Posted by AzBlueMeanie: First it was Arizona's Senator Obstruction, Jon Kyl, who blocked the extension of unemployment benefits last fall because he wanted the Paris Hilton Tax (estate tax) for idle rich kids to inherit their parents' fortune to be dealt with first. Advertisement Then it was Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY) who blocked the extension of … Read more

Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Think we don't need financial services reforms? Think the "free market" is self-correcting? Think again, Ayn. Goldman Sachs is the most politically powerful Wall Street bank. Alumni from Goldman Sachs are serving at every level of the federal government (and many state governments). Today, the federal government sued Goldman Sachs & Co. … Read more

Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Where is Progressive "trust buster" Teddy Roosevelt when we really need him –again? H/T Almanac of Theodore Roosevelt – Political Cartoons (Puck Cartoons). Former Clinton Labor Secretary Robert Reich offers his formula for reigning in the pirates of Wall Street: Break Up the Banks: A fight is brewing in Washington — or, … Read more

Posted by AzBlueMeanie: I love that television commercial which begins as a bank robbery but then you quickly discover that it is the bank employees holding up its customers for fees and charges. So true. The economics-ignorant media focuses almost exclusively on Wall Street. The extent of their economics reporting on the nightly news each … Read more

by David Safier This is truly weird. E.J. Montini, a columnist at the Republic, wrote a piece putting down Melvin's idea of spending $200,000 in state funds to put vigilantes militia a Volunteer Security Force on the border to replace Melvin's beloved but defunct Minutemen. Even though the column was written for a Phoenix audience, … Read more

Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell has rounded up 40 signatures on a letter, to be delivered to Democratic leadership, pushing for a compromise package that has watered-down bipartisan support. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) is the sole Republican who has not signed on yet–but though she's been long viewed as a potential crossover vote, … Read more

by David Safier Everyone is paying more taxes, and corporations are taxed up to their eyeballs. It must be true. McCain said it. When you watch the video, notice how uncomfortable McCain looks. I saw the same verbal hesitation and sideways glances during the presidential campaign when he knew he was lying. He's not a … Read more