Strong numbers: Obama's policies are working says some Obama economic spokesman. Weak Numbers: We don't pay attention to one month's data says some Obama economic spokesman. We look at the long-term trend. Obama has created millions of jobs. His policies are working.

Take Europe, where the VAT is a major source of government revenue. When Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy and the Netherlands adopted a VAT--all between 1968 and 1971--their stated revenue goal was neutrality: Gains in revenue from the VAT...

Supporters say a VAT can be good for economic growth. Critics say it encourages wasteful government spending.

Research from the American Action Forum (AAF) finds that Dodd-Frank financial reform has led to a 14.5 percent drop in consumer revolving credit since 2010. AAF examined the impact of Dodd-Frank on revolving credit, such as credit cards and debt that is paid off periodically, and found significant impacts from the law.