As you’re gathering your friends and family around for one last summer barbecue this Labor Day weekend, don’t forget to recognize the day as a time to celebrate workers for their contributions to the strength, well-being, and prosperity of our nation. In honor of Labor Day, here are some fast facts on the American workforce, minimum wage workers, and the unemployed.

The federal minimum wage is normally seen as a labor standard that imposes costs on businesses, and, by lifting up the wage floor, benefits low wage workers.  This is an accurate, but incomplete view, however, as it doesn’t show the impact on the federal budget that results from businesses failing...

Yesterday the trustees of two key social insurance programs - Social Security and Medicare - released their annual reports projecting the future of the programs’ finances.

Doug Hall explains the budgetary implications of the controversial Hobby Lobby and Harris v Quinn Supreme Court rulings.

This year's Tax Day brings startling numbers about how tax loopholes allowed General Electric to avoid paying billions in taxes.

Last week marked three full months that Congress has let long-term unemployment benefits lapse, leaving 2.3 million unemployed workers – who have been unemployed for 6 months or more and have exhausted regular, state benefits – without assistance.  And each week that passes, an additional 72,000 people lose benefits.

If you want a story about the illogic that rules Washington, look no further than this.

About 1.3 million people lost extended unemployment benefits at the end of 2013. Since then 72,000 have had their compensation expire every week, totaling about 2 million jobless Americans without needed jobless assistance.

Does the federal budget affect lunchtime for the kids in your neighborhood? You might be surprised at the answer.

It's that time of year. Taxes are due on April 15. But where do our tax dollars actually go?  Here's the answer.