2012 Blog Archives


2013 and the Fiscal Cliff

2013 and the fiscal cliff will arrive in a few hours, though today's most popular Google search is about Kim Kardashian's pregnancy. After all, we can only take so much news about something called the "fiscal cliff." But it actually makes a difference whether we're paying attention to Kim Kardashian or to what's happening in Washington.


Best of 2012: From tax cuts to the fiscal cliff

What a year for the federal budget! In 2012, our nation tackled complicated topics ranging from tax cuts to sequestration. The November election pivoted on candidates’ federal spending and revenue plans, and highly polarized debates about the so-called “fiscal cliff” continue to rage in Washington. What's Ahead for the Fiscal ...

Did Federal Aid Influence Election Results?

In the recent presidential election, were people who receive federal aid more likely to vote for President Obama? Were the wealthy more likely to vote for Mitt Romney? The Daily Beast, with an assist from NPP's Federal Priorities Database, has the answer.


Will There Be a Fiscal Cliff Deal?

There have been few outward signs of progress in recent days as Congress and the White House negotiate over the so-called fiscal cliff. (We prefer to call it a fiscal obstacle course.) Naturally that's led to speculation that lawmakers won't be able to strike a deal to avoid the looming spending cuts and tax increases.


Updated Data: Housing

U.S. Housing Units and U.S. Housing Owners and Renters are now current through 2011.


You Ask, We Answer: How Big Are the Bush Tax Cuts?

A reader from Shelby Township, Michigan, wrote to us to ask about the Bush-era tax cuts. "How much revenue would the federal government get," he wrote, "if taxes were raised on the people making more than $200,000 per year?" It's a very timely question. Bush-era tax cuts for high earners are the most contentious part of negotiations raging over the so-called fiscal cliff.


Updated Data: Poverty

People, families, and children in poverty data are up to date through 2011.


Lack of Leadership in the Senate

I recently read an article that compared the gridlock in Washington, D.C. to living next to a railroad track with trains constantly going by – eventually you don’t even notice it. But with the fiscal cliff looming, concerns about the inability of Congress to get anything done are mounting.So it ...


Federal Priorities Database Gets a Facelift

We recently updated the Federal Priorities Database to look more like NPP's main site over at nationalpriorities.org. Some of the navigation has changed, but all the data is intact, and the searches work the same way. If you have any questions, get in touch at research@nationalpriorities.org.


White House Seeks Sandy Recovery Money

The White House is preparing an emergency funding request to help repair the damages caused by hurricane Sandy. Although final details are not yet available, the request is expected to be for about $50 billion.This is considerably below the total amount requested by states which suffered severe damage from Sandy. ...