Uncle Sam has closed up shop.  The federal government shut down on Wednesday, as Congress failed to extend its annual appropriations. Now, food will go uninspected, Superfund sites uncleaned, and IRS helplines unanswered. Millions of Americans will suffer from disrupted government services, hundreds of thousands of federal workers are liable to miss paychecks, and economic […]

As of 12:01 am ET, the US federal government has been shut down. Workers deemed “nonessential” are staying at home, meaning that many government functions (like national parks) will be closed because of a lack of staff. “Essential” workers, ranging from soldiers to air traffic controllers, will be working even after money for their paychecks […]

Like most Americans this month, your most recent power bill may have given you a shock. Residential electricity rates have risen fast across the US — more than 30 percent on average since 2020 and almost double the rate of inflation in the past year — with no end in sight.  It’s not great for anyone’s […]

Could this meeting have been an email? Last week, when news broke that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth had ordered hundreds of generals from around the world to gather at the Marine base in Quantico, Virginia, this week, it set off fevered speculation about the possible reason for the unprecedented gathering.  After the meeting, it’s […]

On Friday, the Supreme Court handed down an order that could completely upend the balance of power between Congress and President Donald Trump. The order effectively permits Trump to cancel $4 billion in foreign aid spending that he is required to spend under an act of Congress.  Trump claims the power to “impound” funds, meaning […]