Steve Benen

Morgan Stanley Exec: Debt Deal Could Be 'Exactly' What The Economy Needs

The Huffington Post | Alexander Eichler | Posted 09.07.2011

Read More: Taxes, Deficit, Entitlements, Steve Benen, Congress, Ezra Klein, Morgan Stanley, Debt Ceiling, John Boehner, Andrew Leonard, Deficit Reduction, Paul Krugman, David Greenlaw, Entitlement Reform, Barack Obama, Business News

On the news that President Obama and Congressional Republican leaders may have laid the groundwork for a debt-ceiling agreement, Morgan Stanley econom...

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It's Been a Bad Week for GOP Lies About Obama

Mitchell Bard | Posted 07.07.2011

Read More: Taxes, Birthers, John McCain, Republican Lies, GM Profits, Terrorism, Pundits, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Bush Tax Cuts, Osama Bin Laden, Auto Bailout, Steve Benen, Obama Birth Certificate, Underwear Bomber, Drone Attacks, General Motors, Muammar El-Qaddafi, Richard Shelby, Obama Socialist, Bin Laden Memo, Obama Taxes, Republicans, Politics News
Mitchell Bard

As the last week or two unfolded, I was struck by how several news events absolutely obliterated three of the top lies told by Republicans to try and bring down the president.

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Weekly Audit: Republicans' Budget Declares War on Medicare

The Media Consortium | Posted 06.05.2011

Read More: Wisconsin, Poor, Steve Benen, Medicare, Jamelle Bouie, Working in These Times, 2012, Medicaid, Disabled, Cloward Piven, Elderly, Mother Jones, Roger Bybee, Collective Bargaining, Deficit, Insurance, Josh Harkinson, Cuts, Debt, Washington Monthly, Paul Ryan, Block Grant, Supreme Court, Tapped, Frances Fox Piven, Family Research Council, Twitter, The Nation, Election, State, James Dobson, Budget, Politics News
The Media Consortium

By Lindsay Beyerstein, Media Consortium blogger The Republicans are poised to unveil a model budget on Tuesday that would effectively end Medicare by ...

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Weekly Audit: Wolf in Sheep's Clothing--The Myth of Fiscal Conservatism

The Media Consortium | Posted 05.29.2011

Read More: Obama, Gop, College, Pension, Tim Murphy, Tax, Tara Lohan, Steve Benen, Deficit, Union, Cuts, General Electric, Campus Progress, Debt, Washington Monthly, Congress, Fiscal Conservatism, ALIYA KARIM, Tapped, DEFINED CONTRIBUTION, Tax Cut, Higher Education, University, Unemployment, Iowa, Transparency, SARAH BABBAGE, Rich, Mother Jones, Defined Benefit, Alternet, Politics News
The Media Consortium

By Lindsay Beyerstein, Media Consortium blogger Fashionable pundits like to say that the Republican Party has shifted its focus from "social conservat...

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Weekly Audit: Massive Protest In Wisconsin Shows Walker's Overreach

The Media Consortium | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Supreme Court, Rights, Collective Bargaining, Tractorcade, Poll, The Nation, Firefighter, Republican, Alternet, Steve Benen, Senator, Broke, Scott Walker, Protest, E.J. Dionne, Bank, M&I, Union, Jamelle Bouie, Budget, Washington Monthly, Wisconsin Democratic Party, Election, Enthusiasm Gap, Tapped, Campus Progress, Wisconsin, Koch, JoAnne Kloppenburg, SIMEON TALLEY, Madison, Roger Bybee, Farmer, Working in These Times, Recall, John Nichols, Inequality, Senate, Politics News
The Media Consortium

By Lindsay Beyerstein, Media Consortium blogger About 100,000 people gathered in Madison, Wisconsin to protest Gov. Scott Walker's new anti-collective...

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Weekly Audit: Standoff Continues in Wisconsin

The Media Consortium | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Collective Bargaining, Degree, Washington Monthly, Chris Hayes, Jobs, Democrat, The Nation, Shani O. Hilton, YES! Magazine, Race, Wall Street Journal, Republican, Steve Benen, Colorlines, Unemployment, Senator, Wisconsin, College, Washington, Madison, Scott Walker, Black, Amy Dean, Union, Inequality, Quorum, Politics News
The Media Consortium

Weekly Audit: Standoff Continues in WisconsinBy Lindsay Beyerstein, Media Consortium blogger The 14 Democratic state senators who fled Wisconsin to th...

