Peering into the fog of the run-up to this House vote this evening, it’s actually not clear Speaker Boehner has the votes to get his debt plan through the chamber. The operating assumption most of today has been that he’ll find the votes one way or the other. And that may still bear out. But it’s not a certainty.
Michele Bachmann refuses to answer reporters’ questions about her husband’s “gay cure” therapy and declares him and their business off limits to press.
Susan Crabtree reports that Speaker Boehner was asked if passage of his bill would help prevent the downgrade of the U.S. credit rating.
His response? “That is beyond my control”
No, not really. Not at all. That’s just unbelievable.
Harry Reid says the Senate will take up the Boehner plan tonight, soon after it presumably passes the House, and kill it immediately.
As you’ve probably noticed, TPM’s been growing. Our audience has grown just over 40% since last year. The staff of around a dozen we had in late 2009 has grown to 25. Our DC Bureau has grown to eight full time staffers. And we’ve got a lot more coming as we build into the 2012 election. And that sort of rapid growth requires that the business side of the operating be roaring on all cylinders too. So we’re excited to announce that TPM’s ad sales revenue grew by 88% in the first half of 2011 over the same period last year. Here’s our announcement.
The Obama administration may announce new fuel efficiency standards for automobiles as soon as Friday.
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Since we’re talking about Keynes today and the new Era of Austerity, which I fear is quite real, I thought I’d put in my two cents. There seems little doubt that Keynes has taken a mighty hit. But my read of the situation is that the hit is almost entirely in the realm of politics rather than economics. Read More