Budget Matters Blog

Category: Budget Process


Competing Priorities: The Millennial Outlook

Millennials have just as much of a stake in the answers to long-term budget questions as we do in the short-term decisions concerning the economic recovery. First, Millennials prefer a balanced approach with regards to deficit reduction.


Voter Guide 2012: Obama vs. Romney on the Issues

The two presidential candidates have put forth very different proposals on nearly every issue, and now it's up to voters to choose the path our country will take for years to come. From Medicare to education to budget deficits, here's where the candidates stand on 12 key issues:   Candidate ...


Pentagon Spending: Obama vs. Romney

During Monday’s presidential debate both candidates discussed their plans for future Pentagon spending. Gov. Romney claimed that President Obama would cut $1 trillion from the Pentagon’s budget, while President Obama questioned how Gov. Romney would fund $2 trillion in new Pentagon spending.So what’s going on here? Let’s look at some ...


Tweets From the Second Presidential Debate

Once again, NPP contributed facts about the budget, taxes, and federal spending to the Presidential Debate conversation happening on Twitter. Here are some of our most popular tweets.


Social Security Benefits: What You Give Isn’t What You Get

Because the Social Security program is an earned benefit programs – future beneficiaries pay into the system while they are members of the work force – it is often assumed that your benefits are based on your contributions to the program. In this model, Social Security operates like a government ...


Where Are We Now: Congress, the Elections, and the Lame Duck

The Oct. 1 start of the new fiscal year passed quietly this year, as Congress recessed in mid-September so House and Senate members could return to their districts to campaign before the critical November elections. Members plan to return to Washington in mid-November for a “lame duck” session of Congress, during which there will be pressure to address a number of major issues.


The Debate We're Not Having

These days, it’s fashionable for any candidate for federal office to talk about how quickly he’ll reduce the budget deficit, which totaled around $1.1 trillion in fiscal 2012.


NPP's Top 5 Debate Tweets

NPP's research team live-tweeted and fact-checked the first debate of the 2012 Presidential Election. If you missed, here are our top 5 tweets.


Voting for the First Time

I used to be oblivious to the inner workings of my pay stub, and how the taxes I pay are used by the federal government. As a recent high school graduate, working two jobs and preparing for college, reading A People’s Guide to the Federal Budget has been a real eye-opener. As I prepare to vote for the first time this fall, and enter into college as a political science major, I am more aware of how seemingly concrete numbers can be twisted around to aid different points of view.


You Ask, We Answer: Did Congress Just “Solve” Sequestration?

Greg from Portland, Oregon e-mailed last week and asked, “The House just passed a major spending bill. Does this mean the big funding cuts for education I’ve been hearing about won’t happen? I’m a teacher, and we’ve been hearing all sorts of scary [stuff] about these cuts.”What Greg is referring ...