American voters want more public services than they are willing to pay for. That is the country’s fiscal problem in one sentence. When it comes to public finance, the “live now, pay later” mentality that caused the economic collapse still prev…
From my new column for National Journal:
President Obama says he gets the message from Massachusetts. Expect a new focus on jobs and living standards. Expect fresh attention to overgrown public borrowing. The country’s pressing concerns, he says,…
On Obama’s speech, I’m puzzled by Andrew Sullivan’s response to my asking, in my previous post, “What does it matter who caused the problem [of the budget deficit]? Obama’s job is to solve it.” Andrew replies:
Let me…
Little sign of a reset that I could see. The speech emphasized jobs and the economy over healthcare reform, but that would have made sense even if the political landscape had not shifted. As for the poll numbers, as for Massachusetts, they might never …
I’ve previously argued that the Senate health care bill is much better than none. I agree with Jonathan Rauch about this – he makes the case especially well – and with Paul Krugman. But is this a sufficient reason to say that the House should pas…
The health care bill is worth saving. Jonathan Rauch, National Journal
Resisting the growth of the state. The Economist
The Chavez revolution has failed. Jackson Diehl, Washington Post
Blame Bush more. James Carville, FT
Blaming Bush hasn’t worke…
One year into his presidency, Barack Obama has come to a defining moment. He needs to reset, and Wednesday’s state of the union address is the place to begin.
Scott Brown’s election in Massachusetts was an astonishing rebuke. It is difficult, stil…
I thought this concise analysis by The Economist was one of the best things I have read on Obama’s new banking proposals.
Allow me a quibble over nomenclature (ie, the politics). To have this plan referred to as any kind of Glass-Steagall–&…
The Supreme Court has made an important ruling on campaign finance.
McCain-Feingold required that [corporations] channel their campaign spending by creating a special fund, known as a political action committee, which can accept donations from employee…
Dana Milbank is right.
For Democrats, the only good thing to come from Tuesday’s loss of the Senate election in Massachusetts is this: It could wipe the grin off Robert Gibbs’s face.
I think the White House spokesman is a small but not negl…