Archive for the 'economy' Category
A Reminder Of DC’s Diversity
Posted on July 17, 2009 by andrew- Filed Under DC, economy | Leave a Comment
On the one hand, I read this morning that DC’s unemployment rate remains higher than 10% and is, in fact, inching up towards 11%.
On the other hand, Matthew Yglesias posts a chart showing that our city has the second highest proportion of residents who would be subject to the proposed health care tax impacting only [...]
The Fight Club Theory
Posted on March 2, 2009 by andrew- Filed Under George W Bush, economy, stock market | Leave a Comment
Maybe George W. Bush was secretly working for Tyler Durden in order to reset everyone back to zero.
…In which case he’d actually have been incredibly competent, albeit in a secret way.
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Fred Hiatt’s Team Pumps Out Another Winner
Posted on December 29, 2008 by andrew- Filed Under Paul Krugman, The Washington Post, Virginia, economy, the media | Leave a Comment
Paul Krugman warns the states against cutting their budgets in the face of the collapsing economy, describing the potential of the state governors to become “50 Herbert Hoovers”.
Meanwhile, the Washington Post lauds Virginia Governor Tim Kaine for making “painful but necessary” cuts to the state’s budgets.
Based on past performance, is the Washington Post editiorial board [...]
We’re So Screwed
Posted on December 16, 2008 by andrew- Filed Under economy, interest rates | Leave a Comment
Seriously, we appear to be totally fucked.
More Politics Of The Auto Bailout
Posted on December 3, 2008 by andrew- Filed Under auto industry, economy, the Obama transition | Leave a Comment
As I continue to think about the auto industry in purely cynical political terms, allow me to say that Congress would be foolish to provide the automakers with a bridge to allow them to survive until the inauguration, and Barack Obama would be even more foolish to support such a bridge.
The current auto industry collapse [...]
A Thought On The Auto Industry
Posted on November 12, 2008 by andrew- Filed Under Barack Obama, General Motors, George W Bush, economy | 1 Comment
Is it just me, or is there bound to be a bit of the proverbial hot potato game between Bush and Obama regarding General Motors’ fate? Obviously, all other considerations aside, neither wants to be president when GM fails. Even if it’s the best thing for the economy in the long run (and I’m not [...]
Uh Oh
Posted on October 6, 2008 by andrew- Filed Under economy, financial crisis | Leave a Comment
The Dow fell below 10,000? That’s… not great…
Our President The Jackass
Posted on September 25, 2008 by andrew- Filed Under Franklin D Roosevelt, George W Bush, economy, financial crisis | Leave a Comment
In the midst of the Great Depression, during his first inaugural speech, FDR famously told America, “[T]he only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” After calming Americans to the best of his ability, Roosevelt began to outline his steps for improving the economy and hopefully pulling America out of the Depression, without losing [...]
What The Fuck?
Posted on September 24, 2008 by andrew- Filed Under 2008 presidential election, John McCain, economy, financial crisis, presidential debates | Leave a Comment
John McCain has a new stunt designed to distract you from his suckitude:
McCain Suspending Campaign, Asks for Debate Delay
Updated 3:04 p.m.
By Michael D. Shear and Robert Barnes
NEW YORK — Republican presidential nominee John McCain this afternoon said he would suspend his presidential campaign tomorrow to return to Washington and help reach agreement on a [...]
This Deal Sucks
Posted on September 22, 2008 by andrew- Filed Under economy, financial crisis, the bailout | Leave a Comment
The bailout proposal appears to be loathed by both the left and the right at this point, the left because the current deal amounts to giving the Bush administration complete and total control over yet another endeavor containing massive opportunity for disastrous failure and the right because it represents the final nail in the coffin [...]
Columns You Really Ought To Read Before Taking All Of Your Money Out Of The Bank
Posted on September 19, 2008 by andrew- Filed Under Paul Krugman, economy | Leave a Comment
I was pretty sure the entire economy was on the verge of utter devastation when I woke up to headlines of a trillion dollar bailout, but then I read Krugman. Now I feel much better.
In short: We need a bailout. If it’s done well, we should be OK. It might not be done well, but [...]
Keep Digging
Posted on September 15, 2008 by andrew- Filed Under 2008 presidential election, John McCain, economy | 2 Comments
Marc Ambinder elaborates upon the quote I noted in the previous post, and it only gets worse for John McCain:
McCain, speaking before a town hall meeting, said that “the fundamentals of our economy are strong” before adding the caution that ”these are very, very difficult times and I promise you we will never put America in this position [...]
He Doesn’t Get It
Posted on September 15, 2008 by andrew- Filed Under 2008 presidential election, John McCain, economy | Leave a Comment
Ben Smith:
“The fundamentals of our economy are strong,” McCain reiterates at a Florida rally this morning, before noting that “these are very, very difficult times.”
It’s a line for which Democrats have criticized McCain before, not least because it echoes President Bush’s view.
I’ll bet the fundamentals seem strong when your heiress wife has no problem paying [...]
If Only…
Posted on September 15, 2008 by andrew- Filed Under 2008 presidential election, Big Shitpile, John McCain, economy, social security | Leave a Comment
If only John McCain had already had his way, my Social Security money would be all tied up in the stocks which are down 300 points in less than an hour of trading so far today.
As part of Social Security reform, I believe that private savings accounts are a part of it—along the lines that [...]
Sell! Sell! Sell!
Posted on September 15, 2008 by andrew- Filed Under Big Shitpile, economy | Leave a Comment
So, umm, are we all going to be living in Hoovervilles by lunchtime?
We Can’t Afford More Of The Same
Posted on August 25, 2008 by andrew- Filed Under 2008 presidential election, economy, political ads | Leave a Comment
A good ad from Obama:
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Surge Tourette’s Is The New 9/11 Tourette’s
Posted on August 6, 2008 by andrew- Filed Under 2008 presidential election, John McCain, The Surge, economy | Leave a Comment
Last week John McCain wanted to SurgeTM into our cities in order to combat crime. Now he wants to SurgeTM into our economy in order to-
Wait, what? What does that even mean? An “Economic Surge”… So, are we going to send 50,000 troops to restore order on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange?
JOHN [...]
Good Thing I Don’t Eat Food Or Use Fuel For Anything
Posted on July 16, 2008 by andrew- Filed Under economy, inflation | Leave a Comment
The latest inflation news is not so good:
Prices paid by U.S. consumers jumped in June by the most since 1982 on spiraling costs for fuel and food, intensifying the pressure on households struggling with falling home prices and the credit crunch.
The cost of living soared 1.1 percent, more than forecast, after a 0.6 percent gain [...]
The McCain Campaign Doesn’t Get It
Posted on July 10, 2008 by andrew- Filed Under 2008 presidential election, John McCain, Phil Gramm, economy | Leave a Comment
Phil Gramm is one of John McCain’s top economic advisors. He isn’t just a generic “surrogate”, he’s a guy who has a key role in influencing McCain on economic matters and will be helping to develop this country’s economic policies if McCain is elected. This is what he thinks of all you whining little girls [...]
A Potentially Dumb Question, But I’m Willing To Risk It
Posted on June 26, 2008 by andrew- Filed Under economy, oil | 2 Comments
Whenever anyone talks about the price of oil (as opposed to the retail price of, say, gasoline), they talk about that price in terms of dollars per barrel. Since the dollar has been falling against other currencies for quite some time now, is there a general misconception (at least amongst the average reasonably informed person [...]