That Senate Republicans used the filibuster to kill a Democratic stimulus bill isn’t a surprise – at this point, Republicans have all but announced their plan to keep the economy from significantly improving, and as a result, slash the tires on President Obama’s bid for re-election. What comes as a surprise is the extent to […]
Budget
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Occupy the Rules Committee
For last two months, we’ve been engaged in something of a natural experiment to see if presidential speechifying-in this case, a consistent focus on jobs-is enough to move public opinion in a progressive direction and create avenues for legislative success. So far, that hasn’t been the case. Instead, Republicans have taken their usual position of […]
Posted inCivil Rights in America
The NYPD: A Movement’s Best Friend
Occupy Wall Street’s confrontations with police and politicians have only fueled the protest’s growth.
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
One out of Five Ain’t Bad
Rick Perry didn’t lose last night’s debate, which for him, counts as a win.
Posted inHealth and Social Policy
The Medicare Bind
Democrats should defend Medicare. But if they want to accomplish much else, they will have to change it.
Posted inEconomic Policy
History’s Missed Moment
Why did the greatest failure of laissez-faire capitalism since the Great Depression lead to a turn to the right rather than the left in both Europe and the U.S.?
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Forget the Super Congress
A lot of punditry today is being directed at the super-committee of 12 that the debt-ceiling deal establishes, ostensibly to bring our fiscal house in order. But God knows why. The idea that the Republicans on the committee will accede to any tax increases — after House Republicans read John Boehner the riot act for […]
Posted inEconomic Policy
I Ruined the Economy and All I Got Were These Lousy Tax Cuts
Will the GOP’s budget plan spark a double-dip recession?
Posted inAmerica and the World
Governing Beyond His Means
Rep. Paul Ryan’s foreign policy ideas are sensible, but his budget would make implementing them impossible.
