Economy Topics

Democracy Now! stories, posts and pages that relate to Economy

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    Feeding Resistance: Food Not Bombs Members Arrested in Orlando for Serving Meals Without a Permit

    The City of Orlando, the home of Disney World in Florida, is being sued in court today over a city law that has effectively made it illegal for any group to feed more than 25 people at a time in downtown parks without a permit. It also limits groups to no more than two permits per park, per year. The group Food Not Bombs has refused to obey the new law—saying food is a right, not a privilege—and has continued to serve free meals to the poor...
    Jun 24, 2011 | Story

  • Welcome to Bloombergville: New York Activists Fight Budget Cuts By Camping in Front of City Hall

    In New York City, activists are camping out near City Hall to protest budget cuts and layoffs. They’ve dubbed the encampment "Bloombergville."
    Jun 24, 2011 | Web Exclusive
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    Inside Greece’s General Strike: Video Report from Athens as Thousands Protest Sweeping Austerity Cuts

    As our broadcast went to air, lawmakers in Greece were voting on — and later approved — a new round of sweeping austerity measures amidst a general strike that’s brought tens of thousands into the streets. Riot police have fired volleys of tear gas, smoke bombs and stun grenades in a bid to clear the masses of Greek protesters surrounding the parliament in Athens. The chaotic standoff began Tuesday when police stormed the adjacent Syntagma...
    Jun 29, 2011 | Story
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    Greek Parliament Approves $40B Bailout; Some Economists Predict Vote Will Worsen the Recession

    The Greek parliament was set to approve a $40 billion package of spending cuts, tax increases and privatizations as a condition for a massive bailout to avert the eurozone’s first default. Without a new plan in place, the European Union and International Monetary Fund said they would withhold 12 billion euros of loans, which Greece needs to repay debts due in mid-July. Meanwhile, French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde has been named the new...
    Jun 29, 2011 | Story
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    U.S. Debt Default Looms as Talks Stall on Deficit Reduction: “We Are Playing with Fire”

    Discussion on a deficit reduction deal has stalled after five consecutive days of negotiations between Republicans and Democrats. In order to borrow beyond August 2, the United States must raise its $14.3 trillion debt ceiling. This week, Standard & Poor’s became the second of the major credit rating agencies to place U.S. debt under review, citing an increasing risk of a payment default. Republicans are pushing for massive spending...
    Jul 15, 2011 | Story
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    Pushing Crisis: GOP Cries Wolf on Debt Ceiling in Order to Impose Radical Pro-Rich Agenda

    President Obama and Republican House Speaker John Boehner are allegedly close to a $3 trillion deficit-reduction package as part of a deal to raise the federal debt ceiling before an Aug. 2 deadline. But the deal is coming under fire from both congressional Democrats and Republicans. Part of it calls for lowering personal and corporate income tax rates, while eliminating or reducing an array of popular tax breaks, such as the deduction for home...
    Jul 22, 2011 | Story
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    After Months of Partisan Wrangling, Wall Street & Pentagon Emerge Victorious on Debt Deal

    After months of a bitterly partisan stalemate, the U.S. House of Representatives has voted 269 to 161 in favor of raising the federal borrowing limit and avoiding a default on the national debt. The final count showed 174 Republican ayes, with Democrats split evenly—95 on each side. The vote came just hours before a Department of Treasury deadline that potentially would have seen the United States run out of cash and default for the first time...
    Aug 02, 2011 | Story

  • "War, Debt and the President." By Amy Goodman

    President Barack Obama touted his debt ceiling deal Tuesday, saying, “We can’t balance the budget on the backs of the very people who have borne the biggest brunt of this recession.” Yet that is what he and his coterie of Wall Street advisers have done.
    Aug 02, 2011 | Columns & Articles
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    Rep. Donna Edwards on Why She Voted Against Debt Deal: “A Bad Framework for the Future”

    President Obama has signed legislation to increase the U.S. debt ceiling in time to avoid a national default. The $2.1 trillion deficit-reduction plan cleared its final hurdle in the Senate yesterday, passing with a 74-to-26 vote. Six Democrats and 19 Republicans opposed the measure. Members of the Progressive Caucus and the Congressional Black Caucus rejected the deal because of its massive cuts to domestic spending and a lack of tax increases...
    Aug 03, 2011 | Story
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    Economist Dean Baker Predicts A "Really Bad Deal or No Deal" from Deficit "Super Committee"

    President Barack Obama welcomed the deficit deal as "an important first step" and urged both parties to work together on a larger plan to cut the deficit. The deal includes no new tax revenue from wealthy Americans and no additional stimulus for the lagging economy. It has a provision to create a joint committee of 12 legislators charged with finding $1.5 trillion in deficit cuts. The committee must hold its first meeting in 45 days...
    Aug 03, 2011 | Story