"... would have a real effect on economic confidence. But that doesn’t mean we should just peel off a chunk of the bailout to cover them," writes TNR's Clay Risen. The $700 billion was intended for the financial sec…
As promised , I'm mining my archive -- beginning in late August -- to try to understand how I turned against John McCain. August 25: "Nicely done. I'm glad to see the return of the light touch," I say about an …
The description of the story -- titled "Immigrant Confident Housing Market Will Come Back" -- give no hint of disapproval: Emmanuel Njoku thought he was living the American dream. During the housing boom, the Nigerian …
People who owe more on their house than it's worth will want in on the new mortgage plan too. The fact that they can meet the payments may make them feel even more entitled. "If the lunch truly is free, the demand for f…
The NYT reports on yesterday's meeting at the White House, where the supposedly worked-out bailout plan broke down. Was it that John McCain came to town to show off his leadership, and he couldn't be allowed to get credi…
WSJ reports: After a three-hour meeting, lawmakers agreed to legislative principles that would approve Treasury's request for the funds, but would break it into installments, according to people familiar with the matter. Trea…
"We need a commission!... We need to fire somebody!... Get me Andrew Cuomo!... I want ten more debates!... But let's postpone the one we've scheduled!... Do you get the impression a McCain presidency would be a bit e…
They made a great cover! If you're looking for the old posts about the great, hotly controversial New Yorker cover by Barry Blitt, they're here and here . The EW interview: STEWART: I keep hearing that [Sarah Palin is] &…
At 9 ET. Comment here. UPDATE: I do wish he'd been able to sell us on the plan with an explanation of how we'd be taking advantage of the market and probably making a profit in the end. (If that's the case!) IN THE CO…
This is, I think, a smart demonstration of leadership. McCain is suspending his campaign and seeking a postponement of the debate that is scheduled for this Friday. Meanwhile, speaking of leadership, where's our incredible s…
I've been reading and listening to people talk for over a half century, so it's really weird to have to look up 2 words in 2 hours. First, MadisonMan, he of the bird's-eye view of the Michelle Obama rally-ette, said :…
"While assuring the public and the financial markets that his administration will act forcefully and swiftly to deal with the crisis, he could decide that he must oppose the bailout as the panicked product of a discredited a…
A typo I just made while trying to IM the line "this shows we don't really have a democracy." The topic was how impossible it is for almost anyone to understand the current financial crisis, how disembodied it is fr…
We Americans will get the leader we deserve, one or the other of two men who have absolutely no background in economics. We'll have to rely on whatever judgment they manage to apply to the advice their faceless advisers hand …
Obama and McCain try to get serious. Or at least look serious. That quote is from an unnamed Obama adviser. I love the implication that things could actually be rather serious, and we the people would still want our leaders putt…
This leaves me feeling shocked in retrospect, so I can't imagine how it must have felt to the Senators as they listened to Ben Bernanke's warnings : “When you listened to him describe it you gulped," said Senator Cha…
The Obama campaign does not like this ad: And it's denying that Raines is an advisor. But then the Washington Post would have to be wrong. You can't bash McCain for basing the ad on the info in the Post and specifically…
"To be honest, however, I haven’t got the foggiest idea what this all means." Whew. And I was feeling bad about not having anything worthwhile to say. That quote is from Steven D. Levitt . But Levitt gets Douglas W. Dia…
You know, Thomas Frank -- of "What's the Matter With Kansas?" -- has a weekly Wall Street Journal column. Today's piece has a great title: "Get Your Class War On." So let's read! Now comes the fa…