News & Comment
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G-20 Standing Up To China, Now It’s Your Turn by Dave Johnson, OurFuture.org | March 31, 2010
As the manufacturing infrastructure of suppliers, technology knowledge, etc., moves to China, dependence follows. China appears to be ready to answer, "So what are you going to do about it?" The world is starting to realize this. Financial Times, yesterday, China reprimanded by G20 leaders read more »The Magic Potion by Bob Herbert, The New York Times | March 30, 2010
You can’t get back to a robust economy without putting Americans back to work. The economy needs to be rebuilt on a solid foundation of good jobs at good pay, and many of those jobs will have to come from thriving new industries. This is a long-term project that demands big-time government involvement. It will require the kind of commitment — over an even longer period of time — that President Obama and the Democrats in Congress gave to their health care initiative. The closest thing to a magic potion for individuals, families and the American economy is a job. F.D.R. understood that. The longer it takes for the rest of us to catch on, the deeper the long-term damage to the society will be. read more »Chinese Currency Manipulation Is Just One Piece by Dave Johnson, OurFuture.org | March 30, 2010
I've been focusing on the Chinese currency manipulation problem because the Obama administration is supposed to make its twice-a-year declaration on this on April 15. But even if this problem is addressed as it needs to be, keep in mind that it is just one piece of the larger problem of Chinese trade policies. read more »Crescent Corridor Rail Plan Brings No-Cringe Bipartisanship, At Last. by Natasha Chart, OurFuture.org | March 30, 2010
In theory, there's nothing that gets people riled up like government spending. In practice, everybody likes government spending that benefits them. Or, if you're a governor, that benefits your state. read more »Bill Clinton Apologizes To Haiti For Effects Of Free Trade by Dave Johnson, OurFuture.org | March 29, 2010
The "free trade" craze wiping out Haiti's farmers by flooding the country with cheap American rice. The same this happened in northern Mexico with cheap (heavily subsidized) American corn. On March 10 Bill Clinton apologized to Haiti. See With cheap food imports, Haiti can't feed itself read more »CNBC: Made in America Making a Comeback by Dave Johnson, OurFuture.org | March 29, 2010
For many years we've been hearing about outsourcing and offshoring. President Obama has started taking steps to rebalance world trade and the pendulum is about to start swinging the other way. More and more often you'll be hearing new words: "insourcing," "on-shoring" and "re-shoring." Watch this CNBC segment from Friday, Made in America Making a Comeback. read more »The Cleanest Coal Is None by Natasha Chart, OurFuture.org | March 28, 2010
West Virginia is having to build a new, $8.6 million school because the Marsh Fork Elementary School in Raleigh County is threatened by an enormous coal impoundment pond, with its hundreds of millions of gallons of coal slurry. As described at the link, Massey energy has given the state a $1 million, tax-deductible gift to help defray the costs. read more »Making A Clean Energy Revolution In America by Natasha Chart, OurFuture.org | March 26, 2010
If any more proof was needed that living wage labor and benefits packages aren't the barrier to job growth they're presented as, look no further than GE's recent investment in the UK, Norway, Germany and Sweden, Rachel Layne and Kari Lundgren reporting: read more »Even Chinese Officials Understand -- Their Currency Must Rise by Dave Johnson, OurFuture.org | March 26, 2010
When a policy is just wrong it's just wrong. I have written about how Chinese CEOs and Chinese economists have been making the case for China to bring its currency up to market rates. read more »Local Governments Laying Off, Conservatives Oppose Helping by Dave Johnson, OurFuture.org | March 25, 2010
Problem:: States shed government jobs as revenue plummets. Just last month: In Michigan, where the unemployment rate is 14.1 percent, the nation's highest, government jobs at all levels fell by 5,000. They accounted for one-third of the state's job losses. read more »
The Latest
TARP expected to cost U.S. only $25 billion, CBO says, The Washington Post | November 30, 2010
The Troubled Assets Relief Program, which was widely reviled as a $700 billion bailout for Wall Street titans, is now expected to cost the federal government a mere $25 billion - the equivalent of less than six months of emergency jobless benefits. read more »
If GOP wins, Expect More Obstruction, The Washington Post | October 19, 2010
I'm cautious about the conventional wisdom that the Democratic Party is about to get flattened by a Republican steamroller. Pollsters are less certain than they'd like you to believe about who's a "likely voter" and who isn't. read more »
Banks Restart Foreclosures, The Wall Street Journal | October 19, 2010
Bank of America Corp. reopened more than 100,000 foreclosure actions, declaring that it had found no significant problems in its procedures for seizing homes. GMAC Mortgage, a lender and loan servicer, said that it also is pushing ahead with an unspecified number of foreclosures that came under intense pressure.
Geithner Weak Dollar Seen as U.S. Recovery Route Versus BRICs, bloomberg.com | October 19, 2010
Gridlock Sam: The Tea Party’s Bridge to Beyond Nowhere, pbs.org | October 19, 2010
The Tea Party has captured the imagination and spirit of many Americans and may very well turn that into a powerful voting bloc come November. But, that bloc may not have a leg or girder to stand on as our nation’s infrastructure continues to crumble. read more »
Administration Assures Pelosi on Restoration of Renewables Aid, thehill.com | August 11, 2010
The Obama administration has “assured” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) that $3.5 billion in renewable energy loan guarantees diverted for other policy priorities will be restored this year. read more »
S. Carolina Takes Stimulus Money, The New York Times | August 11, 2010
State Aid Bill Breezes Into Law, dyn.politico.com | August 11, 2010
Included is $10 billion to preserve teaching jobs in the new school year, and $16.1 billion to help states cover their Medicaid payments for the first six months of 2011. read more »
$26-Billion Aid Package for States Becomes Law, Los Angeles Times | August 11, 2010
House Democrats return from brief recess for unfinished business, thehill.com | August 10, 2010
House Democrats are set to approve $26 billion in emergency state aid, fight off a lame-duck lockout and pass a border-security bill before they wrap up their work period Tuesday and repack their bags for home. read more »
