Relevant and even prescient commentary on news, politics and the economy.

Rick Perry admits that deregulation of the financial services industry, and insufficient economic stimulus in the wake of economic collapse, were mistakes. Cool!

Republicans jumped on Clinton’s decision [in her speech today] to cite her ties to Obama and were trying to raise money off the speech almost as soon as it ended. In an email appeal asking for donations, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry wrote, “We want to look toward a brighter future, not backward at the […]

Rick Perry Says Social Security and Medicare Were Given to Us by God. Seriously. [Addendum added.]

The things we have in this country were given to us by God, not by government. — Perry: Government isn’t your savior, Nick Gass, Politico, today Social Security and Medicare were given to us by God?  Who knew? The highway system, sewer and water systems, airports and air traffic control, operation of shipping ports, public […]

Beale debates Cato’s Edwards on the right’s "flat tax"–New Hampshire Public Radio

by Linda Beale Beale debates Cato’s Edwards on the right’s “flat tax”–New Hampshire Public Radio Last Wednesday (Oct. 26, 2011), I debated the Cato Institute’s tax policy guru Chris Edwards about the right’s various “flat tax” (FairTax, 9-9-9, USA Tax, consumption tax) proposals, on New Hampshire’s public radio station’s hour long program “The Exchange”, hosted […]

Jobs as the Measure of Economic Success, and Rick Perry’s Texas

by Linda Beale Jobs as the Measure of Economic Success, and Rick Perry’s Texas We have had a warped sense of how to measure economic success in this country at least since George W. Bush started talking about the “ownership” society.  Of course, we should have guessed that moniker was problematic from the start, since […]