Towards a Deal?

Reading the New York Times column by David Brooks on why Republicans should vote for the “plan” that House Speaker John Boehner and President Obama reportedly have developed casts a pall of depression  over any thinking person. Reading the New York Times column by Paul Krugman on the …

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Written by Steve Bell on Friday July 22, 2011

Time is Running Out

Yesterday evening and last night something important in the debt ceiling discussion happened:  many members of both the House and Senate moved from “worried” to “scared.” This is good news, of a sort. It further confirms our judgment that the United States will not default on its sovereign …

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Written by Steve Bell on Thursday July 21, 2011

GOP Losing Touch With Economic Reality

In the debt debate the President has the bully pulpit and the GOP is getting its clock cleaned. President Obama’s news conference this morning confirmed the age-old truth: a President has the bully pulpit. More people saw, or will see in some format, the President’s remarks today than …

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Written by Steve Bell on Tuesday July 12, 2011

Debt Talks Don't Need an Ambitious Solution

If the debt talks produce only (i) an increase in the debt ceiling and (ii) a framework for cutting federal spending over the medium term - well, there are worse ways to resolve the crisis. If the debt talks produce only (i) an increase in the debt ceiling and (ii) a framework for cutting …

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Written by David Frum on Monday July 11, 2011

The Debt Ceiling's Collective Action Trap

The debt ceiling vote is one where every Republican will want to be on the losing side. But if they all win then the country will lose. If you're a Republican elected official, you want two things from the debt-ceiling budget talks: 1) You want the talks to succeed - to produce a deal that …

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Written by David Frum on Thursday July 7, 2011

Democrats Should Offer to Extend the Bush Tax Cuts

In my column for The Week, I argue that Democrats can get a deal on the debt ceiling if they offer to bring back to the Bush tax cuts. In my column for The Week , I argue that Democrats can get a deal on the debt ceiling if they offer to bring back to the Bush tax cuts: Here's one Democrati…

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Written by David Frum on Wednesday July 6, 2011