fiscal future

Vast amounts of analysis are pouring out across the Internet today about President Obama's new budget, so much that it's hard for anyone not versed in the issue to keep up.

In a torrent of budget news, the Wall Street Journal's interactive graphic of the federal budget process is something to make you laugh or cry, as you prefer.

It was freezing in Emporia, Kansas – midway between Wichita and Kansas City, a great case study for the winters for which the Midwest is known - as President Obama, many miles away, took his ceremonial walk through the U.S. Capitol and began his first State of the Union address.

One of the biggest problems in getting Americans engaged on the nation's fiscal challenges is that the problem is so hard for most people to get their arms around. The numbers are so huge, the issues so arcane and the problems so daunting that people may get angry about it, but have no idea how to grab onto it.

The economic crisis is taking its toll on all sorts of things, and it turns out Social Security and Medicare are no different.