Category: White House

What Kind of Economic Recovery?

March 7, 2010 by Calitics

We learned on Friday that California may be on the verge of jobs growth. 32,000 jobs were created in the state in January 2010, including in construction and manufacturing. However, the unemployment rate also went up to 12.5%, as more people sought work. It's a sign that any economic recovery that might be under way is anemic at best, and that we still have a VERY long way to go to solve the problems of what may be persistent unemployment.

Unfortunately, this economic recovery is not only anemic, it may be transitory. And even if it were to continue to pick up steam and last for a while, it will not be a true "recovery" in the sense of creating broadly shared prosperity. Instead we appear to have experienced another dramatic ratcheting downward of economic opportunity for most Californians, while creating conditions that both ensure we will have another nasty crash and that many more people will suffer when it happens.

This phenomenon is not unfamiliar to California. Since 1980 we have experienced four recessions that have frayed the safety net, fueled anti-government sentiments, and created more inequality and economic vulnerability, all of which mean that the subsequent recession hits harder than the one that came before it.

On Assigning Blame, Or, "So, You Think I'm Retarded?"

March 1, 2010 by Uppity Wisconsin

LANGUAGE WARNING: Today’s story is uncharacteristically blunt, and from this moment forward we will be using lots of inappropriate language in making our points.

Gentle Reader, you have been officially...warned.

With that in mind, if you take offense when confronted with language strong enough to knock a fuckin’ buzzard off a shitwagon, please stop reading now.

It is by now fairly well known that Rahm Emanuel, President Obama’s White House Chief of Staff, had a bit of a blow-up with liberals who were ready to start running ads against “blue dog” Democrats who were working very hard to shut down the health care reform effort.

Now we’re not gonna get in the middle of that argument today; instead, since we’re finally getting a chance to talk, I figured me and Rahm could get a few other things out of the way that have been on everyone’s mind for the past year or so.

Health care summit discussion thread

February 25, 2010 by Bleeding Heartland

I didn't watch President Barack Obama's health care summit today, but I wanted to post this thread for people to discuss the spectacle and the state of play for health care reform. Blog for Iowa liveblogged the proceedings, as did FireDogLake (in four parts).

Senator Tom Harkin got good reviews for his comments at the summit today but disappointed a lot of Democrats yesterday by saying the public health insurance option can't pass this year. Harkin repeatedly promised during 2009 that Congress would approve a health care bill with a public option. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is still advocating for the public option, but clearly there is no hope.

Steve King wants to let insurance companies keep fixing prices (updated with Tom Latham hypocrisy)

February 24, 2010 by Bleeding Heartland

The House of Representatives approved a bill to repeal the insurance industry's exemption from anti-trust laws today by an overwhelming margin of 406 to 19. All 253 Democrats present were joined by 153 Republicans in voting for H.R. 4626, the Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act. Representative Tom Latham of Iowa's fourth district voted with the majority, but Steve King disgraced the fifth district again by voting no (roll call here).

The anti-trust exemption has helped health insurers to avoid meaningful competition in most markets. Price-fixing is wonderful for corporate profits but doesn't help consumers obtain affordable insurance coverage. The anti-trust exemption is one reason insurers have been able to jack up premiums by far more than the rate that medical costs are increasing (and many times the overall rate of inflation). Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, which controls about 70 percent of the health insurance market in Iowa, recently announced rate hikes averaging 18 percent for about 80,000 individual policy-holders.