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Weekly Audit: Crashing the Koch's Billionaire Caucus

The Media Consortium | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Andrew Breitbart, David Koch, Nancy Goldstein, Van Jones, Firedoglake, Washington Monthly, Jobs, David Dayen, Monica Potts, George Warner, The Nation, Enviornment, Rancho Las Palmas, Iowa Independent, Alternet, Tapped, Recycling, Steve Benen, Palm Spring, Minimum Wage, Campus Progress, Unemployment, Koch, Charles Koch, Jim Hightower, Tyler Kingkade, Common Cause, Plastic, Poor, Billionaire, Bruce Hunter, Economy, Politics News
The Media Consortium

By Lindsay Beyerstein, Media Consortium blogger Oil barons Charles and David Koch held their annual billionaires' summit in Palm Springs on Sunday, Na...

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One More Thing About Keith

Michael Sigman | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Ed Schultz, Msnbc, Social Security, Arizona Shootings, Liberal, Keith Olbermann, Ben Affleck, Chris Matthews, Stephen Colbert, Steve Benen, Progressive, Lawrence O'Donnell, Rachel Maddow, LA Weekly, Saturday Night Live, Comcast, Washington Monthly, Media News
Michael Sigman

Watching Keith's apparently unmoored anger has often been confusing, but given what's now been widely reported, it makes more sense. The end was near, and he knew it.

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Weekly Pulse: On Health Care Repeal, House GOP Full of Sound and Fury

The Media Consortium | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Suzy Khimm, American Independent, House, Kelle Louaillier, Cbo, Washington Monthly, Repeal, Patrick Caldwell, Obesity, Kevin Drum, Snack, Congressional Budget Office, Mush, Louaillier, Alternet, Steve Benen, Harry Reid, Bonnie Azab Powell, Insurance, Mother Jones, Advertising, Child, Health Care Reform, Personhood USA, Affordable Care Act, Food, Aca, Cartoon, Grist, Senate, Pepsico, Home News
The Media Consortium

By Lindsay Beyerstein, Media Consortium blogger House Republicans will hold a symbolic vote to overturn health care reform on January 12. The bill, ...

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Weekly Audit: GOP Plays Chicken with the Debt Ceiling

The Media Consortium | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Bill Clinton, Jeannette Wicks-Lim, House, Dick Meister, Washington Monthly, Colorado Independent, Eitc, Colorado, Jim Demint, Tax Credit, Alternet, Debt Ceiling, Steve Benen, Austan Goolsbee, Vote, Bell Policy Center, Default, Inflation, Scot Kersgaard, Wage Theft, Real News Network, Senate, Politics News
The Media Consortium

Weekly Pulse: GOP Plays Chicken with the Debt CeilingBy Lindsay Beyerstein, Media Consortium blogger Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) is calling for a "big show...

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Republican "Fifth Column" Strikes Financial Commission. Are YOU Next?

Richard (RJ) Eskow | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Republican Saboteurs, Robert Rubin, Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission, Fcic, Precognition, Dave Johnson, Keith Hennessey, Steve Benen, Sleeper Cells, The Minority Report, Bill Thomas, Digby, Mutants, Peter Wallison, Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Business News
Richard (RJ) Eskow

A sleeper cell of four Republicans struck the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission this week, escalating what had previously been a campaign of covert obstruction into an overt act of sabotage.

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Weekly Audit: A Progressive Deficit Fix?

The Media Consortium | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Our Fiscal Security, Social Security, Washington Monthly, Cat Food, Colorado Independent, Deficit Commission, Medicaid, Alternet, Demos, Steve Benen, Mark Kirk, Unemployment, Century Foundation, Simpson-Bowles, Tax Cut, Center for Economic Policy and Research, Working in These Times, Medicare, Senate, Politics News
The Media Consortium

by Lindsay Beyerstein, Media Consortium blogger The co-chairs of the 18-member deficit commission issued a preliminary presentation two weeks ago tha...

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Weekly Audit: Will Obama Save Homeowners From Wall Street's Latest Fraud Scheme?

The Media Consortium | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Obama, Andy Kroll, Bailout, The Washington Monthly, Foreclosure Crisis, Steve Benen, Annie Lowrey, Zach Carter, Laura Flanders, Wall Street, The Washington Independent, Grittv, Danny Schechter, Foreclosure Fraud, Foreclosures, Economy, Axelrod, Mother Jones, Tarp, Alternet, Business News
The Media Consortium

by Zach Carter, Media Consortium blogger A massive foreclosure fraud scandal is rocking the U.S. mortgage market. Wall Street banks and their lawyer...

