The War on Philanthropy

February 27, 2009

This is a question that America deserves an answer for: Why, in a time of such economic need, in a time that calls for generosity and charity, has President Obama decided to use his budget to actively declare war on philanthropy?

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Senate Intel Comm to Examine CIA Detainees Treatment

February 27, 2009

The Senate intelligence committee is planning an unprecedented review of the CIA’s handling of captured terrorist suspects, drawing back the curtain for the first time on the agency’s use of waterboarding and other interrogation tactics inside secret CIA prisons, congressional sources said yesterday.

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President's Inner Circle has Earmarks in Omnibus Bill

February 27, 2009

Funny how items show up in spending bills without any notice — like an earmark for a president who promised not to seek any. President Obama, who took a no-earmark pledge on the campaign trail, is listed as one of dozens of cosponsors of a $7.7 million set-aside in the fiscal 2009 omnibus spending bill […]

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LA May Appoint Film Czar

February 27, 2009

After years of declining movie production in Los Angeles County, the city may finally get an official devoted to keeping Hollywood here, and happy. How much is the decline in production? A whole lot.

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Poll: 59% Still Believe Government is Problem

February 27, 2009

In early October, as the meltdown of the financial industry gained momentum following the collapse of Lehman Brothers, a Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 59% of U.S. voters agreed with Ronald Reagan that “government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.”

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Huckabee Settles Scores with non-SoCons at CPAC

February 27, 2009

WASHINGTON — Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee softened up the crowd here at the Conservative Political Action Conference with lots of red meat in the first half of his speech. But he used the capital of that first part to steamroll conservative critics from the fiscal wing of the party for most of the rest.

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POTUS Declares the Return of Fiscal Discipline in Huge New Budget

February 27, 2009

Just an outline, albeit a 134 page one, calls for nearly $1 trillion in tax increases over the next decade. OMB’s Orszag anticipates $9 trillion in new debt in that time. Reductions? Stimpack and “normal business cycles,” ending Bush tax cuts in 2010, ending war in Iraq, efficiency in government. POTUS doesn’t take questions.

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Lessons in Fact-Checking: Bobby Jindal and the 75 Miles Meme

February 27, 2009

After Gov. Jindal made reference to a story about helping a Jefferson Parish Sheriff cut through bureaucratic red tape, TPM and others pounce, saying there’s no evidence Jindal did this or was even on-site in the aftermath of Katrina. Well, there’s no evidence until you pick up a phone and call anyone in New Orleans.

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MN: Coleman-Franken Scenarios All Seem to End in Supreme Court

February 27, 2009

The disagreement is which Supreme Court, the one in Minnesota or the one in Washington. Election law experts Guy Charles and Edward Foley debate the possibilities for appeal as the counting drags on. Focus should be “the unanimity, or lack thereof, of the three-judge panel presiding over the current election contest.”

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Fannie Mae Goes Begging After $25.2 Billion Loss

February 27, 2009

Fannie Mae asks government for $15.2 billion more as more home loans turn to dust and ash. Total losses in the fourth quarter are at $25.2B (just for reference, they lost $3.6 billion in 4Q 2007). Last month, borrowers were no longer making payments on at least $119.2B or 4% of Fannie’s loans.

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