The SEC Doing Wall Street’s Bidding Robert Kuttner In the right-wing revisionism of what caused the financial collapse, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are leading villains with the federal Community Reinvestment Act in a supporting role. Supposedly, Fannie and Freddie lowered their standards, purchased lots of subprime mortgages, and were major contributors to the housing […]
Economic Policy
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Loveable Extremist
Liberals may have a soft spot for Ron Paul, but on economic issues, he’s the most extreme of the GOP candidates.
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
What? We Won?
The Democratic party discovers that economic populism works.
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
House GOP’s White House Stocking Stuffer: The Payroll Tax Cut
The cave-in by the House Republicans on the payroll tax is on terms that keeps this conflict going well into the election year–and on terms very favorable to Barack Obama and the Democrats. For the GOP, the two-month extension of the payroll tax cut is the worst possible politics. First, they look weak (because they […]
Posted inBooks, Arts and Culture
It’s a Wonderful Lie
Bank of America and J.P. Morgan Chase’s ad campaigns portray the institutions as your friendly neighborhood credit union.
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Governing on Empty
With the Tea Party in control, House Speaker John Boehner can do little but make empty promises.
Posted inCivil Rights in America
Showdown at the Docks
Occupy Wall Street protesters celebrated the movement’s three-month anniversary by taking the fight to major ports.
Posted inEconomic Policy
Double Standards Galore
When it comes to financial hardship, American Airlines gets first-class treatment—the rest of us fly economy.
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
How President Obama’s Economic Message Could Backfire in 2012
A majority of Americans believe the government is helping the “wrong” people. Whether Obama’s message succeeds depends on who those people are.
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Legislative Legerdemain
Right-wingers are just as fond of attaching demands to must-pass legislation across the pond.