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Weekly Audit: Save Affordable Housing, Help Revive America's Middle Class

The Media Consortium | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Freddie Mac, The Washington Monthly, The American Prospect, Housing, Shamus Cooke, Annie Lowrey, Jobs, YES! Magazine, Ellen Brown, Fannie Mae, Affordable Housing, Alternet, Steve Benen, Truth-Out, New Deal 2.0, Rob Johnson, Treasury, Tim Fernholz, Economy, The Washington Independent, Politics News
The Media Consortium

by Zach Carter, Media Consortium blogger Over the past decade, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac transformed themselves into some of the worst-run companies ...

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Weekly Audit: Silencing Conservative Deficit Hawks

The Media Consortium | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Suzy Khimm, The Washington Monthly, Deflation, Jobs, The Nation, Citizens United, Deficit Hysteria, Eric Cantor, Alternet, Best Buy, Bush Tax Cuts, Deficit, Steve Benen, Target, William Greider, Mother Jones, Zach Carter, In These Times, David Moberg, Economy, Politics News
The Media Consortium

The same conservatives who spent the past year senselessly screaming about the U.S. budget deficit are now demanding an extension of the Bush tax cuts for the rich.

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Weekly Audit: Why Are Unemployment Benefits A Major Political Fight?

The Media Consortium | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Seth Freed Wessler, The Washington Monthly, Jobs Bill, Unemployment Benefits, Danny Schecter, Jobs, Annie Lowrey, Robert Scheer, The Nation, Aid to States, Stimulus, Iowa Independent, Deficit, Steve Benen, Colorlines, Grittv, Unemployment, Foreclosure, Ireland, Economy, Home News
The Media Consortium

by Zach Carter, Media Consortium blogger Congress finally authorized an extension of unemployment benefits on Wednesday, providing a critical life...

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Will Any Republicans Join Democrats in Holding BP Accountable?

Josh Nelson | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: BP Oil Disaster, Senator Brown, Offshore Drilling, Bp, Haley Barbour, Oil, Democrats, Greg Sargent, Senator Kerry, Steve Benen, Politico, Republicans, Bradford Plumer, Senator Alexander, Senator Graham, Senate, Politics News
Josh Nelson

Democrats' odds of getting movement on a climate bill may hinge on their ability to make the connection between the oil spill and the urgent need for energy reform -- and, the extent to which Republicans join them.

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Weekly Mulch: Massey Energy coal costs the environment

The Media Consortium | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Massey Energy, The Washington Monthly, Mike Lillis, Don Blackenship, West Virginia Mine, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Safety Violations, Brooke Jarvis, Carbon Pollution, Colorado Independent, Bureau of Land Management, YES! Magazine, Methane Capture, Coal, Methane, Alternet, Washington Independent, Steve Benen, Nick Baumann, David O. Williams, Mother Jones, Andy Kroll, Clara Bingham, Mountaintop Removal, Kevin Connor, Green News
The Media Consortium

By Sarah Laskow, Media Consortium Blogger Coal consumption has costs -- this week's explosion at a West Virginia mine, which killed 25, made that cl...

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Weekly Audit: Deficit Reduction = Selling Out to Wall Street

The Media Consortium | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: International Monetary Fund, The Washington Monthly, The American Prospect, Social Security, Regulation, Jobs, Imf, Annie Lowrey, Federal Reserve, The Nation, Alternet, Steve Benen, Deficit, Bank Lobby, Economic Policy, Tax, Securities, Washignton Independent, Privatization, Warren Buffett, The Fed, Social Services, Tim Fernholz, Wall Street, Economy, Dean Baker, Home News
The Media Consortium

by Zach Carter, Media Consortium blogger In the fall of 2008, decades of finance-first, bankers-know-best economic policies coalesced to create one of...

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Weekly Pulse: WV Mine Had Over 1300 Health and Safety Violations

The Media Consortium | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Massey Energy, Peter Rothberg, Patients United Now, Washington Monthly, Black Lung Disease, The Nation, Mine Safety Laws, Alternet, Coal Miners, Washington Independent, Steve Benen, Charles Wilson, Nick Baumann, Americans for Prosperity, Mother Jones, Jeff Biggers, Sen. Patti Murray, US Mine Safety and Health Administration, Aaron Weiner, Politics News
The Media Consortium

By Lindsay Beyerstein, Media Consortium blogger Massey Energy's Disregard for SafetyA massive explosion ripped through the Big Branch coal mine in Wes...

