Until yesterday, my favorite symbolic moment of the Obama era was the rejoicing of the right after the President’s hometown failed to land the 2016 Olympics. Because any bad news for Obama is by definition good for America, even if it happens to involve bad news for America. But now I have a new favorite: the defeat of Peter …
Viewpoint
Re: Error and Hypocrisy
I agree with Grunwald (although that’s very hard to do because he argues with you even when you agree with him). It’s annoying as hell that the Republicans are able to make political hay out of the deficit issue less than three years after the fiscally profligate Bush era came to an end. But why are they able to do this?
Because …
Possible GOP Slogan: We Didn’t Invent Error and Hypocrisy!
Maybe Von Drehle is right. Maybe it’s silly to be irked that Republicans—after putting trillions of dollars in tax cuts, two wars, a prescription drug benefit and an unprecedented earmark spree on the Visa card—are threatening to force the U.S. into default if President Obama doesn’t adopt their agenda. After all, that hypocrite …
On Deficits and Debt, the Voters Get a Say
I wish our Democratic leaders would make their fiscal case as clearly and fearlessly as Michael Grunwald does.
To recap: Democrats are in favor of short-term deficit spending because they believe it will stimulate desperately needed growth. And they believe that growth, plus higher taxes (plus the one thing Mike doesn’t mention: …
News Flash: Borrowers Who Threaten to Default on Their Debts Are Bad Credit Risks
It’s risky to lend money to a guy who might not be able to pay it back. It’s also risky to lend money to a guy who might decide on a whim not to pay it back. The debt showdown, in which Republicans are threatening to force the Treasury into default unless Democrats agree to their budget priorities, has turned the U.S. into that …
Another Debt Warning From Wall Street
The bond-rating service Moody’s has threatened to dim its outlook for U.S. Treasury bonds if the debt-limit showdown between the White House and Congressional Republicans drags on.
Although Moody’s fully expected political wrangling prior to an increase in the statutory debt limit, the degree of entrenchment into conflicting positions
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Financial Sanity
I’ve always been a fan of Joe Nocera’s business writing–it’s crisp, clear, hype-resistant and moral–and today he gets to the human heart of what’s flagrantly wrong with our finance system with a column about Robert Wilmers, a regional banker in Buffalo, New York, who represents banking at its best.
Obama Picks a New Commerce Secretary. Maybe He Shouldn’t Have.
President Obama has chosen a new commerce secretary, former Edison International CEO John Bryson. He sounds like a good choice, a solid businessman with a public policy background and a strong green streak. But you know who would …
A Proposed Plea Deal for John Edwards
According to reports out Wednesday, the Justice Department may be close to bringing criminal charges against John Edwards regarding campaign funds they allege he used to cover up his affair with Rielle Hunter, and to hide both …
NY-26: Voters 1, Courageousness 0
So what did the GOP loss in NY-26 really mean? For the Republicans trouble, and an opportunity to pivot to a better message as they face the 2012 elections. First, it is indeed true that special elections are not reliable …
Get Rich Quick! Arbitrage Washington’s Debt Limit Dance
The debt-limit debate is fascinating on many levels. It’s a big deal because a default by the U.S. government would create an unthinkable mess. It’s also a window into the Republican Party’s continuing efforts to defy …
Armageddon Blues
Convinced that the world was coming to an end on May 21, my wife and I decided to spend our last days–before being engulfed in the eternal fire–in Italy last week. Imagine my disappointment that the Lord’s smite schedule was …
Reality Bites: The GOP After Daniels, and After 2012
The most important political story of the Obama era has been the Republican Party’s growing defiance of reality—its denial of climate science, its denunciations of Medicare cuts while proposing Medicare cuts, its …