Newsletter Archive

January 2025

Republicans Divided Over How to Pass Trump’s Agenda

Happy Monday! Today marks the fourth anniversary of one of the darkest days in American history, the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol that temporarily disrupted the certification of Joe Biden’s election as president. The scene inside…

Plus: Plus: Trump doubles down on universal tariffs

Trump Pushes Johnson to Victory as Speaker

Happy Friday! Mike Johnson secured a full term as speaker of the House, and he did it on the first ballot — but it wasn’t easy. Here’s your evening update.

Plus: Plus: What's next

Johnson Faces Battle for the Speaker's Gavel

Happy New Year! The first days of 2025 will ring in some new laws, a restoration of the nation’s debt limit, a new $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries — and, potentially, a whole lot of political drama. So let’s…

Plus: Plus: Another $20 billion cut from IRS funding

December 2024

Has Trump Already Lost His Iron Grip on the GOP?

Happy Monday, and a happy Festivus! We’ll forego the traditional airing of grievances — and, boy, do we have some grievances with this Congress — and instead we’ll note that President-elect Donald Trump has some grievances of his own. We…

Plus: Plus: The Social Security Fairness Act passes

House Votes to Dodge Shutdown, Ditching Trump Demand

Happy Friday! Congress looks poised to avert a government shutdown at midnight, but it sure hasn’t been easy. Here’s the latest.

Plus: Plus: Biden admin scraps student loan forgiveness plan

Trump Blows Up Johnson’s Bipartisan Spending Deal

What a Wednesday! The possibility of a government shutdown this weekend suddenly looks very real, as President-elect Donald Trump trashed a bipartisan federal funding plan. Here’s what’s happening.

Plus: Plus: The Fed sees fewer rate cuts ahead

Republicans Fume Over ‘Dumpster Fire’ Funding Bill

Happy Tuesday! On this date 35 years ago, the long-running animated TV show "The Simpsons" made its debut. And Congress just released the 1,547-page text of a stopgap, three-month government funding bill. As Homer might say, woohoo!

Plus: Plus: Hawley proposes major increase in the Child Tax Credit

Congress Struggles to Reach Deal to Avert Government Shutdown

Happy Monday! It’s going to be a busy week on Capitol Hill as lawmakers race to extend federal funding ahead of a Friday night deadline. Also this week, some of President-elect Trump’s most scrutinized Cabinet picks will be meeting with…

Plus: Also: Trump talks tariffs, border wall, vaccines and more

GOP Hardliners Say Border Bill Should Come Before Tax Cuts

Happy Friday! President-elect Donald Trump said in a social media post today that the Republican Party will try to get rid of daylight saving time, calling the twice-yearly time change “inconvenient, and very costly to our nation.”

Plus: Plus: Congress scrambles to avert Christmas shutdown

Senate Tees Up Vote on a Social Security Boost for Millions

Happy Thursday! This morning, President-elect Donald Trump rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange to chants of “USA! USA! USA!” after being named Time magazine’s person of the year for a second time. In his interview with…

Plus: Plus: IRS announces $4.7 billion in recovered back taxes

House Passes Massive Defense Bill

Good Wednesday evening! On this date in 1980, President Jimmy Carter signed into law the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, which created a $1.6 billion environmental “Superfund” to pay for cleaning up…

Plus: Plus: Progress on inflation stalls

Trump’s Tax and Tariff Plans Are a ‘Major Mistake,’ Biden Warns

Happy Tuesday! On this date 60 years ago, Martin Luther King Jr. accepted his Nobel Peace Prize in a ceremony in Oslo, calling it “a profound recognition that nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political and moral question of our…

Plus: Plus: Americans' views on healthcare

Trump ‘Can’t Guarantee’ Tariffs Won’t Raise Prices

Happy Monday! We hope your weekend was almost as good as Juan Soto’s. Congress has 11 days to pass a government funding bill to avoid a pre-holiday shutdown and a host of other issues to resolve, including a massive annual defense policy…

Plus: Plus: $895 billion defense bill heads for a vote

Job Growth Surges, but Unemployment Rate Creeps Higher

Happy Friday! The drama surrounding President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of Fox News host Pete Hegseth to lead the Defense Department continued on Capitol Hill today, with Vice President-elect JD Vance vowing to stand by the…

Plus: Plus, DOGE doubts

Musk and Ramaswamy Hit Capitol Hill for DOGE ‘Brainstorming’

Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy met with congressional lawmakers on Thursday as they ramp up their agenda for DOGE, the new non-governmental Department of Government Efficiency, tasked with recommending ways to cut spending and regulations.

Plus: Plus: Extending Trump’s tax cuts would do little for growth, CBO says

Republicans Already Clashing Over Trump Policy Rollout

Happy Wednesday! It’s National Cookie Day, as if we needed an excuse to enjoy one or more of the sweet treats. Let us know your favorite cookie variety — and pass along your best recipes — by emailing yrosenberg@thefiscaltimes.com.

Plus: Plus: Trump picks former congressman to head IRS

Trump Threatens 100% Tariffs Against BRICS Nations

Happy Monday! On this date 70 years ago, the Senate overwhelmingly passed a resolution censuring Republican Sen. Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin, who had risen to prominence in the early 1950s for his “Red Scare” hunt for Communists in the U…

Plus: Plus: Congress prepares spending bill to avoid December shutdown