President Obama


Leo Gerard's picture

Time to Wield the Foreign Policy Stick

America plays the role of abused partner in its relationship with China. Although the Asian giant repeatedly injures U.S. industry by violating international trade rules, America has responded, almost exclusively, by pleading and begging for China to stop. more »

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Joseph M. Firestone's picture

President Obama Should Use Coin Seigniorage Now!

The media and much of the blogosphere are framing the coming debt ceiling decision, somewhen in the March to early May period, as one in which the Republican-majority House of Representatives may refuse to extend the Federal debt ceiling, forcing both a Government shut-down, and also a possible US default in paying its debt obligations to its creditors. more »

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Daniel Marans's picture

Stopping Obama from Doing the GOP's Dirty Work on Social Security

As usual, the Democrats are on track to do the Republicans’ dirty work—only to suffer the political fallout later on. What else could one conclude from the rampant rumors that President Obama will signal his willingness to “compromise” (read: cut) on Social Security in the State of the Union address? Anyone who doubts that this would amount to political suicide, hasn’t read National Review editor, Ramesh Ponnurru’s column in the New York Times last Friday, instructing Republican politicians that they should wait for President Obama to act first on Social Security “reform” (read: benefit cuts). Here’s the kicker: Ponnurru specifically suggests that Republicans should champion “entitlement reform,” if, and only if, Obama dangles Social Security as an area of compromise in the State of the Union address. As friends of the President, we progressives must stop him from granting Ponnurru’s wish—and the wishes of so many conservatives eager to have the President do their bidding. Click here to read Ponnurru's column. more »

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Joseph M. Firestone's picture

Will He Say He Has No Choice or Will He Use Seigniorage?

The media and much of the blogosphere are framing the coming debt ceiling decision as one in which the Republican-majority House may refuse to extend the Federal debt ceiling, thus forcing both a Government shut-down, and also a possible default of the US in paying its debt obligations to its creditors. more »

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Joseph M. Firestone's picture

Can Congresspeople Legally Question the Validity Of the Public Debt?

An awful lot of Congresscritters lately have been threatening to refuse to raise the debt limit unless legislative programs whose funding has been previously authorized and appropriated are re-negotiated. Of course, new tea party representatives have been threatening this daily. more »

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Joseph M. Firestone's picture

Fairy Tales of the State of the Union: The Gov. Is Running Out of Money

In "All Together Now: There Is No Deficit/Debt Problem,” I warned against the message calling for deficit reduction that the President will probably deliver in his State of the Union Address next month. more »

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Joseph M. Firestone's picture

All together now: There Is No Deficit/Debt Problem!

In a little more than a month, the President will give his State of the Union speech. There's every reason to believe that, in it, he will state that, in all sincerity, he believes that the United States Government has a deficit problem and a national debt problem that must be brought under control.

He will tell us that the Government is running out of money. more »

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Joseph M. Firestone's picture

Moody's: Bring It On!

Yesterday, as reported in Money News, Moody's made me laugh, with the following pronouncements:

” . . . it could move a step closer to cutting the U.S. Aaa rating if President Barack Obama's tax and unemployment benefit package becomes law. . . . more »

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Joseph M. Firestone's picture

The National Debt Is Congress's Fault!

I'm sick and tired of hearing progressive icons like Bernie Sanders, Keith Olbermann, Ed Schultz, and many, many others, talking about the evil of leaving an enormous national debt, now at $13 Trillion plus to our Grandchildren. And I'm especially tired of hearing Congresspeople and Senators complaining about this. more »

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Joseph M. Firestone's picture

Congressional Progressives: Make 'Em End Debt Issuance!

There's a flood of reaction out there among Progressives and other Democrats criticizing the recent “tax deal” on grounds that President Obama was rolled again and got far too little for his agreement to extend the Bush Tax Cuts for the wealthy, and agree to Estate tax rates of 35%. I share that opinion. more »

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