Topic
The Government's Confidence Slide May Be Less Than It Looks
Gallup's new numbers show a sharp drop in trust in Washington, but the partisan split and a stubborn 49-point power gap tell a more complicated story.
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Topic
What Early Voting and Mail Ballots Have in Common
Both systems move the moment of voting weeks before Election Day, and both lean on the same chain of custody to keep the count honest.
Topic
How the National Weather Service Issues Warnings
Each severe weather alert carries a precise meaning set by one agency. Knowing the difference between a watch and a warning can change what you do next.
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Why Gas Prices Vary So Much by State
Cross a state line and the pump price can jump, even though the fuel is largely the same. Taxes, rules, and geography explain most of the gap.
Topic
What Is the National Debt and Who Owns It?
The national debt is the running total of what the federal government owes its lenders. It is held by the government itself, private investors, and foreign countries.
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How a Cabinet Secretary Shapes Everyday Life
The rules a department writes reach farther than any law Congress passes this year.
Topic
What the President Can and Can't Do by Executive Order
An executive order runs the executive branch. It cannot write law, spend money, or survive a court that says it exceeds the president's authority.
Topic
How Does the Electoral College Work? Electors, 270 and the Popular-Vote Gap
The president is not chosen by the national popular vote but by 538 electors, and the rules that produce that number explain most of what confuses voters.