It's the War and what it has done to our Economy, stupid!

[FrenchieCat]

Joseph Steiglitz, a Nobel Laureate in Economics, estimates the total cost to the United States of the invasion of Iraq at $2 trillion. This includes all economic consequences such as lifetime treatment for injured soldiers, increased energy prices, payments on interest for debt to finance the war, as well as more direct costs apparent in the budget. The war also radicalized more Muslims and made America less, not more, safe. It has distracted the country from other pressing issues such as global warming, economic polarization, and health care and drained the nation financially, constricting its ability to initiate or expand other programs.
http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/2008/02/hillary_clinton_2.html

[dailykoff]

1. Meanwhile, Exxon posts record $40 billion annual profit.

The illogic of the financial equation is mindboggling, but the criminality and immorality are unspeakable -- the heart of darkness writ large for all of history to jeer at, and this will be the folly history remember us by I have no doubt.

[Satyagrahi]

2. Like Obama and unlike Hillary, Stiglitz also favors significant tax rebates for

lower- and middle-income families.

Stiglitz:

"But middle- and lower-income Americans have been suffering for the last seven years — median family income is lower today than it was in 2000. A tax rebate aimed at lower- and middle-income households makes sense, especially since it would be fast-acting."
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/23/opinion/23stiglitz.html?scp=2&sq=JOSEPH+E.+STIGLITZ&st=nyt

Obama:

If elected, Mr. Obama said he would to try to forge a popular mandate for policy changes that could reverse a generation of slow wage growth and outlast any one administration. At the top of his list would be shifting the tax burden more toward the wealthy and making investments — in health care, alternative-energy research and education — that would cost a significant amount of money but could ultimately lift economic growth.

***

Although Mr. Obama’s economic approach comes wrapped in his conciliatory rhetoric, it is in some ways more aggressive than that of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, his rival for the Democratic presidential nomination.

He has called for shoring up Social Security by raising payroll taxes on very high earners, while she has not. He also favors a permanent tax credit of up to $1,000 for families in the bottom 90 percent or so of the income distribution, which makes his package of middle-class tax credits significantly larger than hers.

***

His approach puts him somewhat to the left of the Clinton administration but broadly in line with the Democratic Party now.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/02/us/politics/02obama.html?ref=politics

[FrenchieCat]

3. Yep......

[ugdude]

4. Hillary voted for the war that destroyed our economy...

and killed hundreds of thousands of people.

[Didereaux]

5. ...and Obama has voted YAY on every single war FUNDING bill...chew on that as well n/t