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No We Can't
Eschaton —
It's a bit depressing that the types of big and important infrastructure projects, things that were commonplace a hundred years from now, seem like impossible dreams. And Krugman's obviously correct that high unemployment will lead some to conclude that Hoover was right. I know not everyone shares my personal infrastructure priorities, but I don't think it's especially controversial to say that we don't do much thinking big anymore. At least the second trans-Hudson rail tunnel will likely be built, though I'm not so sure about New York's 2nd avenue subway. ...
Unemployment Hits 10 Percent — Are Tax Credits For Homebuyers And Seniors The Best We Can Do?
Wonk Room —
... Already, the response that we’ve seen from Congress has been fearmongering about deficits or using the unemployment rate as a nonsensical reason to ...
Another example on the need for filibuster reform
Political Animal —
ANOTHER EXAMPLE ON THE NEED FOR FILIBUSTER REFORM.... Matt Yglesias flags this item , which is a reminder as to why conservative Democrats so often stand in the way of effective policymaking. Democrat Ben Nelson, a Senator from Nebraska, said the slumping economy and rising joblessness will be factors as Congress considers climate change and health care legislation. They are also driving concerns about the budget deficit, which widened to a record $1.42 trillion in the fiscal year that ended on Sept. 30, he said. "When the economy's not strong there's a lot of interest ...
Midday open thread
Daily Kos —
... McCain by 8 points, a near-reversal of the actual results). Even there, however, the quarter of the electorate that cited health care as their main issue went for the Democrat Deeds 51-49. And in NY-23, which was supposed to have been the ultimate smackdown of the Democrats' agenda, the Republican Conservative candidate unexpectedly lost. Part of the problem is that 'independents' are not a particularly coherent group. Ben Nelson being Ben Nelson: Bad Economy Means We Should Wreck Economy, Destroy Planet, Let Health Care ...
Ben Nelson: When the economy's not strong there's a lot of interest in weakening the economy
Ezra Klein —
Matthew Yglesias picks up on quite a quote from Ben Nelson:
Democrat Ben Nelson, a Senator from Nebraska, said the slumping economy and rising joblessness will be factors as Congress considers climate change and health care legislation. They are also driving concerns about the budget deficit, which widened to a record $1.42 trillion in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, he said.
“When the economy’s not strong there’s a lot of interest in controlling spending,” Nelson said.
It's obviously not very interesting for bloggers to keep quoting senators and then whining about how nobody has read Keynes. On the other hand, it should actually be a problem that senators -- and ...
No exit
The Sideshow —
... that puts huge numbers of people to work, and a good, solid, fully-funded single-payer health care plan. What we have instead are bad Democrats like Ben Nelson. ...
Down the Drain
The Moderate Voice —
... Matt quotes Ben Nelson, who like a lot of Republicans and ConservaDems, is saying that now is a terrible time to be working on climate change, health care reform, and economic stimulus, because “When the economy’s not strong there’s a lot of interest in controlling spending.” ...
