AltWeeklies Wire
The Joy of Receiving: A Year of Bailouts, Handouts and Hypocrisynew

For the first time since 1995, Democrats in Washington bow to no one — except the emperor of Japan. While they have not stimulated the job market, they thoroughly Christmas-goosed us conservatives.
Isthmus |
David Blaska |
12-28-2009 |
Commentary
Creating Jobs, Unfortunately, Doesn't Seem to be an Obama Priority
Obama's plan is Reaganomics redux. Give trillions of dollars to big corporations, he argues, and they'll use it to capitalize new ventures, hire workers, and unclog the credit markets. Eventually.
This Bailout's a Bomb -- There's No Worse Industry Than Autonew

What we really need is investment in local infrastructure for sunrise industries that make the things we need, thereby shifting the focus from mobility of goods to local provision and access. By contrast, auto is a sunset industry from the horse-and-buggy age.
NOW Magazine |
Wayne Roberts |
01-09-2009 |
Economy
Porn Industry After $5 Billion Federal Bailoutnew
As the 2009 AVN Adult Entertainment Expo opens in Las Vegas this week, Girls Gone Wild CEO Joe Francis and HUSTLER magazine publisher Larry Flynt are hoping to get a financial bailout for the adult entertainment industry, a spokesperson for Francis announced today.
Las Vegas Weekly |
Staff |
01-08-2009 |
Economy
After the Auto Bailout, Now What?new
What has to happen is an intelligent, radical plan to restructure and refocus the auto industry, and soon. You see, they are going to need more money. Lots more, and what they are doing isn't working.
Metro Times |
Jack Lessenberry |
12-23-2008 |
Economy
Are Bailouts Just a Rationale for the Mother of All Spending Sprees?new
Most people remember the controversy over the $700 billion bailout package the week it was passed in Congress. They are probably less familiar with the additional $800 billion bailout program the Federal Reserve launched under the radar two weeks ago while everyone was chomping on turkey.
Creative Loafing (Charlotte) |
Tara Servatius |
12-10-2008 |
Economy
A Bailout is Needed, but a New New Deal Would be Betternew
Why not create something like the old New Deal, which put millions to work doing everything from building post offices to writing nature guides. Ours would be more limited, however; we could call it the Michigan Infrastructure Corps. We are going to be paying out billions in unemployment insurance anyway. Why shouldn't we get something out if it?
Metro Times |
Jack Lessenberry |
12-09-2008 |
Economy
Money, Arrogance and Stupidity = Disaster for American Auto Industrynew

Chapter 11 does not mandate that the Big 3 close their doors. It mandates that they restructure and cut costs, just like the airlines did. Yet the Big 3 continue to be bullheaded and refuse to consider this option.
Pasadena Weekly |
Jennifer Hadley |
12-08-2008 |
Business & Labor
Are We Really Ready for Life Without American Cars?new

Here's the thing about the American public: we never learn. We squeezed into the backseats of our moms' Pintos in the 1970s, then grew up to fill vast suburban parking lots with Expeditions and Yukons and Escalades. Then we freak out when gas hits $4 a gallon and blame U.S. automakers.
Why Reward GM? Here's Why ...new
Lee Iacocca isn't running GM, Ford or Chrysler, and the most inept administration in history has made conditions far more daunting, but the stakes are far greater. We should take a deep breath and help the bums.
Arkansas Times |
Ernest Dumas |
11-20-2008 |
Economy
Should We Rescue Detroit's Sinking Ship?new

Any bailout for the Big Three must be seriously questioned and come with conditions, because we can't let these companies hold us hostage anymore.
City Pulse |
Lawrence Cosentno, Neal McNamara and Angela Vasquez-Giroux |
11-20-2008 |
Economy
Public Transit Agencies May Pay Billions for Risky Deals with Bankersnew
San Francisco is suddenly at risk of paying $140 million to bankers who six years ago convinced the city to use its Muni trains in a $1 billion sham tax shelter. Cities such as Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and New York are suddenly facing similar potential payouts.
The New Socialism and the End of a Free Market Mythnew
This is perhaps the final crisis, in a line of crises, of the Bush/Cheney administration, which at best, has been a sour lesson to us all in "failed crisis management." The root of all of this stupidity is their fundamentalist belief that less government is better government.
Random Lengths News |
James Preston Allen |
10-31-2008 |
Commentary
Henry Paulson's Power Grabnew
The new and revised bailout plan will likely be offered to every U.S. bank with more than $500 million in assets, financial experts say.
How'd we get here? Essentially by making Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson God.
Creative Loafing (Charlotte) |
Tara Servatius |
10-29-2008 |
Economy
When it Comes to Banking, Bigger Might Not be Betternew
As a voter, investor, and reporter, I feel like this whole bailout bill (or "rescue bill" as some were calling it) and financial crisis is a huge mismatch, and I'm scrambling but not catching up.
The Memphis Flyer |
John Branston |
10-20-2008 |
Economy