Bush Caves On Iraq Benchmarks

Those 'lecturing' on deficit helped get us here in the first place: Paul Krugman

(NEWSER) - More and more people have been telling Paul Krugman that the budget deficit is the people’s fault: “Weak-minded politicians catered to the electorate’s foolishness.” But that viewpoint is not only “self-serving, it’s dead wrong,” writes Krugman in the New York Times . Instead, we can thank “policies championed by small groups of influential people—in many cases, the same people now lecturing the rest of us on the need to get serious.” They’re behind the deficit’s key factors: the Bush tax cuts, the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and the Great Recession. More»

Congress must review his abuses to prevent a repeat

(NEWSER) - As the country moves forward, we can’t afford to repeat the mistakes of the past: it’s time to review the abuses of the Bush administration, writes Michigan congressman John Conyers, Jr. in the Washington Post. Congress must keep pushing for “stonewalled” Bush documents; it should create an independent probe of Bush’s secret programs; and the Obama administration should begin a criminal investigation to see if Bush’s moves broke any laws. More»

(NEWSER) - Nancy Pelosi plans to convene a lame-duck House session to vote on an expanded rescue of the auto industry, the Wall Street Journal reports. “I am confident Congress can consider emergency assistance legislation next week,” the House Speaker said. Both GM and Ford have said they are cash poor, even after the $25 billion in government loan they received prior to the election. More»

Struggling economy requires a $150 billion plug, Speaker says

(AP) - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says a second economic stimulus plan is needed now because of the faltering economy, and she puts the price at $150 billion. President Bush, however, has promised a veto. The House passed a $61 billion economic aid proposal last month before lawmakers left Capitol Hill ahead of the election, but a similar plan failed to pass the Senate. More»

Key concessions, and a desire to approve legislation, put talks back on track

(NEWSER) - After a dramatic exit yesterday, House Republicans returned to talks today on the Wall Street bailout plan, the Washington Post reports. The White House expressed confidence and hoped aloud for a resolution by Monday. Yesterday’s White House meeting, with both candidates, was seen as a misstep. “The insertion of presidential politics has not been helpful,” Senate Majority leader Harry Reid said. More»