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MORNING MESSAGE: Back Bernie's Budget

OurFuture.org's Isaiah Poole: "As progressive leaders from around the country prepare for next week's Take Back the American Dream conference, we're not waiting to start hitting Congress with our key demand: Bury austerity, put jobs first and resurrect the middle class. We're asking you to sign the 'Bernie Budget,' Sen. Bernie Sanders plan to grow the economy now, close the tax loopholes through which millionaires escape paying their fair share, and to responsibly pay down the deficits run up as a result of wrong-headed conservative economic policies."

Obama Frames The Choice

President Obama frames the choice for November, in Cleveland speech: "Governor Romney and his allies in Congress believe deeply in the theory we tried during the last decade, the theory that the best way to grow the economy is from the top down … if we eliminate most regulations, we cut taxes by trillions of dollars, if we strip down government to national security and few other basic functions, then the power of businesses to create jobs and prosperity will be unleashed and that will automatically benefit us all … If you agree with the approach I just described, if you want to give the policies of the last decade another try, then you should vote for Mr. Romney … my vision for America: education, energy, innovation, infrastructure, and a tax code focused on American job creation and balanced deficit reduction."

NYT's Paul Krugman credits Romney for briefly being honest about his agenda: "For once, he actually admitted what he and his allies mean when they talk about shrinking government. Conservatives love to pretend that there are vast armies of government bureaucrats doing who knows what; in reality, a majority of government workers are employed providing either education (teachers) or public protection (police officers and firefighters)."

Media don't fact-check when Republicans say "job-killer". HuffPost: "Of the 381 stories that contained the phrase -- usually in a source's quote -- fewer than 10 percent substantiated it."

Kochs, Chamber Seek To Buy More Influence

Kochs expanding conservative machine on display at its conference later this month. Politico: "It’s part of an ambitious expansion of the billionaire brothers’ political operation that includes the recruitment of new donors and fundraisers into their network … Koch World’s expansion has raised hackles among critics in the conservative movement who see the Kochs and their operatives as secretive control freaks who don’t always play well with others and are trying to leverage their cash to expand their influence. … most of the cash raised at the Koch summits — typically in pledge sessions on the last day of the summit that have a revival-like feel — goes to nonprofit groups that do not disclose their donors."

U.S. Chamber of Commerce outspending both parties in Senate races. Bloomberg: "…the chamber has targeted nine Senate races and 31 House seats, according to Blair Latoff, a chamber spokeswoman. Of the 40 races, the chamber is backing a Democrat in two House races … In promising the largest grassroots mobilization and voter education campaign in its 100-year history, the chamber plans this year to spend more than the $50 million it poured into the 2010 campaign cycle."

Breakfast Sides

CFPB investigates scams targeting elderly. McClatchy: "Cordray cited a recent study that said Americans 60 years of age or older lost at least $2.9 billion to financial exploitation in 2010, up 12 percent from 2008 … The inquiry seeks comments from the public on several issues. They include detailing the types of unfair, deceptive and abusive practices targeted at the elderly, how to evaluate the credentials of financial advisors who counsel them, and what types of resources exist to help with financial planning."

Next week crucial for Europe. McClatchy: "Greek elections Sunday may determine whether the European Union holds together or sinks deeper into recession. Leaders of industrialized nations, the so-called G-20, will meet Monday and Tuesday in Mexico to discuss ways to spark growth. Later next week there’s a mini-summit Thursday of leaders from Germany, France, Spain and Italy that may determine how quickly Europe moves on needed revisions, and audit results expected late next week will determine how much of a bailout is necessary for the banks in Spain … All that precedes a summit of the European Council scheduled for the final days of June…"

Forgiving mortgage debt propels Iceland. ThinkProgress: "…as difficult as it may be for conservatives here in the U.S. to stomach, at least some of the credit for Iceland’s expeditious recovery is due to its astonishing debt relief agreement. Since the end of 2008, Iceland’s state-controlled banks have forgiven loans for more than a quarter of the population, a total equivalent to 13 percent of its annual gross domestic product. Despite shrinking 6.7 percent in 2009, Iceland’s economy is projected to expand 2.4 percent this year and next…"

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