The presidential election is about voters’ vision for how the federal government should serve the American people. National Priorities Project’s Primary Stakes series examines how residents of primary states currently rely on assistance from the federal government, and two Super Tuesday states illustrate that support from the federal government—and taxes ...

Many of our Facebook fans have been asking why National Priorities Project includes Social Security in charts about federal spending. If Social Security is funded by a dedicated source—your payroll taxes, also called FICA—then shouldn’t Social Security be shown separately from other kinds of federal spending? Most of the cost ...

Likely voters said their top priority for President Obama’s 2013 budget was job creation, according to a poll conducted last month by The Hill. The president released his fiscal 2013 budget on Feb. 13, and it includes around $350 billion for job creation, including money for jobs in the short-term, ...

National Priorities Project examines direct federal support to Michigan residents, and federal money in the state’s budget.

National Priorities Project examines the president's new budget, and why it matters.

Colorado residents will caucus today to decide their pick for the Republican nominee for president. Choosing a presidential candidate in part means caucus-goers will consider how they want the government to spend their federal tax dollars. National Priorities Project took a look at how much Colorado residents currently pay in ...

Senior research analyst Mattea Kramer examines federal spending in Colorado ahead of the state's Feb. 6th caucus to decide its Republican nominee for president.  

Jackie Bray is a single mother who lost her job as a mechanic but has a new one working at a wind turbine factory in Charlotte, North Carolina. In his State of the Union Address on Tuesday night, President Obama used this story to illustrate his vision for America’s economy. ...

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, the State of the Union address is important in part because it gives a preview of the president’s forthcoming budget request. (In early February President Obama will release his budget request for fiscal year 2013, which begins on October 1, 2012.) National Priorities Project ...

On Tuesday night President Obama will give the final State of the Union address of his first term. Much speculation precedes the address, and much analysis follows. But why does the State of the Union matter so much? One reason the State of the Union has been important historically is ...