S&P Downgrades and Banks: Threats to Global Stability

Nomi Prins / Truthdig Jan 19, 2012 The markets weren’t shocked by last week’s wave of pre-broadcast S&P sovereign debt downgrades. For months, the question wasn’t “if” but “when.” And true to form, just as with the U.S. downgrade, S&P’s reasoning skated the surface of prevailing wisdom.Standard & Poor’s likes moving on Friday nights after the markets are closed. Dig deeper ( 7 Min. Read )

‘Left, Right & Center’: Leaving Iraq, for Better or Worse

Staff / Truthdig Dec 17, 2011 What's America's legacy in Iraq going to be? Can we read it accurately from this moment, now that the war is "officially" over? Also on this week's rundown of topics for "Left, Right & Center" panelists Robert Scheer, Matt Miller, Chrystia Freeland and Mark Tapscott are Fannie and Freddie vs. the SEC and a farewell to Christopher Hitchens. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

SEC Slaps Former Fannie, Freddie Execs With Fraud Charges

Staff / Truthdig Dec 17, 2011 It's a start, but let's hope Friday's fraud charges against six former higher-ups at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac don't represent the only attempts that the Securities and Exchange Commission will make to hold financial executives responsible for the disastrous economic mess that's still upon us. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Paulson Tipped Hedge Funds About Market Meltdown

Staff / Truthdig Nov 29, 2011 Back in July of 2008, when most of us were still blissfully ignorant about the approaching economic apocalypse, then-Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson was very aware of some important market distress signals, and he chose to share some of those with an elite group of financial executives, Bloomberg reported Tuesday. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Barney Frank to Call It Quits

Staff / Truthdig Nov 28, 2011 Want to get a quick read on another American's politics? Say the words Barney Frank The Massachusetts congressman has become a distinctive presence in the House of Representatives over the last 32 years, becoming a lightning rod for condemnation and celebration, depending on where you sit On Monday (more) Updated. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Newt’s Parade

Mike Luckovich / Truthdig Nov 21, 2011 Dig deeper

‘Left, Right & Center’: Euro Crisis, Troop Drawdown, U.S. and Pakistan

Staff / Truthdig Jun 18, 2011 The impact of the Greek debt crisis is being felt across the European Union -- could it affect economic growth in the US? This week also brought even more strain in U-Pakistani relations, if things weren't bad enough already Listen in as Robert Scheer (more). Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

A Road Map to Economic Armageddon

By John B. Taylor Jun 3, 2011 In "Reckless Endangerment," Gretchen Morgenson and Joshua Rosner argue that cozy connections between government and the financial industry were the primary cause of the financial crisis. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

‘Left, Right & Center’: Mubarak Steps Down; Budget Wars

Staff / Truthdig Feb 12, 2011 Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has resigned in the wake of massive anti-government protests that lasted more than two weeks. What's next for Egypt after this historic revolution? Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Run Up Huge Tab for Taxpayers

Staff / Truthdig Oct 22, 2010 So, remember that whole bailout thing that began a couple of years ago? It's not over yet, at least not when it comes to those delinquent housing giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac According to new government projections, the Fannie and Freddie bailout fiasco could (continued). Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Obama Hires a Hustler

Robert Scheer / Truthdig Oct 20, 2010 Behind the wonderfully engaging smile of this president there is the increasingly disturbing suggestion of a cynical power-grabbing politician whose swift rise in power reflects less the earnestness of his message and far more the skills of a traditional political hack.One day as Wall Street was crashing, President George W. Bush had the temerity to plaintively ask his treasury secretary, Henry Paulson: “How did this happen?” Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

The Whistle-Blower They Ignored

Robert Scheer / Truthdig Apr 14, 2010 There aren’t too many genuine heroes to come out of the banking disaster, but Armando Falcon is one of them -- and had he been listened to, a significant part of the housing crisis could have been mitigated. There aren’t too many genuine heroes to come out of the banking disaster, but Armando Falcon is one of them. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )