Blogs

Republicans say they are working on new proposals after the House on Thursday approved repeal of last year’s health care legislation.The 245-189 vote was considered largely symbolic because the President and Democrats, who control the Senate, support the original legislation.…

In preparing for tonight’s State of the Union address, President Obama would do well to heed suggestions recently offered from two fiscal experts who have advised him in the past.Christina Romer, former chairwoman of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers,…

Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-ND) today announced that he will retire from the Senate when his term expires in early 2013. Conrad said one of his top priorities for the remainder of his term would be "to get…

Proposals from President Obama’s fiscal commission and other bipartisan panels that issued reports last year are drawing renewed attention as the new Congress gets to work.Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas), for example, has introduced a bill that would cut federal spending…

Although older Americans often talk about wanting a bright future for their children and grandchildren, irresponsible fiscal policies continue to dim that future year after year. High government debt and unsustainable benefit programs threaten to burden tomorrow’s citizens with extremely…

Recent calculations by Gene Steuerle and Stephanie Rennane at the Urban Institute underscore Medicare’s financial challenges and the need to curb its growing costs. The new numbers show the relationships between what people of different ages and incomes pay into…

Last week the House adopted budget enforcement rules that restrict spending but exempt tax cuts. Included are rules that weaken PAYGO by excluding revenues, allow reconciliation to be used for deficit-financed tax cuts, permit the chairman of the Budget Committee…

Urban Institute scholar Gene Steuerle has run the numbers and found that for Medicare, retirees are getting a really good deal.In a fascinating set of calculations, Steuerle and colleague Stephanie Rennane, looked at both Social Security and Medicare and estimated the levels of benefits relative…