates trying to establish their fiscally...
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Social Security Benefits Could Be Cut by $17,400 a Year When Trust Fund Runs Dry
By Michael RaineyA typical retired couple could face a loss of $17,400 in their annual Social Security benefits in 2033, when the retirement program’s main trust fund is projected to run dry. That estimate comes from...
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Biden Taps a New Social Security Administration Chief
President Biden announced Wednesday that he intends to nominate former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley to head the Social Security Administration. “Since Day 1 I have fought to strengthen and...
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National Debt Projected to Soar Over Next 30 Years: CBO
By Michael RaineyDespite the dramatic showdown over the debt ceiling and the resulting budget agreement that restrains federal spending through 2025, the national debt is projected to rise to record levels over the...