It’s February. Americans are losing their jobs at a rate almost none of us have ever seen. The economy is collapsing in a deepening tailspin of fear and gloom. Wallets are shut. Companies are closing. And in Washington, the “debate” over what makes a stimulus bill stimulating drags on.
Republicans have won the spin war hands down. The stimulus bill has been successfully reframed as a pork-filled mess. And as the Senate works today to get something passed Republicans and their media friends continue to pick out specific items in the …

While we all wait to see exactly what the US Senate comes up with for it’s version of the stimulus package it seems certain that the total amount will easily blow way past the $819 billion House plan which passed Wednesday. So what will it mean for New York? Especially the state government which is facing a $15.4 billion budget gap?And what about New York City where Mayor Bloomberg is unveiling his doomsday budget today?
Monetarily Sen. Chuck Schumer calculates the state and cities will get roughly $15 billion over the …

Facts? Who needs facts when you can have Republicans and Democrats trading misleading charges about the stimulus plan? Republicans say the $825 billion plan is just a vast waste of money, filled with non-essential items that Democrats want to push through under the over of “crisis.” They add it will take way too long to effect the economy.
Democrats have a different take, defending every dollar as critical to the recovery. House leaders defended money for contraceptives as necessary to help states (45 of which are now running budget gaps) offset …

“Gun Sales Thriving in Uncertain Times” read a Washington Post headline today. Earlier this month a New York Times headline provided a subtext: “Keeping Wary Eye on Crime as Economy Sinks”. And so it was no surprise that the Post and pretty much all those who picked up the story and ran with it today noted that “experts” suggested one reason for “booming” guns sales (Brian Williams) was the crappy economy and fear of crime.
To it’s credit the Post was quick to point out some hard facts:
Gary Kleck, a researcher …