American Politics & Economy Pulse

Benefits costs rose 3.8% year-over-year, outpacing the 3.4% total compensation increase and wage growth.

• Health insurance and other non-wage items...

Former immigration judge Chloe Dillon claims she was fired 48 hours after reporting potential violations of law and due process involving...

Can Trump's $5,000 voter dividend be legally and fiscally implemented?

• Legal barrier: Federal statutes prohibit offering payments to influence...

• Extended 2017 tax cuts plus new breaks on tips, overtime and child credits reached 7.5M–40M filers, averaging $2,300 but skewed toward upper...

The Supreme Court’s swift, unanimous order blocks Missouri’s Republican-drawn map, forcing use of 2024 districts that elected six Republicans and two...

Mortgage rates climbed to 6.76% this week, their highest level in over 14 months, adding hundreds of dollars monthly to borrower costs and sharply...

The Trump administration is refunding $500 per person to nearly 1 million Americans in 30 states, claiming these payments correct Biden-era Obamacare...

A projected $73 Social Security COLA boost in 2027 could shrink to just $55 for many retirees if Medicare Part B premiums rise by a similar $18 as...

Does banning foreign bulk-power equipment secure the grid without driving up costs or straining supply chains?

• The order blocks acquisition of...

• Trump promises $5,000 payments to every adult if Republicans hold Congress, likening it to corporate shareholder distributions with a U.S. spending...

Starting in 2027, Medicare will require real-time electronic verification at checkout and tie each debit card to a single plan year to curb misuse of...

U.S. labor share of GDP fell to 52.8% in Q2 2026, the lowest since BLS records began in 1947 and down from 63.9% in 2000.

• Bargaining power:...

Anthropic researchers' stark warnings about AI dangers are driving lawmakers from both parties to push for stronger federal oversight.

• Sen. Van...

Is the U.S. fiscal trajectory sustainable as debt hits 123.4% of GDP?

• $32.5T GDP represents 25% of global output, yet national debt exceeds $40.1T...

Michigan's cannabis market is drowning in nearly 2 million pounds of oversupply, pushing retail prices to $58 per ounce while crushing grower...

Hyperscalers have issued more than $200 billion in debt so far in 2026—more than twice prior totals—while the 10-year Treasury yield approaches 5%,...

Montana's high-tech sector grew twice as fast as the overall state economy from 2014 to 2024, lifting its GDP share from 3.6% to 5%.

• In 2024 the...

• Regional studies spot emerging economic trends before they appear in national data.
• Local insights improve assessments of inflation and employment...

The Employment Trends Index rose to 108.53 in August from 107.76 in July, marking its second consecutive increase and supporting expectations of...

Borrowers who fail to pick a new plan by their September 29 deadline will be automatically shifted to the standard repayment plan and face the highest monthly bills. Some who already transitioned report payments rising by hundreds of dollars.