Lesley Snyder 
Rural hospitals funding cuts from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act are pushing more than 300 facilities to the edge of closure. The $50 billion rural health fund Congress created covers only 37 percent of projected losses. Here is the state of America’s rural hospital crisis. 300+ – Rural hospitals at immediate risk of closure … Read more
A median health insurance increase of 11 percent is hitting small businesses for 2026 — on top of rising commercial property, auto, and liability costs. For operations already running on thin margins, the compounding effect is becoming a question of survival. 11% – Median health premium increase for small group plans (KFF/Peterson, 318 insurers) 32% … Read more
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the United States lost approximately 92,000 jobs in February, marking one of the first significant monthly declines in employment in recent years. While the headline number has triggered concerns about a slowing economy, economists say the deeper story behind the labor data is more complicated. The monthly employment report—often … Read more
Overall grocery inflation is slowing — but that headline hides the real story. Beef is up 15% year over year. Sugar and candy are up 5.7%. Non-alcoholic beverages are up 4.5%. And the average American family now spends $170 a week on groceries, up from $120 in 2020. By Elena Tran · Staff Reporter, Economy … Read more
The IRS confirmed the federal tax filing deadline is Wednesday, April 15, 2026, and the agency expects to process about 164 million individual returns this season. As of early March, the average refund stood at $3,676 — up 10.6% from the same point in 2025 — driven in part by new deductions under the One … Read more
Polarization is at record levels. Approval of Congress sits near historic lows. Yet data from the Miller Center at the University of Virginia finds that enacted laws are almost as bipartisan today as they were 50 years ago. The gap between the perception and the reality of congressional cooperation is the story most people aren’t … Read more
Local elections have historically drawn only 15–27% of registered voters. In cities that moved their elections onto federal election dates, turnout has tripled or quadrupled overnight — sometimes on the same ballot where turnout in the same city was under 15% the previous cycle. A structural reform, not a change in civic culture, is responsible … Read more
Employee health insurance. Commercial auto. Cyber liability. Property coverage. All four are rising simultaneously — and for small businesses with fewer than 50 employees, the combined pressure is at its highest point in over a decade. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York found health insurance costs hit harder than any other business expense last … Read more
Grocery prices in the United States continue to rise in 2026, leaving many households wondering why their weekly shopping bills remain so high even as overall inflation has slowed. From coffee and meat to canned goods and packaged snacks, several everyday products are becoming noticeably more expensive. While inflation is part of the story, economists … Read more
New import tariffs proposed in the United States could soon raise the prices of many everyday products. Tariffs—taxes placed on goods imported from other countries—are often used by governments to protect domestic industries or respond to trade disputes. But economists say these policies can also increase costs for businesses and consumers. According to data from … Read more