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Archive for March, 2009

What Have We Learned From The AIG Debacle ?

by Doug Mataconis @ Thursday, March 19th, 2009. Filed under Credit Crisis, Economics, Politics

Former Congressional Budget Office Director Douglas Holtz-Eakin hits the nail on the head:
No matter how bad you think market capitalism is, the federal government has proved it is worse. Congress originally banned these very bonuses, then stripped the ban out of the stimulus bill and is now threatening confiscatory taxes on the lawful recipients. The [...]

Can Citibank Really Be This Stupid ?

by Doug Mataconis @ Thursday, March 19th, 2009. Filed under Business, Economics, Politics

Let me say upfront that I am generally not the kind of person who complains when corporations spend a lot of money on perks, pay their executives generous salaries, or buy corporate jets. It’s their money, and if they make the wrong decision the market will make them pay for it in the end.
But that’s [...]

Obama’s Teleprompter Has A Blog

by Doug Mataconis @ Thursday, March 19th, 2009. Filed under Barack Obama, Humor, Politics

Someone with a really good sense of humor has created Barack Obama’s Teleprompter’s Blog.

Well, last night didn’t go well. What can I say? I was tired. By the time Barack and the Irish PM stood up, the President and I had already done two major policy speeches, three nomination announcements, and light dinner banter for [...]

Here’s The Question We Should Really Be Asking About AIG

by Doug Mataconis @ Thursday, March 19th, 2009. Filed under Credit Crisis, Economics, Politics

It’s got nothing to do with the bonuses, or the terms of the bonus contract, and even less to do with Barney Frank’s insanely self-indulgent demand that AIG reveal the names of the people who received those bonuses, but the NY Times’ Steven Davidoff directs us back to the question we should really be asking [...]

Does Congress Have The Authority To Take Back The AIG Bonuses ?

by Doug Mataconis @ Thursday, March 19th, 2009. Filed under Legal, Politics, U.S. Constitution

The hyperbolic rage against the AIG bonuses has finally transformed itself into legislation:
While American International Group Inc.’s chief executive says the firm could recover millions in bonuses via voluntary means, that’s not slowing a legislative effort to recoup the money and shift the incentive-based pay structure traditionally used by financial institutions.
The House is scheduled to [...]

North Korea Condemns More Of It’s People To Death

by Doug Mataconis @ Thursday, March 19th, 2009. Filed under Foreign Affairs, North Korea

Even as it’s people continue to starve, the North Korean government continues to play politics:
WASHINGTON (AP) — North Korea’s decision to reject future U.S. food assistance and kick out five groups distributing American aid in the country could make an already precarious humanitarian situation even worse.
State Department spokesman Robert Wood said Tuesday that the North [...]

U.S. To Send Troops To Mexico To Fight War On Drugs

by Doug Mataconis @ Thursday, March 19th, 2009. Filed under Foreign Affairs, Mexico, War On Drugs

In what strikes me as a really bad idea, it looks like American military forces are headed to Mexico to fight the War On (Some) Drugs:
The US is drawing up comprehensive plans to help Mexico in its fight against drug-trafficking, a senior military official has told Congress.
Gen Gene Renuart, head of the US Northern Command, [...]

Specter To Run As Independent ?

by Doug Mataconis @ Thursday, March 19th, 2009. Filed under 2010 Elections, Politics

As I noted last week, now that he faces another primary challenge from Pat Toomey, there is speculation that Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter may leave the Republican Party. Since then, while he has ruled out running as a Democrat in 2010, he is apparently still considering running as an Independent:
Sen. Arlen Specter said Tuesday that [...]

Good News For Prince William County Homeowners

by Doug Mataconis @ Thursday, March 19th, 2009. Filed under Prince William County, Virginia, Virginia Politics

It looks like your property taxes will be going down:
Prince William County homeowners, at ground zero of the local foreclosure crisis, would receive the biggest reduction in property tax bills in the Washington suburbs under a measure approved yesterday.
Most local governments are raising tax rates to offset the effects of the sagging housing market. The [...]

Signs That It’s Time To Start The Tim Geithner Death Watch

by Doug Mataconis @ Thursday, March 19th, 2009. Filed under Barack Obama, Politics

It’s typically the case in American politics that your goose is nearing the cooked stage when your boss has to say stuff like this:
“I have complete confidence in Tim Geithner and my entire economic team,” Obama said with Geithner at his side on the White House South Lawn.
You see, typically it goes without saying that [...]

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