Congress


Joseph M. Firestone's picture

How do vanden Heuvel and Meyerson Expect Him to Get By the Austerians

Yesterday, must have been jobs day at The Washington Post since they ran two columns calling for job creation: one by Katrina vanden Heuvel and more »

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Joseph M. Firestone's picture

Still Superman?

There have been many reactions to S & Ps action in downgrading the credit rating of the US, Apart from the widespread annoyance and repudiation of S & P and its procedures, there are some who are saying that it won't have much effect on interest rates. Others even saying that it more »

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Joseph M. Firestone's picture

Standard & Poor's Tugs on Superman's Cape

Last December, my friend, beowulf, had this to say at the time Moody's began to make noises about downgrading US debt. He said:

”I don’t think we’ll see Moody’s or any other rating service based in the US ever downgrade US Treasuries. It would cause a tremendous amount of financial loss and would leave Moody’s and its executives exposed to criminal prosecution. more »

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Joseph M. Firestone's picture

Would Congress and the President Try to Cut Federal Spending If . . .?

This one is a message intended for all progressive organizations, especially those who have worked so hard to derail the drive for cuts in Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, or are working hard to protect other valuable discretionary programs.

There's another hostage-taking coming in the more »

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Joseph M. Firestone's picture

End the Austerity War Against the People: Mint the Platinum Coin!

How can the President win a victory for the people in the coming hostage-taking over the budget? Here's a scenario! more »

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Joseph M. Firestone's picture

Proof Platinum Coin Seigniorage: A Political Game Changer for Progressives!

Now that a debt ceiling deal has ended the immediate crisis, the attention being given to the President's options, in case there was no deal on the debt, will fade into the background, and most of the options offered to get past the debt ceiling won't be discusse more »

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Coin Seigniorage and Inflation

neweconomicperspectives.blogspot.com — This post by Scott Fullwiler is the definitive post on how proof platinum coin seigniorage (PPCS) relates to inflation.

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fake consultant's picture

On Speaking To Power, Or, When Sanity’s Gone, There’s Always Satire

So everybody’s hearing the news, right?

There is a tentative debt ceiling deal, and this Administration and Congressional Democrats seem to have won everything they wanted: Republicans get to have multiple “we don’t approve” votes before 2012 on raising the debt ceiling, there won’t be any new revenue, there’s going to be another “hostage-taking” event around Christmastime, for more »

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Joseph M. Firestone's picture

Progressives in Congress: Vote for the President to Do It!

Today the MSM question of the morning for Congressional Progressive Caucus members is a variant of this:

“Which is worse, voting for a debt ceiling increase bill that doesn't raise any revenue and that will lead to major cuts in discretionary programs, and in entitlements including Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, or voting to defeat a bill that does that and causing the more »

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Joseph M. Firestone's picture

What If a Debt Limit Extension is Voted Down?

(Thanks to DailyKos commenter 2laneIA for suggesting this post and the title)

It's only a few days now until August 2nd. Perhaps a compromise on lifting the debt ceiling will be reached before then. Perhaps none will be reached. Perhaps the President will veto a compromise if it doesn't extend the ceiling sufficiently to support deficit spending until after the 2012 elections. more »

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