NPR Series: The Federal Budget Crunch https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=135246600 The debate over the federal budget and how much to cut has pitted the Republicans and the Democrats against each other. en Copyright 2024 NPR - For Personal Use Only Story API Shim 1.2.24 Mon, 07 Apr 2025 14:53:52 -0400 https://media.npr.org/images/podcasts/primary/npr_generic_image_300.jpg?s=200 NPR Series: The Federal Budget Crunch https://www.npr.org/series/135246600/the-federal-budget-crunch A 'Radical' Plan To Cut Military Spending As Congress and the White House set a higher priority on cutting the budget deficit, a retired military man sees ways to reap major savings. In a plan he acknowledges as "somewhat radical," former Army Col. Douglas Macgregor proposes slashing the defense budget by 40 percent in just three years. Sat, 30 Apr 2011 16:11:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2011/04/30/135872891/a-radical-plan-to-cut-military-spending https://www.npr.org/2011/04/30/135872891/a-radical-plan-to-cut-military-spending

As Congress and the White House set a higher priority on cutting the budget deficit, a retired military man sees ways to reap major savings. In a plan he acknowledges as "somewhat radical," former Army Col. Douglas Macgregor proposes slashing the defense budget by 40 percent in just three years.

(Image credit: Chip Somodevilla)

]]> NPR Staff Debt Crisis Hangs Over Washington Politics Vice President Joe Biden begins negotiations next week with House and Senate leaders on a deficit reduction framework. The White House hopes the talks will persuade Congress to raise the ceiling on the federal debt. If the debt limit isn't raised by early July, the U.S. could default on its financial obligations for the first time in history. Fri, 29 Apr 2011 04:00:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2011/04/29/135829375/debt-crisis-hangs-over-washington-politics https://www.npr.org/2011/04/29/135829375/debt-crisis-hangs-over-washington-politics Vice President Joe Biden begins negotiations next week with House and Senate leaders on a deficit reduction framework. The White House hopes the talks will persuade Congress to raise the ceiling on the federal debt. If the debt limit isn't raised by early July, the U.S. could default on its financial obligations for the first time in history.

]]> Mara Liasson GOP Budget Architect Heads Home To Mixed Reviews House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan has drawn huge crowds at listening sessions in his Wisconsin district. While a few constituents have asked him to run for president in 2012, others have raised a slew of concerns, from what will happen to their medical coverage to Ryan's plan to cut taxes for the wealthy. Wed, 27 Apr 2011 16:14:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2011/04/27/135771348/gop-budget-architect-heads-home-to-mixed-reviews https://www.npr.org/2011/04/27/135771348/gop-budget-architect-heads-home-to-mixed-reviews House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan has drawn huge crowds at listening sessions in his Wisconsin district. While a few constituents have asked him to run for president in 2012, others have raised a slew of concerns, from what will happen to their medical coverage to Ryan's plan to cut taxes for the wealthy.

]]> Chuck Quirmbach Navigating The Budget Maze, Without Getting Lost The budget proposals from President Obama and House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan are filled with claims about reducing deficits, spurring economic growth and cutting spending. But they're often not particularly reliable or well-founded. Experts explain how to read the numbers to find out what's really going on. Fri, 22 Apr 2011 15:43:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2011/04/22/135632482/navigating-the-budget-maze-without-getting-lost https://www.npr.org/2011/04/22/135632482/navigating-the-budget-maze-without-getting-lost

The budget proposals from President Obama and House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan are filled with claims about reducing deficits, spurring economic growth and cutting spending. But they're often not particularly reliable or well-founded. Experts explain how to read the numbers to find out what's really going on.

