Saturday, November 29, 2008

Kuttner on the Economy

(click any image to enlarge)

For a long time, Robert Kuttner has been one of my favorite progressive economists. He appeared on NPR's excellent news show, NOW, this weekend and suggested a controversial plan for economic recovery that emphasizes massive public investment over fiscal restraint, at least until the economy gets rolling again. Kuttner argues that staving off another Great Depression is more important than balancing budgets. Check it out here.

What do you think? If you could craft public policy to address the economic collapse, what would your plan look like? What would you do?

Here is what Nobel-winning economist and NYTimes columnist, Paul Krugman, thinks should be done about the economic crisis.

Here are some other economy-related political cartoons by Keith Tucker: (click any image to enlarge)





Friday, November 28, 2008

Clarity on Obama

Is Obama the end all be all? Or, is he the same old, same old? Jay Smooth, at illdoctrine.com, has a nice reply...

What do you think?

The Three Trillion Dollar War (It's Cost in Ten Steps)

In 2003, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld estimated that a war with Iraq would cost $60 billion. Five years later, the cost of Iraq War operations is more than 10 times that figure. By the time the United States leaves Iraq, the estimated total cost of war will be more than $3 trillion.
(click image to enlarge)

Thursday, November 27, 2008

An Iroquois Prayer of Thanksgiving

An Iroquois Prayer of Thanksgiving

We return thanks to our mother, the earth, 
which sustains us.

We return thanks to the rivers and streams, 
which supply us with water.

We return thanks to all herbs, 
which furnish medicines for the cure of our diseases.

We return thanks to the corn, 
and to her sisters, the beans and squash,
which give us life.

We return thanks to the bushes and trees,
which provide us with fruit.

We return thanks to the wind,
which, moving the air,
pushes away sadness.

We return thanks to the moon and the stars,
which have given us their light
when the sun was gone.

We return thanks to our grandfather He-no,
who has given to us his rain.

We return thanks to the sun,
that he has looked upon the earth
with a beneficent eye.

Lastly, we return thanks to the Great Spirit,
in whom is embodied all goodness,
and who directs all things
for the good of his children.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008