An Economy for All
A Little Love for Big Oil
May 1st, 2008
As gas prices head towards $4 a barrel, some politicians, as Rev. Jeremiah Wright would say, "do what politicians do" and propose a gas-tax holiday. Only there's one small problem with this tax cut: The oil companies are likely to pocket most of it. We've seen it happen before.
Keys to Winning the Political Battle for Economic Change
This guide to the economy, produced by the Campaign for America’s Future and the AFL-CIO, features information on what has gone wrong in the economy, what Americans think about it and how to talk about it. It links to the latest information and most persuasive arguments that will help candidates and their supporters make their case for change.
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Jared Bernstein Analyzes Continued Job Losses
Responding to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics report that the nation’s unemployment rate rose from 4.8 to 5.1 percent in March. Economic Policy Institute economist Jared Bernstein dissects the current unemployment trends and discusses the remedies that progressives need to be pushing for in the coming months. more »
Issue No. 1: The Economy
March 19th, 2008
Given the headlines of the past few weeks, it's perhaps no surprise that the number one issue on the minds of Take Back America participants is the economy, according to a poll done by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research and Politico.com. more »
The Rescue of Bear Stearns Marks Liberalization's Limit
Remember Friday March 14 2008: it was the day the dream of global free-market capitalism died. For three decades we have moved towards market-driven financial systems. By its decision to rescue Bear Stearns, the Federal Reserve, the institution responsible for monetary policy in the US, chief protagonist of free-market capitalism, declared this era over.... more »
The Voices
The Dummies' Guide to Stupid Leaders and Misleading Numbers
In case you didn't know, the loss of 20,000 American jobs in April is actually good news. You see, economists had predicted 73,000 jobs would be lost last month, so thank God we dodged that bullet, right?!more »
Good Economic News Something of a Mirage
The unemployment rate drops. Productivity grows. The trade deficit shrinks. Sounds great, right? Not so fast. Some seemingly good economic numbers can be something of a mirage masking weaknesses in the national economymore »
The News
Economy Still Weakening
May 11th, 2008
Mortgage Crisis Hits Prime Loans
May 11th, 2008
The Facts
NAFTA-Type Deals Sour Public on Free Trade
Forty-eight percent of the people responding to an April 2008 Pew Research Center poll said that free trade agreements are a bad thing for the country, compared with 35 percent who call them a good thing. In that same poll, 61 percent of respondents said that free trade causes job losses, 56 percent said it lowers wages and 50 percent said it slows the economy.
Rebate Checks: Stimulus for Lenders
As much as 60 percent of the $107 billion in rebates being sent to individuals and families starting this week as part of the Bush administration's economic stimulus plan will be used to pay down debt, according to a survey by Goldman Sachs. Another survey by the University of Michigan and Reuters said that only three in 10 rebate recipients plan to spend their rebate checks.
The Case
'Tax Freedom Day': Misleading Propaganda
A right-wing group called The Tax Foundation declared April 23 "Tax Freedom Day," representing the time it takes "Americans" to earn enough money to pay their federal, state and local taxes. more »
No Public Gains from Capital Gains Tax Cuts
Conservatives, and some in the media, say that a cut in capital gains taxes will stimulate economic growth enough to actually increase government revenue. more »
Latest from our Bloggers
may
6
2008
Let's Bank On Rebuilding America
Instead of a silly argument over a "gas tax holiday," we desperately need a serious discussion about the nation's infrastructure. And there is a good legislative proposal that could be the basis for that discussion. more »
may
2
2008
The Housing Crisis and The Plague of Potomac Fever
We have been trained to think of states as the supposed "laboratories of democracy," but what they really are these days are a check and balance against federal inaction and Potomac Fever. That's the case I make in my newspaper column out today - especially as it relates to the housing crisis. more »
may
1
2008
Nightline: Important Questions In the Black Community Aren't "Real"
Sometimes racial denigration is easy to see - think white police officers in the segregation era using hoses to stop peaceful protests. Other times it is more subtle - like a few days ago on ABC's Nightline. more »
may
1
2008
A Little Love for Big Oil
As gas prices head towards $4 a barrel, some politicians, as Rev. Jeremiah Wright would say, "do what politicians do" and propose a gas-tax holiday. Only there's one small problem with this tax cut: The oil companies are likely to pocket most of it. We've seen it happen before.more »
apr
29
2008
The Capital Gains Tax Question Charlie Gibson Should Have Asked
My column last week criticizes ABC's Charlie Gibson for using his position as debate moderator to focus the presidential discourse on the supposed unfairness of asking very wealthy people to pay the same tax rate on their stock profits as their servants pay on hard earned wages. more »
apr
29
2008
Way Past Time To Lock Up Guilt-By-Association Politics
The guilt-by-association standard hurts our politics, no matter who you support.more »
apr
25
2008
Chris Matthews vs. Jimmy McNulty
The "controversy" over Barack Obama's "bitter" comments was a media creation from start to finish - a brouhaha manufactured by very wealthy reporters and pundits who do anything they can to ignore, reject or otherwise downplay the very real issue of inequality and economic cl more »
apr
25
2008
Why this crisis is far from finished
The financial markets are rallying and many leading investment bankers are declaring that the crisis is over. Methinks they do protest to much.more »