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Weekly Audit: Congress to take up financial reform, but will it be strong enough?

The Media Consortium | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Tarp, Noam Chomsky, Tbtf, American Forum, Christopher Hayes, Bailouts, Jobs, Federal Reserve, The Nation, Unemployment Rate, Wall Street Bailouts, Alternet, Steve Benen, Wall Street Reform, Unemployment, Mother Jones, Cfpa, Andy Kroll, Simon Johnson, Bank Bailout, In These Times, Wall Street, Chase, Occ, Financial Reform, JPMorgan Chase, Margaret Dorfman, Bank Bailouts, Mountaintop Removal, Too Big to Fail, Jpmorgan, Economy, Home News
The Media Consortium

by Zach Carter, Media Consortium blogger Next week, the debate over financial reform will begin in earnest when Congress returns from its Easter break...

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Weekly Audit: More Jobs Please

The Media Consortium | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Home Affordability Modification Program, Foreclosures, Obama Jobs Bill, The American Prospect, President Obama, Republican Obstructionism, Financial Transactions Tax, Christopher Hayes, Institute for Policy Studies, Obama, Budget Deficit, The Nation, Linktv, Alternet, Steve Benen, Foreclosure Crisis, Mother Jones, Hamp, Andy Kroll, Recovery Act, Stimulus Package, Dean Baker, Afro-Netizen, The Washington Monthly, Economic Stimulus Package, Jobs Bill, Financial Speculation, Obstructionist Republicans, Sarah Anderson, Economic Policy Institute, Mortgage Crisis, Chris Rabb, Colorlines, Housing Crash, Michelle Chen, Center for Economic Policy and Research, Working in These Times, Economic Stimulus, Josh Bivens, Economy, Home News
The Media Consortium

>By Zach Carter, Media Consortium Blogger One year after President Barack Obama secured passage of his critical economic stimulus package, the U.S. Se...

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Weekly Audit: Just Who is Obama fighting for?

The Media Consortium | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: David Corn, The Washington Monthly, Spending Freeze, President Barack Obama, Financial Reform, The Progressive, Obama, Budget Deficit, The Nation, President Obama. Barack Obama, Paul Volcker, Recession, Alternet, Steve Benen, Bank Tax, Mother Jones, Zach Carter, Great Recession, Matthew Rothschild, Banks, Katrina Vanden Huevel, Talking Points Memo, Wall Street, Too Big to Fail, Rachel Slajda, Glass-Steagall, Economy, Home News
The Media Consortium

By Zach Carter, Media Consortium Blogger Progressives have waited a year for President Barack Obama to roll up his sleeves and fight for serious finan...

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After the Underwear Bomber, Republicans Have Shown Their True Color: Weakness

Mitchell Bard | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: John McCain, Meet the Press, Ronald Reagan, English, IRA Bombing, George W. Bush, John Brennan, 9/11, Cold War, Osama Bin Laden, Al Qaeda, Dick Cheney, Iraq War, Steve Benen, Underwear Bomber, David Brooks, Sarah Palin, Republican Hypocrisy, World War II, Israel, Mikhail Gorbachev, Republicans, Politics News
Mitchell Bard

Where are the tough-guy Republicans now? When did fear and whining replace the gunslinger persona? The Republican reaction has been to give the terrorists exactly what they want.

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The Blogosphere Reacts to the Kerry-Boxer Senate Climate Bill

Josh Nelson | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Waxman-Markey, Senator Brown, Brian Beutler, Copenhagen, Clean Energy, Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act, Global Warming, Senator Kerry, Climate Change, American Clean Energy and Security Act, Elana Schor, Steve Benen, Brad Johnson, Kate Sheppard, Senator Lincoln, Matt Yglesias, Aces, Senator Boxer, Senator Baucus, Cejapa, Bradford Plumer, Joseph Romm, Collin Peterson, Kerry-Boxer, Climate, Green, Green Energy, Green Living, Green News, Energy, Green News
Josh Nelson

The bill as it currently stands is stronger than the American Clean Energy and Security Act in several crucial ways, but it has a treacherous gauntlet to run before reaching the President's desk.

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