government spending

(Newser) - Volatile markets rule the headlines, but the imperiled nonfinancial economy is more worrisome, Paul Krugman writes in the New York Times. The way to get that rolling again, contrary to what John McCain said in Wednesday’s presidential debate, is to ignore the deficit and increase government spending. As retail...

(Newser) - Nancy Pelosi spent 63% more in her first nine months as House speaker than Dennis Hastert did over the same period last year—including $16,000 on flowers, the Hill reports. Republicans said the $3 million figure gave the lie to Democrats’ promises of fiscal responsibility; Pelosi aides say the...

(Newser) - Mystery solved: companies rake in about $28 for every dollar spent lobbying Capitol Hill, BusinessWeek reports. According to the numbers, it's military contractors that get the most spending "earmarks" slipped into bills by lawmakers. But recent scandals over the system have prompted Bush and Pelosi to call for cuts...

(Newser) - Oversized tax collection has left state governments with unexpected funds to dole out, and newly Democratic governments are working some big-government swagger. The Times reports that more than 40 states have deeper coffers than budgeted, and new money is going to local initiatives in education, health care and gay rights—...