A moonrise over Antarctica. From National Geographic.
The Palestinians, Alone from the New York Times
"What, then, are we to make of a recent survey for the Al Arabiya television network finding that a staggering 71 percent of the Arabic respondents have no interest in the Palestinian-Israeli peace talks? “This is an alarming indicator,”..."
Alan Greenspan: Extending Bush Tax Cuts Without Paying for Them Could Be 'Disastrous' from the Huffington Post
"In an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press," Greenspan expressed his disagreement with the conservative argument that tax cuts essentially pay for themselves by generating revenue and productivity among recipients. "They do not," said Greenspan."
Raise My Taxes, Mr. President (Fareed Zakaria) from Newsweek
"The Bush tax cuts remain the single largest cause of America’s structural deficit—that is, the deficit not caused by the collapse in tax revenues when the economy goes into recession. The Bush administration inherited budget surpluses from the Clinton administration. What turned these into deficits, even before the recession? There were three fundamental new costs—the tax cuts, the prescription-drug bill, and post-9/11 security spending."
Five Myths About the Bush Tax Cuts (William Gale) from the Washington Post
"Complicating the debate is a gloomy economic and fiscal outlook, one that is decidedly different from the rosy scenario that prevailed at the beginning of the last decade. That outlook has given rise to a number of stubborn myths about what extending the Bush tax cuts would -- or wouldn't -- do."
Defining Prosperity Down (Paul Krugman) from the New York Times
"What’s worse is the growing evidence that our governing elite just doesn’t care — that a once-unthinkable level of economic distress is in the process of becoming the new normal. And I worry that those in power, rather than taking responsibility for job creation, will soon declare that high unemployment is “structural,” a permanent part of the economic landscape — and that by condemning large numbers of Americans to long-term joblessness, they’ll turn that excuse into dismal reality."
From Paul Krugman to ... David Stockman!? Yes, Reagan's former OMB Director, has his own set of criticisms HERE.
How the Auto Bailout Became One of Obama's Best Talking Points (E.J. Dionne) from the New Republic
"Let there be no mistake: rescuing GM and Chrysler took political courage, and I want to put in a good word not only for President Obama but also for George W. Bush. ... Yet it was Obama who put in the bulk of the cash—in all, Bush's input had grown to $25 billion before he left office while Obama put up an additional $60 billion—and created the tough restructuring plan."
Obama-Clinton Ticket in 2012 from Politico
"Since Obama has expressed admiration for the portrait of Abraham Lincoln that Doris Kearns Goodwin paints in “Team of Rivals,” he could do the 16th president one better: He should name Hillary Clinton as his running mate in 2012. That would be both needed change and audacious. "
From Neocons to Crazy-cons (David Klinghoffer) from the Los Angeles Times
"Once the conservative movement was about finding meaning in private life and public service. But it has undergone a shift toward demagoguery and hucksterism."
Some interesting commentary on this article is HERE.
Tea Party vs. Tea Party Caucus from Politico
"Instead of embracing the caucus and its 49 House members, many tea party activists see it as yet another effort by the GOP to hijack their movement — and symptomatic of a party establishment that, they say, is condescending and out of step with their brand of conservatism. "
On the GOP Pre-campaign Trail (Ross Douthat) from the New York Times
"Right now, 2012 looks as if it could be another free-for-fall. In part, that’s because the populist temper is stronger among Republicans than it’s been since the days of Barry Goldwater. But it’s also because the most likely leaders for a populist uprising, Palin and Mike Huckabee, have a more devoted following than most earlier insurgents — and the current “it’s his turn” candidate, Romney, inspires little in the way of actual excitement."
LONG-FORM POLITICS NUGGET!!
The Empty Chamber: Just How Broken is the Senate? (George Packer) from the New Yorker
"TThe Senate is often referred to as “the world’s greatest deliberative body.” Jeff Merkley, a freshman Democrat from Oregon, said, “That is a phrase that I wince each time I hear it, because the amount of real deliberation, in terms of exchange of ideas, is so limited.” Merkley could remember witnessing only one moment of floor debate between a Republican and a Democrat. “The memory I took with me was: ‘Wow, that’s unusual—there’s a conversation occurring in which they’re making point and counterpoint and challenging each other.’ And yet nobody else was in the chamber."
BOOKS NUGGET [of a sort]!!
What You Need to Read Now from Newsweek
"It’s a sort of literary road map to the most important stories of the moment, as explained by some of the best minds in their diverse fields. Read it, and we promise you perfect hindsight."
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