Patrick Caldwell
Patrick Caldwell is a writing fellow at The American Prospect.
The GOP Saves the Scariest for Last
Rick Perry’s late entrance won’t keep him from picking up momentum on the campaign trail.
Battle of the Runners-Up
The GOP straw poll in Ames, Iowa, might be a circus — but the results are crucial for second-tier candidates.
The List of Supporters for Ignoring the Debt Ceiling Grows
Bill Clinton offered his take Tuesday for how he would solve the debt ceiling: Oder the Treasury to keep issuing debt under the 14th Amendment, which states: “The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or […]
Every Major Credit Agency Prepares to Downgrade U.S.
Just in case Moody’s and S&P didn’t frighten you enough, Fitch credit agency has added itself to the list of groups planning to downgrade the United State’s triple-A rating if the debt ceiling is not raised by August 2. Per The Hill: First, the rating would be placed on Credit Watch Negative — a move […]
Time Running Out for Debt-Ceiling Deal
August 2 looms large as congressional leaders continued to scramble over the weekend, hoping to find a solution to the months-long negotiation. The Washington Post reports that talks are centered around a proposal from Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell to cut spending by $1.5 trillion over the next ten years without any increases to revenue. […]
Obama Dumps Policy for Politics
There is a brief respite today after the flurry of White House summits between President Obama and leaders from Congress. The two sides spent the week negotiating a way to bridge the impasse on raising the debt ceiling that, if not resolved by Aug 2, threatens to permanently alter the United State’s credit standing. Obama […]
Iowa Caucuses Force 2012ers Against Same-Sex Marriage
The leading figure in Iowa’s conservative movement is set to unveil a pledge that would pigeonhole the 2012 Republican presidential candidates into defined positions on a host of social issues. It will include a 14-point list of pledges ranging from the personal (staying faithful to one’s spouse) to broader policy (keeping the size of the […]
Republicans Slam the Breaks on Transportation Investment
Over on the homepage, Jason Mark has an article on how the transportation bill reauthorization could finally be an opportunity for progressives in Congress to begin tackling climate change. “Transportation accounts for more than two-thirds of the nation’s oil use and about 25 percent of its carbon-dioxide emissions,” Jason writes. Shifting funds in the transportation […]
