Why Liquid Coal Is A Bad Idea
March 28, 2008, 8:23pm
With gasoline prices now averaging more than $3 a gallon and likely to rise in the short term, the incentive for America to adopt alternative energy sources. But the Natural Resources Defense Council is warning that liquid coal is not the right answer.
Categories: Environment, Energy, Economy
Economic Stimulus Clears House Hurdle
January 29, 2008, 7:39pm
The House today passed a bill that would funnel $146 billion worth of tax cuts and other proposals in an effort to stimulate an economy hindered by mortgage woes, high gas prices and other problems. The vote was 385-35.
Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, said the bill isn’t perfect but praised the “generous spirit” of Republicans and Democrats who rallied around it. “If we do nothing, we’re just asking for our economy to slow even further,” he said.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., added: “This is a middle-class tax rebate bill. … It targets the middle class and those who aspire to it.”
Categories: California, Ohio, Producer's Picks, Nancy Pelosi, Taxes, Economy, John Boehner
The Ties That Bind Economics And Security
January 26, 2008, 4:14pm
President Bush gives his annual State of the Union address Monday and today offered his radio audience a glimpse into the priorities he will discuss in the speech.
Those priorities are economic growth and national security. Here are excerpts of Bush’s radio address:
- “You should know that while economic growth has slowed in recent months, the foundation for long-term growth remains solid. And I believe that with swift action, we can give our economy the boost it needs to continue expanding and creating new jobs for our citizens.”
- “In August, Congress passed a bill that strengthened our ability to monitor terrorist communications. The problem is that Congress set this law to expire on February 1st. That is next Friday. If this law expires, it will become harder to figure out what our enemies are doing to infiltrate our country, harder for us to uncover terrorist plots, and harder to prevent attacks on the American people.”
In this week’s Democratic address, Sen. Byron Dorgan of North Dakota emphasized efforts to boost the economy but also suggested a negative link between economic woes and national security. While praising bipartisan work by Congress and Bush to aid the economy, he also took partisan shots at Bush.
“President Bush has given us a fiscal policy that has piled up mountains of debt by insisting we fight the war in Iraq with borrowed money,” Dorgan said. “Even as his policies have escalated this unbelievable federal debt load, he continues to insist on giving more tax breaks to the super wealthy. Now, the American people know that doesn’t add up. That has to change.”
Categories: Podcast of the Week, Security, Weekly Radio Address, State Of The Union, Economy
AdWatch: Hope For Homeowners
January 23, 2008, 7:01am
As policymakers weigh what further steps, if any, to take to address the home mortgage crisis, the Ad Council is trying to educate consumers by running public-service advertisements about foreclosures. The ads encourage homeowners at risk of losing their homes to call 888-995-HOPE for quality counseling and financial advice.
A separate Ad Council campaign dubbed “Feed The Pig” aims to teach people ages 25 to 34 to save for every stage of life.
Here’s a look at the ads:
In the House yesterday, meanwhile, Rep. Hilda Solis, D-Calif., decried the impact of the subprime mortgage crisis on her district in Los Angeles, where a family loses a home to foreclosure every hour.
House Sets 10-Year Goal On Poverty
January 22, 2008, 9:21pm
The House today adopted a nonbinding resolution that says the United States has a moral responsibility to help the poor and sets a national goal of cutting poverty in half over 10 years by promoting good jobs at livable wages. The vote was 391-0.
“Our country is a land of opportunity,” said bill sponsor Barbara Lee, D-Calif. “But the sad reality is that income inequality continues to grow and more people are falling into poverty than getting ahead.” She said one in eight Americans now live in poverty.
Categories: California, Labor, Economy, Social Policy, Barbara Lee
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