Washington DC

Douglas Holtz-Eakin, former CBO Director (2003-2005) and spokesman most recently for John McCain on economic matters, has been making the rounds giving his opinion on various Obama initiatives. Here he is on NPR this morning passing judgment on Obama's budget.

I'm not sure why they consider him an authority. Here's what he had to say about all the fake numbers that used to come out of the Bush Administration:

So according to the Chicago Tribune, reaction in the Chicago area to Obama's Address was "mixed". Here's their headline:

"Chicago Area Residents Give Barack Obama's Stimulus Bill Mixed Reviews"

Courtesy of Whitehouse.gov:

A surplus became an excuse to transfer wealth to the wealthy instead of an opportunity to invest in our future. Regulations were gutted for the sake of a quick profit at the expense of a healthy market....

Well that day of reckoning has arrived, and the time to take charge of our future is here....

From Ezra Klein:

The budget -- and I was cautioned that the wording "is changing hourly" -- will direct Congress to "aim for universality." That is a bolder goal than simple affordability, which can be achieved, at least in theory, through subsidies. Universality means everyone has coverage, not just the ability to access it. And that requires a mechanism to ensure that they have it.

Is nice to see all the concern about banks teetering on the edge. But despite all the theatrics recently in the House Financial Services Committee about corporate jets and girl scout cookies, where are the proposals for legislation to help prevent this from occurring again?