Bill Clinton: Congress will punt on fiscal cliff

Former President Bill Clinton said Tuesday that lawmakers will most likely put off making a set of crucial spending and tax decisions until 2013.

"[Congress] will probably have to put everything off until early next year," Clinton said during an interview with CNBC. "That's probably the best thing to do right now."

Clinton was referring to the so-called fiscal cliff -- a series of measures set to begin in January that would MORE

Should the U.S. be borrowing more?

If there is one advantage to the current economic malaise, it is this: Borrowing costs for the United States have reached record low levels, creating an opportunity for the government to make much-needed investments at a low cost.

The U.S. government, thanks to its safe haven status, can currently borrow at rates of 0.6% for five years, 1.5% for 10 years and 2.55% over 30 years -- yields that contrast sharply MORE

Romney: I'll get unemployment down to 6%

Mitt Romney told our friends at TIME on Wednesday that he will get the unemployment rate to 6% by the end of his first term. (CNNMoney and TIME are both owned by Time Warner.)

"Over a period of four years, by virtue of the policies that we put in place, we'd get the unemployment rate down to 6%, and perhaps a little lower," Romney said. "It depends in part upon MORE

Private equity: Choose your own adventure

What is the average American to think of private equity?

The industry, which used to never get mentioned in the pages of political rags or on talk shows, is well on its way to becoming a campaign touchstone.

Just this week, President Obama declared private equity a legitimate campaign target. His campaign released a two minute ad focused on Bain Capital's takeover of Kansas City-based GST Steel. Vice President Joe Biden added MORE

Election 2012: Bain is here to stay

President Obama has made one thing very clear: He will be talking about Bain Capital a lot between now and Election Day.

"This is what this campaign is going to be about," Obama said Monday after drawing a distinction between what Mitt Romney did as CEO of Bain Capital and what is expected of a president.

Obama's comments came at an unlikely venue -- a NATO summit, of all things. But they MORE

Obama's super PAC problem

President Obama has a super PAC problem.

After outspending Sen. John McCain by a wide margin in 2008, the incumbent president is in danger of losing the 2012 money race to Mitt Romney.

Of course it's early, and Obama has a powerful fundraising machine. But the balance of power may well be upset as Republican super PACs have brought in much more money than pro-Obama super PAC Priorities USA Action.

That group, which MORE

Senators to Saverin: Don't come back. Ever.

Eduardo Saverin's decision to leave the United States with his money, but not his citizenship, has apparently touched a nerve in the Senate.

Sens. Chuck Schumer and Bob Casey held a press conference Thursday morning on Capitol Hill where they outlined legislation that would prevent the Facebook co-founder from ever returning to the United States.

Saverin, who now lives in Singapore, renounced his U.S. citizenship earlier this year. He will become astronomically MORE

Americans overwhelmingly favor big defense cuts

With annual budget deficits now routinely topping $1 trillion, a majority of Americans favor cutting defense spending, according to a new survey.

The survey, conducted by the Center for Public Integrity, the Program for Public Consultation and the Stimson Center, shows that 90% of Democrats and 67% of Republicans want less spending at the Pentagon.

The survey's methodology is interesting. Instead of simply asking Americans whether they favor more, less or the MORE

GOP candidates rack up debt

Newt Gingrich's long-foundering presidential run is finally over, but the former House speaker's efforts to pay off his campaign debt are likely just beginning.

The Gingrich campaign, as of the last reporting period, owes $4.3 million to creditors, including pollsters, staffers, consultants, lawyers and event venues.

The campaign owes Moby Dick Airways, an air charter company, more than $1 million. Another $450,000 is owed to a security firm called Patriot Group. Tech MORE

Romney declares victory, asks 'are you better off?'

After winning primary votes in Connecticut, Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island on Tuesday night, Mitt Romney bid adieu to his Republican opponents and turned his attention to President Obama and the general election.

In his victory speech, Romney argued that the president's economic policies have failed, and invoked Ronald Reagan's famous query to voters: "Are you better off than you were four years ago?" Here's what Romney said:

Four years MORE