A budget introduced by House Republicans would freeze pay for federal employees for three more years, increase employee contributions to their retirement plans, and cut the federal workforce by 10 percent. It's not expected to pass the Senate, but it's one issue setting the tone for this year's elections. William Dougan, president of the National Federation of Federal Employees, shared the union's perspective with Capital Insider.

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For the past five years, state and local governments have tried to adjust to a new reality. Their tax receipts -- that's income, real estate, and sales taxes -- took a major hit. Those receipts have not returned to pre-recession levels. This month the Government Accountability Office released a study on the possible long-term impact of such receipts. Stan Czerwinski, director of strategic issues at the GAO, painted a grim picture for Capital Insider.

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Some big corporations like Coca-Cola, Kraft, and Pepsi have cut ties with a conservative group called ALEC -- the American Legislative Exchange Council. ALEC helps state lawmakers with issues like voter identification legislation, immigration, and stand-your-ground gun laws. Those legislative measures are not new to controversy, but opposition took a new tone after George Zimmerman shot and killed Florida teenager Trayvon Martin. CQ Roll Call's Janie Lorber discovered ALEC lost another big supporter this week.

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President Obama calls it "Iran's last chance," referencing a round of negotiations expected to take place later this week. The U.S. and its European allies plan to open nuclear talks with Iran by demanding the immediate closure of a nuclear facility deep under a mountain and a halt in that country's uranium fuel production. Meanwhile, China is urging all sides to show "flexibility" and "sincerity" during negotiations. China provides an economic lifeline to Iran and historically opposes tough sanctions by the U.S. and others. Lt. Col. Anthony Shaffer offered analysis ahead of Friday's negotiations.

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Last week, a spending scandal was revealed at the General Services Administration. The federal agency (that serves as the primary landlord and real estate broker for the federal government) spent more that $800,000 during a three-day training conference in Las Vegas in 2010. Administrator Martha Johnson resigned, two deputies were fired, and several employees were put on leave. Joe Davidson, Federal Diary columnist at the Washington Post, gave Capital Insider an update on the developing investigation.

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It's hard to overestimate the importance of Super PACs on U.S. elections this year. The organizations are allowed to raise unlimited amounts of money from corporations, unions, and individuals and spend it to campaign for or against certain candidates. President Obama and the Republicans who want his job all have PACs of their own. Critics argue the firewall between candidates and the donors who support them no longer exists. George Mason University Political Science Professor Suzanne Robbins, Ph.D. discussed campaign strategy and the future of Super PACs on Capital Insider.

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There has been a lot of talk on the campaign trail this year about overhauling the U.S. Tax code. Japan supplied new ammunition this week -- lowering it's statutory corporate tax rate to 38.01 percent. That makes the U.S. rate of 39.2 percent the highest of any major economy. Pete Sepp of the National Taxpayers Union discussed the issue on Capital Insider.

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It was another big week in American politics. Republican Primary Frontrunner Mitt Romney made a clean sweep on Tuesday, winning contests in Wisconsin, Maryland and the District. After polls closed, Romney and President Obama focused on each other. Some say their public speeches signify the unofficial start of the general election campaign. Meanwhile, there was a scandal in Washington. Top officials at the General Services Administration were fired over a lavish three-day conference in Las Vegas. Republican Strategist Jack Burkman and Democratic Strategist Richard Fowler discussed "the week that was" on Capital Insider.

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The first recorded case of the avian influenza, or bird flu, happened in Hong Kong in 1997. The epidemic was linked to chickens. Since then, human cases have been reported in Africa, Asia, and Europe. Scientists call it an enormous pandemic threat. Last week, the Obama administration ordered a government review of research into recent bird flu studies. Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at NIH called the resulting controversy "somewhat of a misunderstanding."

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From the Cold War to "hot" wars, a spy is breaking his silence. Justin Jackson is also the senior-most African American at the CIA. WTOP's National Security Correspondent J.J. Green tells Capital Insider, Jackson has had a long and rewarding career.

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Some Republicans in Congress held a closed-door meeting last week to discuss bringing back a practice "banned" since the the politically toxic Bridge to Nowhere made headlines. Discussions about earmarks are in their early stages but they're already generating a lot of buzz. Taxpayers Protection Alliance President David Williams brought Capital Insider up to date.

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A new round of talks on Iran's nuclear program has been scheduled. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says Iran and six world powers -- including the U.S. -- will meet in Istanbul, Turkey on April 13th. Turkey hosted similar talks 14 months ago but they ended after two days. Ret. Army Col. Douglas MacGregor reviewed the talks' chances for success on Capital Insider.

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A spending scandal at the General Services Administration could have wide-spread political implications. As Republican primary campaign rhetoric continues to focus on wasteful government spending, tying that message to President Obama just got a lot easier. Ryan Alexander, President of a group called Taxpayers for Common Sense, spoke about the developing federal probe.

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Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives voted down the Facebook Protection Amendment. The bill targeted employers who ask for access to their employees' social media accounts. Facebook responded with a post of their own -- calling such reports "inappropriate" and "distressing." Facebook's chief privacy officer says users should not be forced to share their passwords with anyone. Mike McAuliffe, Senior Congressional Reporter for Huffington Post, spoke about the future of privacy and social media discussions on Capitol Hill.

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The cost of higher education continues to skyrocket. Over the past decade it jumped between 2 and 6 percent every year. To pay those bills, most college students take out loans -- lines of credit that can take decades to re-pay. Washington Post Financial Reporter Ylan Mui uncovered surprising new information from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York: Americans age 60 or older owe $36 billion in student loans.

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We have new information on possible cuts at the Department of Defense. The U.S. Military considers their Joint Strike Fighter Program affordable, next-generation technology for the Navy, Air Force and Marines. Now, budget cutters have the costly program in their crosshairs. C.Q. Roll Call's John Donnelly briefed Capital Insider on the program's future.

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It was a monumental week for American politics -- from the Supreme Court's three-day review of health care reform to President Obama's open-mic moment at the South Korean Nuclear Summit. Democratic Strategist Erikka Knuti and Republican Strategist Jack Burkman review the week in politics.

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On Friday, the nine justices on the supreme court cast their votes for or against health care reform. The result of their vote will be a heavily guarded secret until the end of June when they release their opinion. The Affordable Care Act is massive and people still struggle to understand how it will impact them. Fmr. Federal Trade Commission Policy Director David Balto weighs in on why consumers should care about health care reform.

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