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Markets Won't Indulge GOP Debt Threats

The GOP’s debt ceiling threat has been tried before and last time the markets were quick to shoot it down. The GOP’s debt ceiling threat has been tried before and last time the markets were quick to shoot it down. Way back in antediluvian times—about l995—a very successful investor and Soros …

Written by Steve Bell on Friday April 29, 2011

Bond Markets Brush Off Tea Party Threats

Bond markets are shrugging off the debt ceiling debate as political theater. That's a relief. But isn't it also kind of insulting to the Tea Party? Philip Klein of the DC Examiner correctly observes that bond markets are shrugging off the debt ceiling debate as political theater. From the …

Written by David Frum on Friday April 22, 2011

GOP Plays Weak Hand in Debt Debate

A look at the current set of Republican debt limit vote negotiating points ought to disappoint any committed fiscal conservative. Plenty of people have already spilled ink on why Congress should raise the debt limit and why failing to do so would be a catastrophe. Nearly all of the arguments …

Written by Eli Lehrer on Thursday April 21, 2011

Debt Downgrade: Are Voters Paying Attention?

Wall Street may have sent a stern warning over the debt, but voters and media still seem more concerned with political sideshows like Donald Trump. The past day or so I experienced that odd feeling that I might be existing in parallel but separate universes, a situation wherein two (or more) …

Written by Les Francis on Tuesday April 19, 2011

Wall Street's Wake-Up Call

Neither President Obama's deficit reduction plan speech nor Congress' response seem to have settled market fears about America's soaring debt. This morning Standard and Poor’s put its long-term rating on United States sovereign debt on negative outlook. The equity market, as I write, is off by …

Written by Steve Bell on Monday April 18, 2011

Debt Default Fears Hit Wall Street

Wall Street's reaction to S&P's downgrade of the outlook on U.S. debt should be a warning to Republicans not to use the debt ceiling as a political football. S&Ps recent downgrade of the outlook on American debt isn't surprising. But the market's rapid decline in its wake should be a warning …

Written by Eli Lehrer on Monday April 18, 2011

State Debt: Washington's Next Budget Headache?

As Capitol Hill takes a breather from the budget battles, here’s an overview of the unresolved debates and still-mounting spending skirmishes. Congress may have finally approved the FY11 budget this week, but the next battles have already begun. The deficit debate awaits a proposed centrist …

Written by Steve Bell on Saturday April 16, 2011

In the Next Budget Fight: Hope for a Tie

D.C.’s been obsessed with weighing the winners and losers from Friday’s budget deal. But in the larger spending fight to come there’s more at stake than political points. Washington’s been obsessed with weighing the winners and losers from last Friday’s budget deal. But in the larger spending …

Written by Les Francis on Tuesday April 12, 2011

The Budget Deal's Biggest Winner

In Friday’s budget deal, Boehner amassed enough credibility with his own caucus that he can now confront the larger fiscal challenges ahead. Conventional wisdom saw House Speaker John Boehner as all tan and no substance. As usual, conventional wisdom got it wrong. In Friday’s budget deal, …

Written by Steve Bell on Monday April 11, 2011

A GOP Game Plan for the Next Budget Fight

Republicans were wise to secure a deal and avert a shutdown. But will they remember what they learned in the coming budget battle? Friday night, the GOP reached a budget deal with Senate Majority Leader Reid and the White House. I’m pleasantly surprised Republicans actually took my advice “to …

Written by Andrew Pavelyev on Monday April 11, 2011

Boehner Faces GOP Budget Revolt

Boehner's fight to keep his caucus unified in the spending fight just got a lot harder: Tuesday, fiscal hawks in the House announced plans to draft a rival 2012 budget proposal. Today’s news that conservatives in the House Republican Study Committee will draft their own alternative Fiscal Year …

Written by Steve Bell on Tuesday March 29, 2011

Boehner's Budget Battle Is Just Beginning

The Fiscal Year 2011 budget fight is about to morph into a fiscal battle over the 2012 budget and the present $14.3 trillion federal debt ceiling. As predicted, the Fiscal Year 2011 budget fight seems very likely to morph into a general fiscal battle that includes the 2012 budget and a fight …

Written by Steve Bell on Friday March 25, 2011

GOP's 2012 Budget: Dead on Arrival?

Anti-deficit stalwart, Rep. Paul Ryan, has pledged to start the markup of the FY2012 budget in early April. The plan should pass the House, but will Senate Dems back it? Apparently old-fashioned snail mail has made a comeback in the United States Senate. Two sets of letters roiled the fiscal …

Written by Steve Bell on Monday March 21, 2011

Budget Fight: GOP & Dems Dig in For Round Two

While the media is focused on the House GOP CR and the coming debt ceiling fight, there's another battle that's been forgotten: the 2012 fiscal year budget. The Monongahela, Allegheny and Ohio Rivers converge in Pittsburgh. Most readers will find that fact neither new nor particularly insightfu…

Written by Steve Bell on Wednesday March 2, 2011

Overview for debt-ceiling