Congress – News Stories About Congress - Page 81

analysis

Sep 30, 2008 6:56 AM CDT

Bailout Vote Shows Bush's Power Waning

Huge defeat contrasts with days of willing Congress

(Newser) - The bailout bill’s failure to pass the House—due in large part to defectors from his own party—demonstrates President Bush’s flagging influence in Washington, observes the Washington Post. Bush’s “biggest legislative defeat” as president, it highlighted his tendency to rely on alarmist rhetoric—repeated dire...

Countdown to Failure:
How Bill Unraveled

Sep 29, 2008 8:01 PM CDT

Countdown to Failure: How Bill Unraveled

Stunned silence grips House after last vote

(Newser) - As members of the House of Representatives cast their ballots on the $700 billion bailout package yesterday morning—the negative votes piling up even as the market plummeted—the Los Angeles Times was blogging. Kicked off by Majority Leader Steny Hoyer's final words to the House—"The alternative is...

5 Reasons Pols
Dissed the Bailout

ANALYSIS

Sep 29, 2008 6:08 PM CDT

5 Reasons Pols Dissed the Bailout

A bad sell, partisan wrangling, and an urge to be reelected led to bill's downfall: Pershing

(Newser) - House members were only given a chance to salvage the world economy—why do it? There are several reasons why 95 Democrats and 133 Republicans turned down Henry Paulson's $700 billion bailout plan, Ben Pershing writes in the Washington Post. The simplest? “A lot of members just didn't like...

Dow Falls 777 On House Vote

MARKETS

Sep 29, 2008 3:42 PM CDT

Dow Falls 777 On House Vote

Biggest single-day drop in index's history

(Newser) - The Dow saw its biggest single-day drop ever today after the House rejected the financial bailout bill and adjourned until Thursday, MarketWatch reports. Equities and commodities were pounded equally as the Dow plunged 777.68 to close at 10,365.45 and oil fell $10.52, to $96.37 a...

House Debate Heated
as Bush Pushes Bailout

Sep 29, 2008 10:58 AM CDT

House Debate Heated as Bush Pushes Bailout

But whether bill will pass remains up in the air

(Newser) - President Bush called on lawmakers this morning to support the hotly-contested bailout bill as the House began debate and leaders on both sides of the aisle counted defections, Politico reports. ““Every member of Congress and every American should keep in mind: A vote for this bill is a...

Deal Reached on Bailout

Sep 28, 2008 5:08 AM CDT

Deal Reached on Bailout

Bill would address exec salaries, hold equity stake for taxpayers

(Newser) - Congress and the Bush administration have agreed on a preliminary plan for the $700 billion bailout bill, Washington leaders said after emerging from talks after midnight this morning. Though details need ironing out, “I think we're there,” announced Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson. Work was to continue with a...

Dems, GOP Close In on Bailout Plan

Sep 27, 2008 1:49 PM CDT

Dems, GOP Close In on Bailout Plan

Lawmakers haggle into wee hours, vow to unveil accord tomorrow

(Newser) - Lawmakers nearly pulled an all-nighter yesterday negotiating Henry Paulson's bailout plan and vowed to unveil it tomorrow, the New York Times reports. “Staff worked until 3am this morning on the bailout,” Senate majority leader Harry Reid said, and “they made significant progress.” But there are still...

Market to Congress: Time's Up

OPINION

Sep 27, 2008 11:50 AM CDT

Market to Congress: Time's Up

New plans simply can't be negotiated in time

(Newser) - Henry Paulson’s bailout plan isn’t perfect, writes Joe Nocera in the New York Times, but we have to enact it anyway because time has run out. “With every passing day, Congress is fiddling while Rome is burning,” says Nocera, just last week a bailout opponent. Lawmakers...

House Republicans Return
to Bailout Negotiations

Sep 26, 2008 5:01 PM CDT

House Republicans Return to Bailout Negotiations

Key concessions, and a desire to approve legislation, put talks back on track

(Newser) - After a dramatic exit yesterday, House Republicans returned to talks today on the Wall Street bailout plan, the Washington Post reports. The White House expressed confidence and hoped aloud for a resolution by Monday. Yesterday’s White House meeting, with both candidates, was seen as a misstep. “The insertion...

Up Day Still Means Down Week

MARKETS

Sep 26, 2008 3:47 PM CDT

Up Day Still Means Down Week

WaMu spooks markets, but optimism over bailout remains strong

(Newser) - Stocks lost value for most of today’s session as progress slowed on the Wall Street bailout plan, but turned sharply higher in the last few trading hours, MarketWatch reports. Despite mixed gains today, all indices saw losses during a tumultuous week. The Dow gained 121.07 to 11,143....

