All You Asked
Why Washington and its debt woes eclipse 'jobs' as public's top concernsThe mood shift, which showed up in a new Gallup poll, doesn't coincide with marked improvement in the jobs outlook. Rather, it indicates that Americans are becoming more worried about Washington's management of debt and other fiscal matters.
Where do big deficits come from? James M. Buchanan had an idea.James M. Buchanan, who died Wednesday, concluded that a government's rules often favor its own expansion. He furthered 'public choice theory,' which says that politicians and others tend to act in self-interest.
Everything you need to know about budget 'sequestration' – except the consequencesThe White House has reported on the $1.2 trillion in automatic budget cuts that are part of last year's debt ceiling deal. But how the cuts will impact individual programs remains unclear.
Obama's record on job creation: How good or bad?The question of jobs is central to Election 2012. Mitt Romney claims President Obama has been a failure, while Obama says he's presided over steady growth. Decoder sweeps aside the spin.
Why Obama beat Romney in fundraising for first time since AprilBoth campaigns raised record sums in August, but Team Obama came out on top. The secret weapon: lots and lots of small donations.
Obama vs. Romney 101: 5 ways they differ on taxes President Obama and challenger Mitt Romney agree on the need to overhaul the federal tax code to produce a simpler tax system with lower rates. But they disagree on whether tax reform should also increase government revenues. Here are five tax issues on which they differ.
Obama vs. Romney 101: 6 ways they differ on health-care reform Former Gov. Mitt Romney has taken a libertarian turn since championing health-care reforms in Massachusetts, including an individual mandate to purchase insurance, which became the model for President Obama's signature law. Here’s a list of areas where the candidates differ.
The Paul Ryan budget: 5 go-to sources for understanding it Looking for in-depth analysis of the Paul Ryan budget plan? D.C. Decoder has compiled a list of excellent sources to help you sort out truth from fiction.
Is Obama's tax plan a 'job-killer'?Conservatives say the tax plan will harm small businesses – the nation's top job creators. But Obama says only about 3 percent of such firms are affected, while others call the tax-hiring link 'simplistic.'
Obama tax proposal: Who makes more than $250k, and are they rich?President Obama has proposed extending the Bush-era tax cuts for households making less than $250,000 a year. Here's a look at who would end up paying higher taxes.
Obama tax-cut plan: easing risk of 'fiscal cliff'?Not extending the Bush-era tax cuts for the rich could cut the federal deficit by $81 billion in 2013, but it could also damage the economy by reining in spending by the highest-earning Americans.
Obama's call for middle-class tax cut extension: three key pointsCutting to the chase: It won't pass. Although voters support higher taxes on the rich – even some Democrats are wary that what counts as 'rich' in some states doesn't go as far in others.
Is Obama really losing the money battle? A fundraising Q&A.President Obama is claiming that Mitt Romney and his allies could outspend him, but the truth (not surprisingly) is a little more complicated. Here is what's known about the money race.
'Fiscal cliff'? 'Sequester'? Your guide to Congress's code language. Congress knows what it means by terms such as 'fiscal cliff' or 'Simpson-Bowles,' but to many outside the Beltway they may as well be speaking Greek. Here's a translation of Washington's shorthand for budgetary issues now before the country – with each entry explained in 50 words or less.
FocusIs Congress to blame for a downshifting US economy?Evidence is mounting that the economy is taking a hit because Congress can't – or won't – deal with the 'fiscal cliff' looming at year's end. The fight on Capitol Hill last summer over the national debt limit also took an economic toll.
The ExplainerD.C. Decoder 101: How Washington spends your moneyThere's a lot of talk about cutting the US deficit but very little actual cutting of deficit. One reason? There's not much easy to cut. Decoder explains the six ways Washington spends money.
