Only 2nd Stimulus Can Save US: Stiglitz

(NEWSER) - President Obama has big plans for the economy, and that’s too bad because he knows nothing about it, Fred Barnes writes in the Weekly Standard. All of his proposals and angry jabs at Wall Street are counter to his professed interest in growth and job creation. “Obamanomics pays lip service to a free market economy,” Barnes writes. “But Obama hasn't a clue what makes it work.” More»

(NEWSER) - When the economic crisis turned terrifying last winter, Washington finally got its act together and passed a massive stimulus package. But now, writes New York Times columnist Paul Krugman, the US faces a slower but more dangerous "jobless recovery" over the next few years and an "utterly terrifying" climate crisis decades out. Faced with these long-term dangers, the government is acting like the metaphorical "boiling frog"—unaware that it's slowly dying. More»

Careful roll out of asset plan helps Treasury secretary get his credibility back

(NEWSER) - The carefully orchestrated roll out of the federal plan to buy toxic assets has won Tim Geithner Wall Street's support in the nick of time, Jackie Calmes writes in the New York Times. The Treasury secretary—whose plan was slammed when the "framework" was unveiled last month—could scarcely afford another setback, Calmes writes, making the Dow's 500-point leap on the plan’s unveiling all the more important. More»

Bigger deficits are worth the benefits, Fed chair tells Congress

(NEWSER) - Ben Bernanke supported the Obama administration’s economic policy before Congress today, the Wall Street Journal reports. The $787 billion stimulus bill should boost “demand and production” and soften job losses over the next 2 years, the Federal Reserve chief told the Senate Budget Committee. The expansion of government debt required by the stimulus is “unavoidable” Bernanke said, given the consequences of inaction. More»

Administration eyes creation of private funds to suck up toxic debt

(NEWSER) - The Obama administration is considering creating multiple investment funds to buy up the toxic debts at the heart of the financial crisis, insiders tell the Wall Street Journal. No fixed structure has been agreed upon, but under one leading plan the funds would be administered by private investment managers who agree to add private capital to the government's bailout money. More»