Deficit

Save Social Security: 10 Questions for the Deficit Commission

Dave Johnson | Posted 12.22.2009 | Politics


Dave Johnson

It is possible that there is going to be a "deficit commission" to reduce our country's budget deficits. I have some questions for them to ask to help get things started in the right direction.

House Democrats Propose $50 Billion For Jobs-Boosting Projects

AP | ANDREW TAYLOR | Posted 12.16.2009 | Politics


WASHINGTON — Responding to calls among rank-and-file Democrats for more infrastructure spending, House leaders Tuesday unveiled a plan to add al...

Federal Reserve: Are You Listening To Your Own Data?

Eric Lotke | Posted 12.17.2009 | Business


Eric Lotke

Even if utilization rose to 71.3 percent, more than a quarter of our nation's productive capacity is still lying idle.

City To Lose $84 Million In Funding

nydailynews.com | By Kenneth Lovett | Posted 12.13.2009 | New York


New York City will lose at least $84 million in funding under Gov. Paterson's plan to withhold payments to keep the state afloat this month....

Sam Stein

Bush Deficit Hurting Obama: Reports

HuffingtonPost.com | Sam Stein | Posted 12.10.2009 | Politics


The emerging narrative in political circles is that the White House has a deficit problem. Glenn Beck, over at Fox News, insists that Obama is "spendi...

Weathering the 2010 Storm

Dylan Loewe | Posted 12.07.2009 | Politics


Dylan Loewe

The best thing that can happen to the Democrats for the long-term in 2010 is to lose just enough seats that a) it won't impact their majority, but that b) the Republicans will think they won big.

Obama To Promote New Job Ideas During Tuesday Speech

AP | WILL LESTER | Posted 12.06.2009 | Politics


WASHINGTON — In his latest job creation effort, President Barack Obama is trying to find practical and politically feasible ways of spurring hir...

Ryan Grim

Obama Says Recovery Efforts Come Before Deficit Reduction

HuffingtonPost.com | Ryan Grim | Posted 12.04.2009 | Politics


President Barack Obama on Thursday disputed the notion that he is overly concerned about the budget deficit -- and as a result, is under-reacting to t...

Federal Reserve Chairmen Never Learn: Calculated Risk

calculatedriskblog.com | Calculated Risk | Posted 12.04.2009 | Business


In his 2001 testimony, Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan testified before the House Committee on the Budget, and while offering his usual cautions and cavea...

Obama Met With Journalists Before West Point Speech: 'Americans Are Right To Be Concerned'

The Atlantic | Marc Ambinder | Posted 12.02.2009 | Politics


Obama, speaking with a group of columnists and reporters at a White House lunch today, conceded that Americans "are right to be concerned" about the a...

Why Obama Won't Do What's Needed to Deal With the Mortgage Crisis

David Fiderer | Posted 12.02.2009 | Business


David Fiderer

In places like Phoenix, 54% of homeowners with mortgages have negative equity. That's about half a million underwater mortgages, more than the combined totals in Texas and New York state, where 10 times as many people live.

Paterson Ends Deficit Negotiations As Senate Claims Progress

AP | MICHAEL GORMLEY | Posted 12.02.2009 | New York


ALBANY, N.Y. — In the latest episode of Albany's failure to address a worsening state deficit, Gov. David Paterson declared negotiations with th...

Krugman: Deficit Hawks Trying To Scare People With Big, Out-Of-Context Numbers

Posted 11.30.2009 | Business


On ABC's This Week, host George Stephanopoulos asked Paul Krugman, the Nobel Prize-winning economist and New York Times columnist, about the argument ...

Death Wish Politics

Mike Lux | Posted 11.30.2009 | Politics


Mike Lux

Democrats have to figure out how to produce real benefits for real people now. Rather than bragging about the signs of progress in the economy when voters don't feel them yet, Democrats need to focus on jobs.

State Lawmakers Back In Albany To Deal With Deficit

Capital News 9 | Posted 11.30.2009 | New York


State leaders are expected to be back in town Monday to continue efforts to reach an agreement on a deficit reduction plan....

Paul Krugman: It's Time For An Emergency Jobs Program

New York Times | PAUL KRUGMAN | Posted 11.30.2009 | Business


So it's time for an emergency jobs program. How is a jobs program different from a second stimulus? It's a matter of priorities. The 2009 Obama sti...

Democratic, Republican Lawmakers Raise Concerns Over An Afghan War Escalation

LA Times | Greg Miller | Posted 11.29.2009 | World


The persistent skepticism from the president's own party, along with new doubts raised by Republicans who have generally supported broadening the conf...

MIT Analysis: Americans Would Pay LESS Under Senate Health Care Plan

Politico | MIKE ALLEN | Posted 11.28.2009 | Politics


A new analysis by a leading MIT economist provides new ammunition for Democrats as the Senate begins formally debating the historic health-reform bill...

Ryan Grim

Pelosi: 'We'll Never Have Deficit Reduction Unless We Have Job Creation'

HuffingtonPost.com | Ryan Grim | Posted 11.24.2009 | Politics


The deficit debate in Washington misses the fundamental point, said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Tuesday, arguing that the primary objecti...

The Beijing Amendment To The Constitution

David O. Stewart | Posted 11.27.2009 | Politics


David O. Stewart

Is the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution all that stands between us and even gloomier economic times? With China holding $800 billion of Unite...

RIP Compassionate Conservatism

Will Marshall | Posted 11.23.2009 | Politics


Will Marshall

In taking a purely obstructionist stance, the GOP has evinced scant empathy for tens of millions of fellow Americans who lack basic protection against illness or injury. So much for compassionate conservatism.

Obama, the Teabaggers and Foreign Policy

Leon T. Hadar | Posted 11.23.2009 | World


Leon T. Hadar

As Obama contemplates a new strategy for Afghanistan, he should consider integrating the conservative values of fiscal discipline and limited government into his foreign policy decision-making.

Health Care Debate Looms Large At Thanksgiving

Jerry Chautin | Posted 11.23.2009 | Politics


Jerry Chautin

Turkey, cranberry sauce, and a side of health care debate is dominating Thanksgiving tables this year. The debate gets more heated when some worry that their situation will be adversely affected.

TARP Program Could Be Extended: Washington Post

washingtonpost.com | David Cho, Michael D. Shear and Lori Montgomery | Posted 11.19.2009 | Business


The Obama administration is poised to extend the life of the highly unpopular $700 billion financial bailout and, to display a commitment to fiscal re...

Ryan Grim

Senate Dems Close In On Reform: Details Of Health Care Bill Revealed

HuffingtonPost.com | Ryan Grim | Posted 11.19.2009 | Politics


Read the bill (PDF). Senate Democrats have posted the legislation on their web site. --------- Senate Democrats made a big step toward comprehensive...