Christina Romer’s Statement on Economic Contraction

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Below is a statement from Christina D. Romer, Chair, Council of Economic Advisors on the Fourth Quarter 2008 Advance GDP Estimate: Real GDP fell at an annual rate of 3.8% in the fourth quarter of 2008. This was the largest one-quarter fall since 1982 and the second consecutive quarter of real GDP decline.

Guilty of Self-Indulgence

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(Did not run into David Corn today; photo courtesy of the News Hour with Jim Lehrer) The Weekly Standard‘s Michael Goldfarb dubbed my post about David Corn, policy, and my constantly running into him as perhaps one of the most self-absorbed blog posts he’s ever read.

Europe’s Nabucco Delusion

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The howls of outrage emanating from European capitals following the Russia-Ukraine gas row have led some to conclude that Europe will move quickly to diversify its natural gas supply at Russia’s expense. In fact, it is more likely that Russia’s aggressive move will reinforce Europe’s internal divisions and yield strategic dividends over the long-term.

David Corn, Policy, DC Parties, and Me

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(Steve Clemons and Ben Affleck — and a glimpse of David Corn mostly eclipsed by Susan Eisenhower’s hair) Unlike “Roger” in Michael Moore‘s Roger and Me, I really like David Corn — and I have no problem seeing him unlike the elusive and never reachable Roger.

11 Minute Video Note with Zalmay Khalilzad

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The week that former US Ambassador to the United Nations Zalmay Khalilzad was leaving the United Nations, I asked him to share his thoughts about American diplomacy, the UN as an institution, nation building and our brewing problems in Afghanistan at an event at the New America Foundation.

Watch for US Special Forces Action Against Somali Pirates

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In the period between President Obama’s November 2008 victory at the polls and his taking office on January 20, 2009, members of Obama’s transition team began talking to military planners about various options that might be available for dealing with Somali pirates. In my estimation, this is smart planning by the Obama team.

Thoughts on Reorganizing the Hamas Problem

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My New America Foundation/Middle East Task Force colleague Daniel Levy, a former Israeli government negotiator who was at the table whenever any key progress was made in Israel-Palestine negotiations and then wrote the Israeli draft of the well-known Geneva Initiative, believes that there is no credible path forward on Israel-Palestine issues and the broader Middle…

No Team of Rivals on Economics: Bob Rubin Acolytes and Goldman Sachs Alums Dominate Obama Team and Have Blocked Alternative Views from Entering White House Ranks

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No Team of Rivals on the economics side. The deep ideological divide that is emerging in the economics profession between those who worried about manic neoliberalism and Bob Rubin-style turbo-charged tilts towards an increasing unregulated finance industry is not hitting the Obama administration – because it is only hiring one side of that divide.