Archive
Yes to Obama’s New Jobs Focus. But No To Benefit Cuts in Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
With tonight’s State of the Union address, President Obama attempted to refocus his new second term with a focus on jobs and supporting the middle class. He clearly wants to stop talking about deficits and debt and start talking about reviving the economy for...
What Do Republicans, Rubio And Rand Have If They Don’t Have Deficits?
Koch-funded Florida Tea-Party Sen. Marco Rubio gave the "Republican Response" to the President's State of the Union speech. Then Koch-funded Kentucky Tea-Party Sen. Rand Paul gave the "Koch-funded Tea-Party" Republican response. (Did the networks ever air a...
Washington's Post-Fact Press Corps
Politico today features a story by Jennifer Epstein detailing 10 proposals from Obama’s previous State of the Union addresses that were mostly frustrated. The report begins with an utter distortion that is nearly universal in Washington reporting: “Perhaps...
Will President Obama Betray Senate Democrats in State of the Union Speech?
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has ruled out Social Security cuts in any plan to replace the sequester. In the State of the Union address, President Obama can either stand with Harry Reid and Senate Democrats--or betray them. Democrats' disagreement over cutting...
8 Subjects Senators Should Bring Up At Jack Lew's Confirmation Hearing
On Wednesday the Senate Finance Committee will hear from Jack Lew, the President's pick as Treasury Secretary, who will succeed the controversial Tim Geithner if confirmed. While Lew wouldn't be taking office during a grave systemic crisis the way Geithner did, it...
Lew's Confirmation Hearing: 8 Constructive Lines of Questioning
On Wednesday the Senate Finance Committee will hear from Jack Lew, the President nominee for Treasury Secretary. If confirmed, Lew will succeed the controversial Tim Geithner. While Lew would not be taking office during a grave systemic crisis, as Geithner did,...
Michelle Rhee And The Relentless Marketing Of Education ‘Reform’
Is it over yet? Michelle Rhee's barnstorming of America this week, to hawk her new memoir, taxed the stamina of even the most ardent education wonk. It was a relentless PR campaign that would truly be the envy of any tobacco executive or gun manufacturer. In interview...
SOTU Challenge: When Talking Climate, Don't Forget The Green Jobs
Expectations are high for President Obama to get specific about his second-term plans to protect the climate, particularly regarding plans to bypass Congress and use the EPA's authority to further reduce greenhouse gas pollution. The appeal is obvious: no need to...
The Central Economic Problems Of Our Time: Ideological Fools
You know, I've been saying for a few years now that this is exactly what the right wing wants people to believe and have taken Democrats to task for helping them by making the idiotic argument about government being like a household and having to pull in its belt. Very Serious People told me that that's a hysterical reaction and that nobody's really making that argument. Well there's Marco Rubio making that argument.
I know my regular readers don't need this, but it's good to have it on the record. Travis Waldron at Think Progress explains why this is so wrong.
Sen. Sherrod Brown Proposes National Network of Manufacturing Innovation
Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today called for the creation of a National Network of Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI) and is drafting legislation to accomplish this. The legislation would help establish more next generation manufacturing centers like the National Additive...
