Analysis Topic: Politics & Social Trends
The analysis published under this topic are as follows.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Why Politicians are Suckers for Protectionism / Politics / Government Intervention
By: MoneyWeek
Well, we managed to get through the weekend without any more banks being nationalised, or brave new stimulus packages from the Government being announced.
Perhaps the reaction to last week's put them off. Share prices in the banking sector were demolished, while sterling did a nose-dive from an already weak position.
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Monday, January 26, 2009
Obama Announces "New Rules" To Address Financial Crisis / Politics / Credit Crisis 2009
By: Mike_Shedlock
As part of his rescue plan, Obama Signals Tough Restrictions on Banks in Rescue Package .
President Barack Obama signaled that he would toughen restrictions on and oversight of banks as part of a fresh plan to aid the battered industry.Obama blasted the banks yesterday over reports that they've spent money renovating offices after receiving billions of dollars from the government and vowed they would be held accountable for any aid they receive in the future.
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Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Dem Bones is Connected To De Debt Bone / Politics / Fiat Currency
By: Robert_Singer
It is an understatement to say we are experiencing an unprecedented financial crisis along with our world-wide environmental crisis. Neither crisis needs an Austrian economist to explain it. We live in a consumer society and consumers “use things up.” In recent history, this useless, toxic “stuff” comes from China, and this sad state of affairs is so simple to understand that even a child can follow. Just watch the, “Story of Stuff,” a web-based documentary about the dark underside of consumption.Read full article... Read full article...
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
The Obama Blueprint for Solving the U.S. Financial Crisis / Politics / Credit Crisis 2009
By: Money_Morning
By Jason Simpkins
And William Patalon III write: The first 100 days of President Barack Obama's administration officially begin today (Wednesday). But the reality is that President Obama already has a solid head start, as he and his advisor have been working for months to establish the groundwork for one of the most ambitious - and most important - economic-stimulus plans in U.S. history. Read full article... Read full article...
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Goodbye President Bush, History will Remember You For.. / Politics / US Politics
By: Nadeem_Walayat
What will be George Bush's greatest legacy in decades to come ?
Sept 11th - "There's no doubt in my mind, not one doubt in my mind, that we will fail." Oct 01
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Tuesday, January 20, 2009
New President, New Opportunity / Politics / Recession 2008 - 2010
By: Paul_J_Nolte
Every four years or in recent times eight years, the country gets a new President to lead the country into the future. With so much hope and expectations placed upon Mr. Obama, the risks of not making those expectations are large. And while the country may be filled with hope and pride upon the election of the first Africa-American President – back at Wall Street, it is more of the same old “stuff”. Both Citigroup and Bank of America went to the government well to take another drink of TARP money to cover over more of the past sins of lending.Read full article... Read full article...
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Big Government, not Big Media, Threatens Free Speech / Politics / UK Politics
By: Ayn_Rand
Contrary to widespread cries that media consolidation threatens free speech, the real threat comes from laws regulating media ownership.
Self-appointed consumer watchdogs--including Obama’s recent pick for FCC chair, Julius Genachowski--have long complained about media consolidation. So it was no surprise that when the FCC recently loosened restrictions barring companies from owning a newspaper and TV station in the same city, these critics went apoplectic and are now urging the House to follow the Senate in blocking the measure.
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Tuesday, January 20, 2009
President Obama Faces Crisis in Afghanistan and Russia / Politics / GeoPolitics
By: STRATFOR
U.S. President-elect Barack Obama will be sworn in on Tuesday as president of the United States. Candidate Obama said much about what he would do as president ; now we will see what President Obama actually does. The most important issue Obama will face will be the economy , something he did not anticipate through most of his campaign. The first hundred days of his presidency thus will revolve around getting a stimulus package passed. But Obama also is now in the great game of global competition — and in that game, presidents rarely get to set the agenda . Read full article... Read full article...
Monday, January 19, 2009
What's Missing from Obama's Economic Recovery Plan / Politics / Economic Stimulus
By: Mike_Whitney
Barack Obama and Co. are planning to launch their own version of economic "shock and awe" in the opening weeks of the new administration. Aside from the $825 billion stimulus package, which will be used to create 3 million new jobs and make up for flagging consumer demand; Obama is planning a financial rescue operation for banks that are buried under hundreds of billions of dollars of troubled assets. Spearheaded by Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and White House economics chief Lawrence Summers, the new program will create a government-backed "aggregator" bank that will purchase mortgage-backed securities (MBS) and other problem assets for which there is currently no active market. The proposed "bad bank" will do what the TARP program was supposed to do; wipe clean the banks balance sheets so they resume lending to consumers and businesses. Until the credit mechanism is fixed, the economy will continue slip deeper and deeper into recession. Read full article... Read full article...
