Too Big to Fail, Too Big to Jail

Amy Goodman / Truthdig Jan 28, 2009 Millions have served time in U.S. prisons for crimes that fall far short of those attributed to the Bush administration. Some criminals, it seems, are like banks judged too big to fail: too big to jail, too powerful to prosecute. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

Obama’s Salvage Operation

Eugene Robinson / Truthdig Jan 23, 2009 Repairing the damage that George W. Bush did to the nation's values, honor and pride will be complicated and, at times, politically inconvenient. But nothing is more urgent, and nothing will ultimately reap more benefits at home and abroad. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Obama Announces New Ethics Rules, Freezes Aides’ Salaries

Staff / Truthdig Jan 22, 2009 President Obama says "[t]ransparency and the rule of law will be the touchstones" of his administration. To that end, he will toughen lobbying restrictions and require all federal agencies to give high priority to Freedom of Information Act requests. The president also announced a pay freeze for about 100 of his highest-paid aides. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Geithner Urges ‘Fundamental Reform’ in Bailout

Staff / Truthdig Jan 21, 2009 It's the first full day of Obama's administration and things are looking a bit different in D.C. Treasury secretary nominee Timothy Geithner called for "fundamental reform" of the $700 billion bailout, claiming the existing bailout package favored big business over struggling families. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Good Riddance

Staff / Truthdig Jan 21, 2009 Say it with us: former President Bush. After eight crazy years, George W. Bush is escaping to Texas, where he plans to work on his memoirs and, one imagines, clear some brush. He leaves a nation in despair. Perhaps his greatest achievement was scaring America into the arms of Barack Obama. Heckuva job, Bushie. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

It’s Over — and Not a Moment Too Soon

Marie Cocco / Truthdig Jan 20, 2009 George W. Bush promised to restore "honor and dignity" to the White House, but he leaves with less honor and with lower public approval than any other president since Richard Nixon. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Bush’s Short View of History

Eugene Robinson / Truthdig Jan 13, 2009 In his eyes, there's "no such thing as short-term history." It's true that some presidencies look different after a few decades. But it's also true that presidential acts can have immediate consequences -- and Bush's eight years are seen as a nadir that will take years to recover from. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

‘Homeland Security USA’: The Outtakes

By G.W. Schulz, Center for Investigative Reporting Jan 9, 2009 The inaugural episode of ABC's newest reality television series did exactly as producer Arnold Shapiro told viewers it would: unabashedly celebrated the Department of Homeland Security. It also failed in every conceivable way to critically examine the largest reorganization of the federal government since World War II. Dig deeper ( 7 Min. Read )

Beware, Mr. Obama, of Tax-Cut Seduction

Marie Cocco / Truthdig Jan 8, 2009 Much of the business-tax package Obama contemplates fails his own test of cutting business taxes "where it makes sense and is going to work." Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Let’s Pledge to Stop Being Stupid About Teen Sex

Ellen Goodman / Truthdig Jan 2, 2009 "Virginity pledges" are one of the ways that government officials measure whether abstinence-only education is "working." They count the pledges as proof that teens will abstain. It turns out that this is like counting New Year's resolutions as proof that you lost 10 pounds. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

The 21st Century Is Finally Here, a Bit Behind Schedule

E.J. Dionne Jr. / Truthdig Jan 1, 2009 Social and political epochs rarely end precisely on schedules provided by calendars. The outcome of this year's election means that 2009 will, finally, mark the beginning of the 21st century. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Leaders Lie, Civilians Die, and Lessons of History Are Ignored

Robert Fisk / Truthdig Dec 29, 2008 We've got so used to the carnage of the Middle East that we don't care anymore -- providing we don't offend the Israelis. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )