by Robert Borosage | Jan 3, 2013 | Minimum Wage, The Sequester
Washington is careening off the fiscal cliff smack into the debt ceiling. These mind-numbing mixed metaphors are not the currency of a well-governed nation. Once more, Washington is fixated on what and how to cut. Once more, the media is clamoring for a deal, for...
by Robert Borosage | Jan 1, 2013 | Economy, Minimum Wage, The Sequester
Early this morning, the Senate passed the fiscal cliff deal by 89-8, a margin virtually guaranteeing that it will survive in the House. The deal has some good parts. It lets the Bush tax cuts expire on the wealthy, raises the estate tax marginally and increases...
by Stan Collender | Dec 20, 2012 | Blog, The Sequester
Don’t expect Congress to tackle a tax overhaul anytime soon. For the third year in a row I am not writing a year-in-review column because, honestly, they’re boring and unnecessary. If you’ve been interested enough in the federal budget to read my column in 2012, you...
by Richard Eskow | Dec 19, 2012 | Blog, The Sequester
The President's latest budget offer slashes a 95 year old retiree's Social Security benefits by more than nine percent -- and trims the defense budget by less than one percent. Nancy Pelosi insists that these benefit reductions aren't "cuts," which is consistent with...
by Richard Eskow | Dec 18, 2012 | Blog, Chained CPI, The Sequester
News reports say the President's proposed deal includes the "chained CPI," which would impose drastic Social Security cuts and tax hikes for everybody but the wealthy. And House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi says that "Democrats will stick with the President." They...
by Digby | Dec 10, 2012 | Blog, The Sequester
Today is a progressive "day of action" on the fiscal cliff negotiations with a bunch of organizations holding events around the country. Here's one from the AFL-CIO. You can click over to find the event near you: PROTECT OUR FUTURE IN THE COMING BUDGET SHOWDOWN After...