Just The Facts

No Labels provides a series of background briefings to provide the context you need to understand the top issues of the day -- with no partisan spin, just the facts. Check out the topics below.

Understanding the Filibuster

As part of our plan to Make Congress Work!, we've suggested a way to fix the filibuster in the Senate. But many have asked -- what is the filibuster? And what's wrong with it? Here, we explain how the filibuster was originally conceived and how it has changed.

Understanding the Line-Item Veto With A Twist

We recently released our Make the Presidency Work! action plan. Reform four in the action plan, the line-item veto with a twist, was met with many questions from supporters. Some wondered how it worked, while others asked what differentiated the reform from the line-item veto that was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 1998. We tried to answer all of your questions here.

Credit Downgrade

Congress’ inability to find a substantive solution to our nation’s debt crisis resulted in Standard & Poor’s (S&P) downgrading the U.S. long-term debt from AAA to AA+, on August 5, 2012, sending shock waves throughout the global financial markets.

Primary Elections

Our politics are defined by elections. One day in November can shift the entire direction of the country. And when citizens go to the polls on Election Day, the candidate field has already been narrowed to usually just two choices -- through primary elections. But how does the final field of candidates develop and how are primaries run? The answer: It depends on the state and the party.

Pledges

Many politicians have infringed upon their oath of office by signing single-issue partisan pledges. These partisan pledges prevent representatives from being open minded and analyzing alternatives that could be critical to our future development as a nation. 

Annual Financial Report

On Dec. 23, 2011, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the Treasury Department released a report that might just be the most important document you’ve never heard of. It’s a financial statement for the entire U.S. federal government’s operations, compiled by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the auspices of the Treasury Department and audited by GAO. Every year, GAO releases this report, and every year, no one notices.