Budget Matters Blog


Competing Priorities: The Millennial Outlook

Millennials have just as much of a stake in the answers to long-term budget questions as we do in the short-term decisions concerning the economic recovery. First, Millennials prefer a balanced approach with regards to deficit reduction.


Voter Guide 2012: Obama vs. Romney on the Issues

The two presidential candidates have put forth very different proposals on nearly every issue, and now it's up to voters to choose the path our country will take for years to come. From Medicare to education to budget deficits, here's where the candidates stand on 12 key issues:   Candidate ...


Pentagon Spending: Obama vs. Romney

During Monday’s presidential debate both candidates discussed their plans for future Pentagon spending. Gov. Romney claimed that President Obama would cut $1 trillion from the Pentagon’s budget, while President Obama questioned how Gov. Romney would fund $2 trillion in new Pentagon spending.So what’s going on here? Let’s look at some ...


You Ask, We Answer: How Much Does the U.S. Spend on Foreign Aid

When asked if they support cutting certain types of federal spending, many Americans say they'd like to see the U.S. reduce the amount of aid we give to foreign countries. So it's worth knowing: How much does our federal government currently spend on foreign aid?


Where Are We Now: Congress, the Elections, and the Lame Duck

The Oct. 1 start of the new fiscal year passed quietly this year, as Congress recessed in mid-September so House and Senate members could return to their districts to campaign before the critical November elections. Members plan to return to Washington in mid-November for a “lame duck” session of Congress, during which there will be pressure to address a number of major issues.


Debate Prep: Federal Dollars in Your Community

During the upcoming presidential debates there will likely be a lot of attention paid on what the role of government ought to be. As taxpayers, you and I account for about two-thirds of the government’s annual revenues – an estimated 47 percent in Fiscal Year 2013 through our individual income ...


Debating Sequestration

It turns out that even people who are knowledgeable about the federal budget are surprised by the potential impact of sequestration – the automatic spending cuts set to go into effect at the end of this year.This week I had the opportunity to return to Ohio, a critical swing state ...


You Ask, We Answer: Did Congress Just “Solve” Sequestration?

Greg from Portland, Oregon e-mailed last week and asked, “The House just passed a major spending bill. Does this mean the big funding cuts for education I’ve been hearing about won’t happen? I’m a teacher, and we’ve been hearing all sorts of scary [stuff] about these cuts.”What Greg is referring ...


Report from the Road: Columbia, MD

If you remember, last weekend I was in Columbus, OH as part of the series of “Move the Money” training sessions sponsored by NPP and Peace Action. This weekend took us to Columbia, MD.And here in the shadow of our nation’s Capitol, the concerns of the people I met were ...


Ryan Pick Solidifies Competing Visions in Federal Budget Debate

If there was ever any doubt that the U.S. federal budget would claim center-stage in the 2012 presidential race, it vanished with Mitt Romney's selection of House Budget Chair Paul Ryan (R-WI) as the GOP Vice Presidential nominee. Although Mitt Romney has emphasized he will run on a Romney budget, ...