The GOP's Uncivil War: Conservatives to Challenge a Dozen Republican Candidates

November 3, 2009

In the wake of Hoffman’s success in New York, “Conservatives and tea party activists had already set their sights on some of the GOP’s top Senate recruits — a list that includes Gov. Charlie Crist in Florida, former Rep. Rob Simmons in Connecticut and Rep. Mark Kirk in Illinois, among others.”

More →

Gates Decides Between Factions on Afghanistan

November 3, 2009

Gates must choose between the “COIN-istas, who believe Afghanistan’s deteriorating security can only be reversed by adding tens of thousands of troops – perhaps as many as 80k; and those who believe US interests in Afghanistan are few, and the best way to keep it on a low simmer is to employ a counterterrorism-like model.”

More →

Wages and Human Capital in the U.S. Financial Industry: 1909-2006

November 3, 2009

“Now in one sense the defenders of high Wall Street pay are correct: people are probably getting roughly what they could make if they walked across the street and went to another bank.” But is the whole industry “making a mistake and transferring wealth to employees that should go to shareholders”?

More →

How Cities are Learning to Use Utilities to Extend Taxation Beyond City Limits

November 3, 2009

“Cincinnati is, in effect, converting its water utility to a for profit enterprise and raising rates. This enables it to start drawing regular dividend checks, just like Louisville does.” That profit comes from outside the city limits. “It creates an income transfer from the suburbs to the city, via water company profits.”

More →

The New Economic Paradigm: The Merchant of Venice

November 3, 2009

We could be seeing a paradigm shift that “could change the way central bankers do their job, possibly leading them to wade more deeply into markets. They could, for example, place greater emphasis on the amount of borrowing in the economy, rather than just the interest rates at which borrowing is done.”

More →

CIT Bankruptcy Helps Bondholders, Hurts Taxpayers

November 2, 2009

The largest firm to be bailed out gives back nothing. “CIT’s bankruptcy may give bondholders new notes at 70 cents on the dollar plus new common stock,” with clients getting funds, while “the U.S. Treasury Department said it won’t recoup much, if any, of the $2.33 billion of taxpayer money that went into CIT.”

More →

The Best Path to Victory is Running Unopposed: Karzai Takes Afghanistan

November 2, 2009

Expect significant blowback in the wake of this cakewalk. “The Independent Election Commission (IEC) announcement comes a day after Mr Karzai’s sole challenger, Abdullah Abdullah, pulled out of the race. Dr Abdullah, who had demanded the removal of key poll officials, said the poll would not have been free or fair.”

More →

NY-23: Why Scozzafava Flipped, Endorsed Democrat, Even as Hoffman Leads Big

November 2, 2009

“Rep. Steve Israel, a Long Island Democrat and DCCC official, was dispatched to meet face-to-face with Scozzafava in her upstate New York district within hours of her departure from the race to make the case on behalf of the national party.” PPP shows Hoffman leading Owens 51% to 34% with Scozzafava still in race.

More →

Abdullah Pulls Out of Runoff, Throws Afghan Politics Into Further Turmoil

November 1, 2009

“Hamid Karzai’s rival in the second round of the Afghan presidential election has announced in Kabul that he is withdrawing from the poll… But he stopped short of calling for a boycott of next Saturday’s vote. Mr Karzai had rejected his demand that election officials who presided over the first round should be dismissed.”

More →

NY-23 Republican Suspends Her Campaign: National GOP Wastes Nearly $1 Million Supporting Scozzafava

October 31, 2009

The conservatives and tea party folks took this round before the fight even began. “Dede Scozzafava, the Republican and Independence parties candidate, announced Saturday that she is suspending her campaign for the 23rd Congressional District and releasing all her supporters.” Incredible levels of incompetence going on here.

More →

← Previous Entries

Next Entries →