Economy | ANALYSIS
Households to take hit from tax hike
by Tomoko Otake
The consumption tax increase will hit every household in Japan hard, with many people’s financial future hanging on whether their wages rise enough to offset the hike's impact.
Global-related Oct 1, 2013
The chance to underscore political self-dealing
by George Will
By forcing Democrats to dramatize their perverse priorities in order to halt a government shutdown, U.S. Republicans can turn to completing the neutering of the Obama presidency.
Politics & Diplomacy Sep 26, 2013
U.S. Senate clears spending hurdle in averting shutdown
The Democratic-led Senate easily cleared a hurdle to averting a government shutdown after a Republican lawmaker ended a 21-hour speech aimed at using the measure to derail President Barack Obama’s signature health care overhaul. Senators voted unanimously Wednesday to allow a temporary spending bill ...
Politics & Diplomacy Sep 25, 2013
Cruz, party tangle over U.S. shutdown
by Paul Kane
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz escalated his conflict with fellow Republicans Tuesday when he stepped up his attacks on President Barack Obama’s signature health care law, complicating House GOP efforts to pass a funding bill that would avert a government shutdown next week. Launching a ...
Global-related Aug 26, 2013
The perfect excuse for politicians not to govern
by Jonathan Bernstein
It's not just that the Republican tactic of shutting down the government is a bomb that may eventually go off. It's also a perfect excuse for everyone not to govern.