]]> John Ydstie Obama To Hold Town Hall At Facebook Headquarters President Obama holds a town hall meeting at Facebook's headquarters in Palo Alto, Calif. Facebook users have been submitting queries for more than a week. NPR's Mara Liasson talks to Michele Norris. Wed, 20 Apr 2011 15:00:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2011/04/20/135578893/obama-to-hold-town-hall-at-facebook-headquarters https://www.npr.org/2011/04/20/135578893/obama-to-hold-town-hall-at-facebook-headquarters President Obama holds a town hall meeting at Facebook's headquarters in Palo Alto, Calif. Facebook users have been submitting queries for more than a week. NPR's Mara Liasson talks to Michele Norris.

]]> Standard And Poor's Role In A Post-Crisis World S&P and the other big rating agencies are still important. Despite post-crisis changes, the agencies are still woven into the financial system. Wed, 20 Apr 2011 00:01:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2011/04/20/135556232/s-ps-role-in-a-post-crisis-world https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2011/04/20/135556232/s-ps-role-in-a-post-crisis-world S&P and the other big rating agencies are still important. Despite post-crisis changes, the agencies are still woven into the financial system.

]]> Agency's Warning Heats Up Debt Ceiling Debate For months, lawmakers have known that the nation is on the way to hitting the debt ceiling, and news that credit rating agency Standard and Poor's has lowered its outlook on U.S. borrowing only puts more pressure on the coming debate. Now, lawmakers are weighing their options in the face of another high-stakes vote. Tue, 19 Apr 2011 17:13:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2011/04/19/135546561/agencys-warning-heats-up-debt-ceiling-debate https://www.npr.org/2011/04/19/135546561/agencys-warning-heats-up-debt-ceiling-debate For months, lawmakers have known that the nation is on the way to hitting the debt ceiling, and news that credit rating agency Standard and Poor's has lowered its outlook on U.S. borrowing only puts more pressure on the coming debate. Now, lawmakers are weighing their options in the face of another high-stakes vote.

]]> Audie Cornish Obama Defends Deficit Plan At Town Hall President Barack Obama held a town hall meeting Tuesday morning at a community college in Annandale, Va., a swing community in a swing state. Tue, 19 Apr 2011 15:00:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2011/04/19/135548307/obama-defends-deficit-plan-at-town-halls https://www.npr.org/2011/04/19/135548307/obama-defends-deficit-plan-at-town-halls President Barack Obama held a town hall meeting Tuesday morning at a community college in Annandale, Va., a swing community in a swing state.

]]> Mara Liasson Obama Begins Deficit-Reduction Campaign Swing With Low-Key Pitch In his first public forum since he laid out his deficit plan in a speech last week, the president defended his proposal to roll back Bush-era tax cuts for high earners, and said he would not gut spending on education, infrastructure and research. Tue, 19 Apr 2011 13:50:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolitics/2011/04/19/135544405/obama-begins-deficit-reduction-campaign-swing-with-low-key-pitch https://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolitics/2011/04/19/135544405/obama-begins-deficit-reduction-campaign-swing-with-low-key-pitch

In his first public forum since he laid out his deficit plan in a speech last week, the president defended his proposal to roll back Bush-era tax cuts for high earners, and said he would not gut spending on education, infrastructure and research.

(Image credit: Alex Wong)

]]> Liz Halloran S&P Issues Warning On U.S. Credit Rating The credit rating company Standard & Poor's has issued a negative warning on the triple-A credit rating of the United States. S&P says the U.S. has not come up with a credible plan to address fast-rising deficits and mounting debt. S&P warns there's a 1-in-3 chance that it could downgrade the U.S. top credit rating within two years. Markets were down sharply on the news. Mon, 18 Apr 2011 15:00:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2011/04/18/135519643/s-p-issues-warning-on-u-s-credit-rating https://www.npr.org/2011/04/18/135519643/s-p-issues-warning-on-u-s-credit-rating The credit rating company Standard & Poor's has issued a negative warning on the triple-A credit rating of the United States. S&P says the U.S. has not come up with a credible plan to address fast-rising deficits and mounting debt. S&P warns there's a 1-in-3 chance that it could downgrade the U.S. top credit rating within two years. Markets were down sharply on the news.

]]> John Ydstie