Links, 8/16/11
The Steelworkers made this cool video for their Convention. I think the voiceover guy is the same one as did the Chrysler 200 Super Bowl ad.
Banana Republic of America
Public Citizen has a calculator you can use to find out how many…
"A Public Service," My Fannie
I wanted to juxtapose two stories about Fannie Mae. The first, from this WaPo story reporting that the Administration has decided to keep some kind of federal entity guaranteeing mortgages. The story itself is interesting--as are Dean Baker's…
Stimulus in Action, MI Edition
I've said a couple of times here that Jennifer Granholm's record as governor was better than I gave her credit for, particularly economically.
The press is beginning to do some of the same reassessment. They're discovering that, in spite…
Nothing Like a Third Forever War to Boost the Confidence of the Military-Industrial Complex
Digby points to Gallup polling numbers showing that Washington DC is the only place in the country that has improving confidence.
See, David Plouffe was right. People are feeling better about their economic prospects. At least, the people…
David Plouffe and Bill Daley Double Down on Rhetoric over Action
Greg Sargent has a followup to this weekend's NYT article on the Administration's debate over how or whether to make the "pivot to jobs" Obama promised throughout the debt limit fight.
It appears that Plouffe and Daley are doubling down on…
The Re-Scoop that Pakistan Showed China Our Stealth Chopper
On May 10, ABC news reported Pakistanis saying both they and the Chinese wanted to take a look at the stealth helicopter used in the Osama bin Laden raid. That story quoted a US official saying he would be "shocked" if the Pakistanis had not…
Warren Buffett: My Super-Rich Brethren Shun Work
Warren Buffett is making news this morning with a NYT op-ed that comes close to--but misses--an important shift in rhetoric. Arguing that his taxes--and the taxes of the other super-rich--should be raised, he provides some stats. Among those…
The Administration's Lame Plan on the Economy? It Gets Worse
You know that article portraying the White House paralysis in the face of 9.1% unemployment? Should they do nothing and run on the promise of more deficit and entitlement cuts in a second term? Or should they do almost nothing, like renaming…
Still More Deficit Reduction and "Department of Competitiveness"?!?!?
Calculated Risk says most of what needs to be said about this article describing the debate within the White House over whether or not to "pivot to jobs" after all.
Tax incentives are the "bigger idea"? It sounds like the debate is between…
The Village Discovers the "Jihadists" among Them
Steve Pearlstein is one of those pundits who reliably spouts the Village narrative, often to the point of wankery. Which is why I find his use of the language of terrorism to describe the TeaParty and the corporatists that empower it more significant…
US Delays Handover of Afghan Prison So We Can Not Try Detainees Rather than Afghans
The WaPo reports the thoroughly unsurprising news that the US is not turning over Parwan prison this year as we begin to withdraw from Afghanistan.
The news is unsurprising because of all the money we've dumped into the prison in recent years--as…
Even as the Costs Become Apparent, Big Business Pushes to Legalize Bribery
Last night, Jefferson County, AL delayed their decision for a month whether to declare bankruptcy or accept a settlement with their creditors and the state. At issue is $3.2 billion in debt, much of it for a sewer upgrade, that got dragged into…
Under Austerity, We Can't Have Nice Things Like State Fairs Anymore
Just about every political horserace journalist is at the Iowa State Fair today, covering the Ames straw poll, and eating a seemingly endless supply of fried butter, porkchop on a stick, and meat sundaes. GOP (and a few Democratic) politicians…
Trash Talk! Packers v Barack Obama
I don't know whether it's because we almost didn't have a season, or because the accelerated pre-season is making things more interesting (or that the alternative was the clown show GOP Presidential debate). But I sat my arse down and watched…
Links, 8/12/11
The Daily Show
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The National Security State
While David Cameron has just been speaking hypothetically about shutting down social networks…
David Plouffe, Still Believe People Are Feeling Better about Economy?
David Plouffe was at yesterday's disappointing "Freedom Rally" at Johnson Controls. Aside from being amazed (as I often am when I see politicos in person) at how short he is, seeing him also made me newly cranky about Plouffe's comments last…
Made in China: Ensuring Everyone Gets Paid Less
The San Francisco Federal Reserve has a report showing that we don't really import all that much from China (this, in spite of yesterday's report that our trade deficit rose again last month). It manages to make the claim by tracking not the…
Apparently, "Freedom" Is the New Euphemism for "Government Investment"
There's something really disturbing about Obama's speech at Johnson Controls today: he barely claimed credit for the government's involvement in it.
Understand, I think the opening of factories like Johnson Controls the single biggest piece…
Obama Tries to Sell Free Trade in Holland, MI
I'll have more to say about Obama's speech at Johnson Controls later today when I get back to reliable Toobz.
But here are my first impressions.
First, here's the order of emphasis in his speech:
Freedom
Debt and compromise
The…
A Jobs SuperCongress
It's rather pathetic that this idea seems so remarkable.
Rep. John Larson (Conn.), chairman of the Democratic Caucus, wants to amend the recently passed debt-limit package to establish a joint select committee on job creation to operate alongside…