'What We Need Are a Few Public Hangings'

OPINION

Sep 26, 2008 1:26 PM CDT

'What We Need Are a Few Public Hangings'

String up some CEOs to satisfy the mob, and get on with a bailout

(Newser) - The masses are agitated, and so is Congress. How dare Henry Paulson ask for so much money to bail out those greedy Wall Street evil-doers? The truth, writes Charles Krauthammer, is that Paulson is a lame duck doing his best to save the economy, and that the crisis was mostly...

Lawmakers
Seek $6.6B
in Earmarks

Sep 26, 2008 1:00 PM CDT

Lawmakers Seek $6.6B in Earmarks

Biden requests $51.5M; Ted Stevens leads way with $238M

(Newser) - Despite campaign rhetoric against earmarks, a hefty $6.6 billion will be set aside for lawmakers’ pet projects in a $630 billion spending bill nearing approval, USA Today reports. The amount is down 11% from last year. Of note: Though both presidential candidates didn't request any earmarks this year, Joe...

McCain Will Attend Debate,
Cites Progress on Bailout

Sep 26, 2008 11:06 AM CDT

McCain Will Attend Debate, Cites Progress on Bailout

(Newser) - The debate is on. With lawmakers vowing to stay on the Hill as long as it takes to get a bailout deal, John McCain’s campaign said today that he would attend tonight’s debate with Barack Obama, the New York Times reports. McCain is “optimistic that there has...

Candidates Meet With Bush

updated

Sep 25, 2008 4:05 PM CDT

Candidates Meet With Bush

Details emerge on how money would be doled out

(Newser) - John McCain and Barack Obama met with President Bush and congressional leaders in Washington this afternoon to discuss the evolving bailout plan, the AP reports. With the candidates' help, “my hope is that we can reach an agreement very shortly,” Bush said. Key lawmakers said they had reached...

Lawmakers: We Have a Deal

UPDATED

Sep 25, 2008 12:57 PM CDT

Lawmakers: We Have a Deal

Dodd touts 'fundamental agreement' ahead of meeting with Bush

(Newser) - The bipartisan group of legislators working on either a Wall Street bailout or a rescue package has reached "a fundamental agreement on a set of principles," Senate Banking Committee Chris Dodd said today. Racing to make a deal before a scheduled 4pm meeting at the White House, the...

Bailout Pact Appears Near

Sep 25, 2008 10:52 AM CDT

Bailout Pact Appears Near

Consensus emerges ahead of candidate meeting

(Newser) - Congressional leaders seem close to an agreement on the bailout bill, following a flurry of late-night activity, the Wall Street Journal reports. Democrats want to have all their ducks in a row before Barack Obama and John McCain meet with President Bush this afternoon, to ensure McCain gets no credit...

In Terms We Can Understand: $700B = 12 Bill Gateses

Sep 24, 2008 2:22 PM CDT

In Terms We Can Understand: $700B = 12 Bill Gateses

Or, $2,300 for each of America's 300M average Joes

(Newser) - Ben Bernanke and Henry Paulson have been urging Congress the past two days to authorize the largest bailout in US history. Slate breaks $700 billion into smaller bites:

$2,300 per person (based on the US population of 300 million)
12 Bill Gateses
381 Hollywood blockbusters (Titanic made $1.8

...

Congress Wants More
Taxpayer Guarantees

Sep 24, 2008 11:04 AM CDT

Congress Wants More Taxpayer Guarantees

Amid dire warnings and political theater, sides inch closer to compromise

(Newser) - As opposition to the Bush administration’s economic bailout plan became more strident in both parties yesterday, officials began a major push to convince Congress a deal had to be approved quickly, the New York Times reports. The White House said the results of failing to reach an accord were...

Buffett's Goldman Buy
Stabilizes Stocks

MARKETS

Sep 24, 2008 9:16 AM CDT

Buffett's Goldman Buy Stabilizes Stocks

Sage of Omaha backs Paulson

(Newser) - Stocks rose slightly at the open, reports the Wall Street Journal, buoyed by Warren Buffett’s $5 billion vote of confidence in Goldman Sachs. The Dow Jones rose 21 points, while the S&P rose 0.3%, and the Nasdaq 0.9%. Capitol Hill will again command Wall Street's attention...

At $231M,
Kerry Is
Congress'
Richest

ANALYSIS

Sep 23, 2008 1:09 PM CDT

At $231M, Kerry Is Congress' Richest

Though, Roll Call cautions, financial disclosure forms an unreliable source

(Newser) - John Kerry leads Roll Call's annual list of the 50 richest members of Congress, with a fortune estimated at $231 million. But financial-disclosure rules make it impossible to get a complete picture of lawmakers' assets, so Kerry, John McCain (No. 13, with $20 million), and the rest of the top...