Jeff Spross

After ripping the Obama administration back in May for it’s handling of the BP oil spill, James Carville has now posted commentary on CNN to the effect that “one also must give credit to a much improved and vigorous response to the environmental catastrophe in the Gulf.” The White House, for it’s part, appears to […]

So John Boehner thinks the announced resignation of Christina Romer, in combination with the latest jobs report, is evidence the Obama administration needs to seriously retool its economic policy: “After another disappointing jobs report and the resignation of one of the chief architects of the trillion-dollar ‘stimulus,’ it’s time for President Obama to listen to […]

A group of religious leaders and Jewish activists — including Rabbi Arthur Waskow, founder of The Shalom Center — rallied today at the planned site of the Cordoba Initiative, showing their support for plans to construct the mosque and Islamic center near the World Trade Center site. Waskow says he thought it was appropriate for […]

The Heidelberg Project, named after the street on which it operates, is an outdoor art and neighborhood-renewal project in Detroit that creates found-object sculptures out of deteriorating houses. Still operating after two decades and two near demolitions, the project is part of a burgeoning artistic renaissance occurring amid Detroit’s economic decline. (Flickr/elise8122)

Ann Friedman says Sarah Palin and her ilk may claim to speak for moms, but offer no policy solutions for working families: Where do these candidates stand on children’s health insurance? On family-leave policies? On consumer product safety? On early childhood education? We can make some inferences based on their anti-government talking points, but their […]

Then maybe Michael Barr as head of the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Currently assistant secretary at the Treasury Department, Barr played an instrumental role in getting FinReg through Congress, has often stumped for increased financial protections for low-income people, and has advocated making it more difficult for companies to squeeze profits out of consumer […]

The five TAP pieces that have made a stir around the Web this week. “The Myth of the Fairer Sex“ “Defining Lynching Down“ “What Will a Republican Majority Do Next?“ “Digital Copywrongs“ “Webb And ‘White Privilege’“

Sixty-six American troops died in Afghanistan this July, making it the deadliest month of the entire nine-year occupation. Approximately 265 American troops have died so far this year. For the Afghanis themselves, the situation has also gotten worse — last year saw at least 2,200 civilian deaths due to the conflict. (U.S. Army Photo/Staff Sgt. […]

After months of sometimes violent protests, garment workers in Bangladesh — largely women and among the lowest paid in the world — have won an increase in their wages. The new pay scale raises the minimum from 1662 takas to 3,000 takas a month (equivalent to $25 and $45, respectively) and goes into effect in […]