Maine: Paul Krugman

March 9, 2009 - 06:43 am
NEWS FEED: Turn Maine Blue

Open Thread

Good morning.

You can start your day - and hence your week - with this bracer by Paul Krugman:

As I read it, this dismissal - together with the continuing failure to announce any broad plans for bank restructuring - means that the White House has decided to muddle through on the financial front, relying on economic recovery to rescue the banks rather than the other way around. And with the stimulus plan too small to deliver an economic recovery ... well, you get the picture.

Sooner or later the administration will realize that more must be done. But when it comes back for more money, will Congress go along?

Republicans are now firmly committed to the view that we should do nothing to respond to the economic crisis, except cut taxes - which they always want to do regardless of circumstances.

March 6, 2009 - 09:37 am
NEWS FEED: Turn Maine Blue

What Paul Krugman says

It is rather unfortunate that the Obama administration thinks we're stoopid, but I suppose after 8 years of so many supporting Bush/Cheney, it is understandable. In today's column Paul Krugman explains the scheme:
Take the plan's latest incarnation: a proposal to make low-interest loans to private investors willing to buy up troubled assets. This would certainly drive up the price of toxic waste because it would offer a heads-you-win, tails-we-lose proposition. As described, the plan would let investors profit if asset prices went up but just walk away if prices fell substantially.

But would it be enough to make the banking system healthy? No.

March 3, 2009 - 07:57 pm
NEWS FEED: Turn Maine Blue

What Paul Krugman said (and Calc Risk and Tim Duy)

The NYTimes and Paul Krugman can have their lawyers contact me to demand that I pull this post, as I am admittedly violating the fair use act (don't you try this at home - and don't tell my wife), but it's to f'n important not to:
Calculated Risk looks at the latest plan floated by the Treasury - to make low-interest, non-recourse loans to private investors who buy bad assets - and immediately gets it: this is a plan to drive up the prices of toxic assets by creating a lot of moral hazard.
By offering low interest non-recourse loans, these public-private entities can pay a higher than market price for the toxic assets (since there is no downside risk).

March 2, 2009 - 11:33 am
NEWS FEED: Turn Maine Blue

What Paul Krugman said

Read what Paul Krugman has to say. Then stay away from sharp objects and high places for a while.

February 7, 2009 - 11:43 pm
NEWS FEED: MainePolitics.net

Collins, Snowe Support Compromise Stimulus Package

It appears a modified version of President Obama's stimulus package will pass the senate tomorrow with the support of Senators Snowe, Collins and Pennsylvania Republican Arlen Specter.

The new package includes a raft of spending cuts drawn up by Collins and Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska. The full list can be found in excel format here.

Head Start has been cut in half. K-12 education spending has been cut heavily, as has the higher education infrastructure money, but the pell grants have been spared. The biggest cut was to the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund which is meant to preserve vital services in states with budget deficits, like Maine.