The new year will bring changes for taxpayers as a slate of new state laws takes effect across the country, impacting Americans’ wallets through higher minimum wages, a new tourism tax in Hawaii and other cost-of-living measures. At the same time, a growing number of states are moving to restrict what food can be purchased with SNAP benefits or tighten eligibility requirements, signaling a broader push to rein...

There’s no denying the Democratic Party had a very good year at the ballot box. Fueled by their laser focus on affordability amid persistent inflation, Democrats scored decisive victories in last month’s 2025 elections and overperformed throughout the year in special elections and other contests. A year after President Donald Trump and Republicans scored sweeping victories as they won back the White House and Senate and held their...

Lawmakers fought over Obamacare subsidies tooth and nail for the latter part of the year, and ultimately, neither side won. Senate Democrats thrust the government into the longest shutdown in history in an effort to refocus the narrative in Congress on healthcare, and Republicans agreed to talk about it in the open. And both Republicans and Democrats got a shot to advance their own, partisan plans. Both failed....