Deficit hawks are dead, and few in Washington can muster any…

Their demise technically came Tuesday when the Congressional Budget Office calculated the federal deficit at $895 billion for the first 11 months of fiscal 2018 - a stunning gap that was met with a collective shrug on Capitol Hill. But the real death of the deficit hawks came late last year and early this year, as Republicans such as Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin who had railed against deficits in the first years of the Obama administration pushed through a massive tax cut despite CBO projections of a surge in federal borrowing.

Tax increases a staple of many Democratic campaigns in state, Congressional races

One primary message from Democrats this election is that if they win the majority in the U.S. House, or win their respective governors' seats, they will do everything they can to increase taxes.

FOP backs Patty-Pat in 177th

"I am extremely proud and honored to have the backing of the Philadelphia FOP and have practiced 'back the blue' my entire life," Kozlowski said. "From sitting on my local PDAC board, to volunteering over a decade at the Rizzo PAL, to having rallies, protests and vigils in support of our police officers, this endorsement means the world to me and this girl will be your biggest supporter, fighter and partner in Harrisburg.

The CFPB was a train wreck under Obama and it’s no better now

Remember when Elizabeth Warren was reminding everyone how important her brainchild, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was and how it was going to be turned into a tool of big business under President Trump? Wishful thinking at best, but closing in on two years under this administration, a Wall Street Journal analysis reveals that the bureau is still mostly up to their old tricks. In fact, to hear their description of it, you'd think Senator Warren would be proud.

Is the White House prepared for blue wave?

Here are the stories our D.C. insiders are talking about in this week's "Inside Politics" forecast, where you get a glimpse of tomorrow's headlines today. Is the President ready for November? CNN national political correspondent Maeve Reston said she's hearing from Republican operatives and donors worried that President Trump and his top advisers don't realize how bad November's election could be for them.

Many women’s toiletries do cost more than men’s – and their mortgages might too, report finds

There is some evidence women pay more than men for mortgages, cars and auto repairs and have less access to small-business credit, a federal report has found. The "pink tax" is real: Many products aimed at women cost more than the versions men are supposed to buy - and women might also be paying more for gender-neutral things such as mortgages, according to a new report by the Government Accountability Office.

Report Suggests More Taxpayers Will Owe Tax In 2019 Due To Insufficient Withholding

Why the confusion? In addition to the new tax rates , the TJCA made significant changes to itemized deductions normally claimed on a Schedule A. Those changes include limits on the deductions for state and local taxes, a cap on the amount that you can borrow for purposes of the home mortgage interest, and exclusions for job-related expenses. As a result, the Internal Revenue Service has encouraged taxpayers who itemize to do a checkup on their taxes .

Bill Launched by Attorney General’s CyberOhio Initiative Signed into Law

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine today released the following statement regarding Senate Bill 220, the Data Protection Act sponsored by State Senators Bob Hackett and Kevin Bacon , being signed into law: "I congratulate Senator Hackett and Senator Bacon for working with their Senate and House colleagues to pass this important bill and send it to the governor's desk and commend the governor for signing it into law," said Attorney General DeWine. "By encouraging Ohio business owners to take appropriate and proven steps to enhance their cybersecurity, Ohioans can be confident that their personal information will be better protected.

Saturday’s TV highlights and weekend talk shows: ‘A Summer to Remember ‘ on Hallmark

Catherine Bell, left, and Cameron Mathison in the made-for-TV romance "A Summer to Remember " on Hallmark. Pink Collar Crimes This new episode profiles a financial planner who allegedly siphoned money from the retirement funds of her relatives and friends to enable herself to live the high life.

Teachers to mount insurgency at Kentucky’s campaign kickoff

As Republicans in Congress prepare for a possible backlash this fall against President Donald Trump, their counterparts in the Kentucky legislature are grappling with a similar threat from the state's teachers and public workers. This spring, thousands marched on the state Capitol in a protest that shuttered more than 30 school districts across the state and pressured lawmakers to remove some of the most hated proposals from a pension bill that would have taken away cost-of-living raises.

Abortion-rights activists brace for new wave of restrictions

Abortion-rights advocates are intensifying efforts to make it easier for women to get abortions amid a new wave of state-level bans and restrictions expected to occur under a reconfigured U.S. Supreme Court. The efforts include boosting financial aid for women needing to travel long distances to get an abortion, and raising awareness about the option of do-it-yourself abortions.

Wells Fargo will pay $2.09 billion penalty over mortgages linked to financial crisis

Wells Fargo has agreed to pay $2.09 billion to settle a government probe into the bank's creation of mortgages riddled with flaws that the U.S. Department of Justice said contributed to the financial crisis that helped unleash the Great Recession, the government announced Wednesday. Wells Fargo has agreed to pay $2.09 billion to settle a government probe into the bank's creation of mortgages riddled with flaws, which the U.S. Department of Justice said contributed to the financial crisis that helped unleash the Great Recession, the government announced Wednesday.

The Rubio-Wagner Bills Help Workers by Modernizing Social Security

Senator Marco Rubio and Representative Ann Wagner wrote in USA Today that they are introducing legislation to modernize our more than 80-year-old public pension system - Social Security - to make it more flexible and better able to meet the needs of today's workers. This is welcome news.

Donnelly, Heller Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Protect Seniors from Financial Abuse and Scams

U.S. Senators Joe Donnelly and Dean Heller introduced the bipartisan National Senior Investor Initiative Act of 2018 today in the Senate. The proposal, which is aimed at protecting seniors from financial crimes and scammers, would create a dedicated task force within the Securities and Exchange Commission to strengthen protections for seniors who make investments.