Toyota’s Big Apology

Staff / Truthdig Feb 23, 2010 Amid major setbacks leading to massive recalls related to unintended acceleration, faulty brakes and other mechanical calamities, Toyota is shifting into damage control mode. On Tuesday, the Japanese carmaker's president, Akio Toyoda, made a personal apology before the U.S. Congress, admitting that his company got ahead of itself, prioritizing growth over quality control. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Health Bill Survives House Committee Vote

Staff / Truthdig Aug 1, 2009 The good news, at least for those hoping for progress on the health care reform front, is that the House Energy and Commerce Committee passed the latest version of a bill aimed at revamping the nation's flagging health care system. The bad news: Now that Congress is headed for a monthlong vacation, we'll have a whole new round of squabbling to look forward to in September. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

‘Twitter Effect’ Hits Hollywood

Staff / Truthdig Jul 11, 2009 The time frame for projecting the success or failure of a newly released film has already been compressed to the point of asphyxiation, thanks to the Internet, but with the popularity of social networking services like Twitter, the window of box office opportunity has become even shorter, according to The Wrap's Sharon Waxman. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Kucinich Says Climate Bill Might Make Things Worse

Staff / Truthdig Jun 28, 2009 Rep. Dennis Kucinich explains why he voted against the climate bill that narrowly passed the House Friday: "It sets targets that are too weak, especially in the short term, and sets about meeting those targets through Enron-style accounting methods. It gives new life to one of the primary sources of the problem that should be on its way out -- coal -- by giving it record subsidies." Dig deeper ( 6 Min. Read )

House Passes Climate Bill

Staff / Truthdig Jun 27, 2009 The House of Representatives has passed a climate change bill by a vote of 219 to 212. The bill, which was a top priority for President Obama, largely resembles California's environmental program and requires that large American companies reduce emissions of global warming gases by 17 percent by 2020 and 83 percent by 2050. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Big Tobacco Targeted by Bigger Government

Staff / Truthdig Apr 3, 2009 The Food and Drug Administration may soon have control over the tobacco industry, if legislation survives Senate obstacles. The bill passed by a wide margin in the House, where its principal sponsor, Rep. Henry Waxman, said, "It has taken us far too long to get to this point." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

We’re Paying Congress for This?

Stanley Kutler / Truthdig Mar 28, 2009 Congress’ work has often offered us transparency and has usually led to useful, progressive legislation. And now comes Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank’s choreographed extravaganza in the House of Representatives, supported by an echoing committee, with sound bites worthy of a night in the Borscht Belt. Dig deeper ( 5 Min. Read )

Health Care Reform Can’t Wait

Bill Boyarsky / Truthdig Feb 19, 2009 The national health care crisis, intensified by the recession, is so bad that nothing can be permitted to stop reform of the system, not even the implosion of the president's health czar. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

Steering Clear of Disaster in Detroit

Bill Boyarsky / Truthdig Nov 21, 2008 If jobs weren’t disappearing and a depression threatening, it would be easy and satisfying to send the American auto industry into bankruptcy or liquidation. But this isn’t the time to make Chrysler, General Motors and Ford pay for their years of failure and shortsightedness. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

Dems Dump Detroit’s Man on the Hill

Staff / Truthdig Nov 21, 2008 House Democrats are serious about going green. To prove it, they just ousted auto hawk John Dingell from his perch as chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Rep. Henry Waxman, a California liberal and occasional Dingell foe, supplied the boot. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Karl E. Meyer on Sharon Waxman’s ‘Loot’

BLANK Oct 24, 2008 A new book investigates the illicit trade in antiquities and raises uneasy questions over cultural patrimony, the fevers of nationalism and the imperial ambitions of museums. Dig deeper ( 6 Min. Read )

Greenspan Admits Ideological Flaw

Staff / Truthdig Oct 23, 2008 The former Fed chair told angry lawmakers on Thursday that after 40 years of buying into free-market ideology he had "found a flaw." Rep. Henry Waxman told Greenspan "our whole economy is paying the price" because he ignored advice and resisted regulation. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )