Where is the Money Going?
Cost of War in Afghanistan Passes War in Iraq
Iraq is no longer the most costly foreign policy priority of the United States. Thanks to the withdrawal of troops from Iraq, and the continued build-up of forces in Afghanistan, the latter is now costing $6.7 billion a month, compared to $5.5 bil... read more
Wall Street’s Big Four Earn Profits for 61 Straight Days
Likened to pitching a perfect game in baseball, four of the biggest players on Wall Street managed to do something rarely seen in the stock market. Bank of America, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase conducted 61 straight days of trading ... read more
FCC Plans to Force Phone Companies to Warn Users When They Exceed Usage Limits
Federal regulators want to lessen the “shock” that comes when some consumers open their cell phone bills. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) intends to craft new rules requiring cell phone companies to warn customers if they’re starting t... read more
Women’s War Memorial Needs Money
A memorial dedicated to all American women who have served their country is in need of funding, as many of its most dedicated supporters from World War II are dying off. Upkeep of the memorial, which is located in Arlington National Cemetery, cost... read more
Taxes at Lowest Rate in 60 Years
Contrary to how it feels for many Americans, taxes are not abnormally high these days. Data from the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis shows the country in 2009 paid the lowest rate of taxes since 1950. Whereas Americans have hi... read more
In State Elections, It’s Still Hard to Beat a Rich Incumbent
While the talk continues about throwing out incumbents from Congress during the 2010 election, challengers will be hard-pressed to bring about change in state legislatures.
A review of state legislative races in 2008 by the National Institute ... read more
Americans Have $16 Trillion in Retirement Assets
Many Americans may not feel rich these days, but the country nonetheless is swimming in wealth when it comes to retirement assets. According to an analysis by the Investment Company Institute, the U.S. had $16 trillion as of the end of 2009 in all... read more
Health Insurance: Employer-Based Coverage Falls, Number of Uninsured Grows
The recent recession exacerbated the problem of Americans without health insurance, as rising unemployment forced many who were insured through their jobs to lose medical coverage. A study from the Employee Benefit Research Institute shows the per... read more
Large Corporate Farms Still Get Bulk of Federal Subsidies
Two years after Congress passed legislation intended to spread subsidies among a wider array of farmers, new information shows large corporate farms are continuing to hog the majority of agricultural welfare.
Data compiled by the Environmental... read more
Federal Road and Bridge Spending Misdirected; Billions Wasted
Thousands of miles of roadway spanning highways and bridges lack necessary maintenance and repairs due to political decisions that result in spending more money on building new roads. The preference on the part of lawmakers at the state and federa... read more
Government Jobs Require More Education, Pay Less
Between what it requires and what it pays, government makes it difficult on itself when trying to hire the best employees the labor market has to offer.
Using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a new study has found that the public... read more
Spy Agency Runs Virtual Job Fair
Given how much intelligence gathering is done these days using electronic methods and impersonal settings, it’s no surprise that the United States’ Intelligence Community has begun using virtual job fairs to recruit the next generation of spies.... read more
Veterans Donate $13 Million from VA Lawsuit Settlement to Veterans’ Charities
After winning a $20 million settlement from the federal government, a group of veterans has decided to donate more than half of the money to two organizations that assist soldiers and their families.
The plaintiffs in the data theft lawsuit ag... read more
Surveys Show Americans Spend More for Health Care, Confused about Reform
Americans could surely use some relief from the burden of healthcare costs, but whatever benefits the recently passed reform plan has to offer are not being realized by a confused population.
When it comes to spending on medical care, the U.S.... read more
Military Health Care Bills are Skyrocketing
As expensive as health care is for America as a whole, things are even worse for the military and for wounded veterans in particular. Spending on medical and mental health services for soldiers is increasing twice as fast as the rest of the countr... read more
5 Amendments for True Financial Reform: Zach Carter
Legislation that proponents claim will reform the financial industry will fall far short of this goal, writes Zach Carter, economics editor for AlterNet and fellow at the Campaign for America’s Future. Instead, Carter has highlighted five amendmen... read more