It took about 10 years of decisions for the federal budget to get more than a trillion dollars out of whack, and it’s going to take at least five years to balance it again. The only way to do it is piece-by-piece, with equal sa…
When some new members of Congress recently said they oppose raising the U.S. debt limit, it triggered warnings of “catastrophic consequences.” Indeed, the result wouldn’t be pretty. But here’s what’s at stake as the country’s d…
Moody’s Investors Service and Standard & Poor’s are both considering downgrading their ratings on U.S. debt because of rising interest-to-revenue ratios, the nation’s jobless recovery, and rising Social Security and health care…
The Federal Reserve is doling out billions to buy bonds in hopes of keeping interest rates low and stimulating the economy. However, several powerful forces are working against that low-rate strategy, ranging from investor psyc…
The deficit grew to a higher-than-expected $150.4 billion in November as government spending increased for the month. But November brought some bright spots as well: Federal revenue also grew at a higher rate in November, which…