Monday, January 19, 2009
Bailed Out Banks Seek More Money to Fill Financial Black Holes / Politics / Credit Crisis 2009
By: Dr_Ron_Paul
Strengthening or Weakening the Economy? - The economic situation continues to deteriorate this week as past and future bailouts were discussed on Capitol Hill. The debate was over the accountability of already disbursed TARP money, and on whether or not to release remaining funds. Banks that had already been bailed out before are looking for more money to fill the black holes that are their balance sheets, warning that they are simply too big to fail.Read full article... Read full article...
Monday, January 19, 2009
How a Regulatory Makeover Can Fix the Financial Crisis / Politics / Market Regulation
By: Money_Morning
Shah Gilani writes: Open Letter to President-Elect Barack Obama: How a Regulatory Makeover Can Fix the Financial Crisis
Mr. President-Elect:
The people of the United States have spoken. Their collective voice resonates loudly and overwhelmingly in praise of your vision and promises for America the beautiful.
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Saturday, January 17, 2009
Bush Attempts to Take Credit For a Recovery That Has Yet to Happen / Politics / US Politics
By: Mike_Shedlock
Nominations are being accepted for the most galling statement of the week. Here is my nomination: White House Sees 'Strong' Econ Recovery Early In Obama Admin .
The Bush administration said the U.S. economy should emerge from its slump in the second half of the year - an optimistic forecast released days before President-elect Barack Obama inherits a recession and mammoth budget deficit.
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Friday, January 16, 2009
Orwell's 2009- United States Big Brother is Watching / Politics / US Politics
By: James_Quinn
war is peace
freedom is slavery
ignorance is strength
“All political thinking for years past has been vitiated in the same way. People can foresee the future only when it coincides with their own wishes, and the most grossly obvious facts can be ignored when they are unwelcome. Political language... is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind.” George Orwell
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Thursday, January 15, 2009
Social Mood Will Define The Economic Future / Politics / US Economy
By: Mike_Shedlock
Boomers have known only inflationary or reflationary conditions for most, if not all of their conscious lives. Here is the pattern: Want, work, borrow, spend, enjoy, and worry about the bills tomorrow, as if tomorrow would never come. Now tomorrow is dawning, the bills are due, and boomers are now entering end of life with a need to consume what they perceived would be a treasure chest of accumulated wealth that would allow them to sustain their inflationary lifestyles to life's end.
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Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Baby Boomer Pensions The NEXT crisis! (and what to do about it) / Politics / Pensions & Retirement
By: Brian_Bloom
Baby Boomers who will be relying on pensions as a backup support because of losses in the stock and property markets, will find that those organizations which are supposed to pay the pensions don’t have the funds. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/..Read full article... Read full article...
Monday, January 12, 2009
Credit Crisis Panic Measure Tax Savings to Force People to Spend / Politics / Credit Crisis 2009
By: MoneyWeek
Punishing savers is no way to help the economy.Intriguing new ideas about how to deal with the credit crisis are coming thick and fast. Never mind printing money – we're now seeing real radicalism in the pages of our newspapers. Last week, we saw calls in The Times to tax savings to force people to spend or invest, rather than just sit on their money. And elsewhere, two former Bank of England economists suggested that the Government buy the homes of those about to suffer repossession and rent them back to them. Read full article... Read full article...
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Too Big to Fail? / Politics / Credit Crisis Bailouts
By: Rudy_Avizius
A mortal threat to the nation's economy and national security - As our economy continues to decline and we have bailouts, loans, and guarantees that now total into the $trillions of dollars, let's examine who is getting these funds and why. These funds are not going to the community banks, mom and pop stores, or other small enterprises. They are going to huge conglomerate corporations that have been deemed “too big to fail” and therefore represent a threat to the nation's financial security. These conglomerates are the result of acquisitions and mergers over the last few decades that had the effect of reducing competition and consumer choice. In the end this has the ultimate effect of raising prices which would by definition increase profit margins. Read full article... Read full article...
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Democrats Attacks on Obama Presidency have Already Begun / Politics / US Politics
By: Walter_Brasch
Sens. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) flexed their muscles, shook their rattles, and told President-elect Barack Obama not to tread upon them. "I don't believe in the executive power trumping everything," Reid, the Senate's majority leader, told the political newspaper, The Hill. He said he believed "in our Constitution, three separate but equal branches of government." For emphasis, he warned, "If Obama steps over the bounds, I will tell him. . . . I do not work for Barack Obama, I work with him."Read full article... Read full article...
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Obama Dreaming of Deficits / Politics / Credit Crisis Bailouts
By: Oxbury_Research
Jan. 5 (Bloomberg) -- President-elect Barack Obama’s economic stimulus package will include hundreds of billions of dollars worth of tax breaks for individuals and businesses, according to a transition official and Democratic aides. Obama is asking that tax cuts make up 40 percent of a stimulus package, the people say.Read full article... Read full article...
Monday, January 05, 2009
A Whole Lot of Quantité Going On / Politics / Economic Stimulus
By: Adrian_Ash
- WHAT on earth...?
- Sorry, if you could just keep turned to the wall...
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