memeorandum: Conyers suggests probe of ACORN (Washington Times)

9:20 AM ET, March 21, 2009

Top Items:

Toxic Asset Plan Foresees Big Subsidies for Investors — WASHINGTON — The Treasury Department is expected to unveil early next week its long-delayed plan to buy as much as $1 trillion in troubled mortgages and related assets from financial institutions, according to people close to the talks.

Discussion: Paul Krugman, naked capitalism, The New Republic, JustOneMinute, Calculated Risk, TPMCafe and Corrente

Mike Allen / The Politico:

Treasury to roll out toxic asset plan — Featured Topics: - Barack Obama - Presidential Transition — Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner will announce a plan early next week to relieve failing banks of their toxic assets by attracting back private investors rather than have the government buy …

Martin Crutsinger / Associated Press:
Toxic asset plan expected to be unveiled soon

Discussion: But As For Me

Josh Gerstein / The Politico:
How I botched the bonus story

Discussion: The Politico

Sara Just / The Note:
Democratic Senators Tepid on Geithner Support

Discussion: Commentary

Sam Gill / The Politico:

How Obama can make up for his gaffe — Featured Topics: - Barack Obama - Presidential Transition — My older brother has Down syndrome, which hinders his ability to learn. Despite his disability, he graduated from high school and lived independently with a job for several years until …

Discussion: The Wrap, The Gun Toting Liberal, But As For Me and No More Mister Nice Blog

Los Angeles Times:
Not bowled over by Obama's Special Olympics joke

Discussion: Althouse, NY Daily News and Riehl World View

David Zurawik / Z on TV:
Nielsen: Obama visit a big boost for Leno ratings

Discussion: Top of the Ticket

The Campaign Spot:
Palin Hits Obama on ‘Special Olympics’ Joke

Discussion: Conservatives4Palin.com, FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog and The Impolitic

The Politico:
Palin whacks Obama on Special Olympics Politico - 45 minutes ago

Discussion: LewRockwell.com Blog

Joe Nocera / New York Times:

The Problem With Flogging A.I.G. — Can we all just calm down a little? — Yes, the $165 million in bonuses handed out to executives in the financial products division of American International Group was infuriating. Truly, it was. As many others have noted, this is the same unit whose …

Discussion: Prairie Weather and Corrente

David M. Herszenhorn / New York Times:

Obama Uneasy About Tax on Bonuses — WASHINGTON — The White House stopped short on Friday of endorsing legislation to severely tax bonuses paid to executives of companies that accepted taxpayer bailout funds. — Administration officials said instead that President Obama would assess …

Discussion: DISSENTING JUSTICE

Matt Taibbi / Rolling Stone:
The Big Takeover — The global economic crisis isn't about money - it's about power.

Discussion: Paul Kedrosky's …, Washington Post, Balloon Juice and Firedoglake

Louise Story / New York Times:
$2.5 Billion in Merrill Bonuses Would Elude Tax

Discussion: Washington Times, Obsidian Wings, TPMDC, Open Left and ProPublica

Howard Schneider / Washington Post:

Israeli Soldier Says Military Rabbis Framed Gaza Mission as Religious — A soldier involved in Israel's recent military offensive in the Gaza Strip said in published reports Friday that the military's rabbinical staff distributed material characterizing the operation as a religious mission to …

Discussion: The Sideshow and JONATHAN TURLEY

Amos Harel / Haaretz:

‘Shooting and crying’ — Less than a month after the end of Operation Cast Lead in the Gaza Strip, dozens of graduates of the Yitzhak Rabin pre-military preparatory program convened at Oranim Academic College in Kiryat Tivon. Since 1998 the program has prepared participants for what is considered meaningful military service.

Discussion: New York Times, Mondoweiss, Los Angeles Times, Comments from Left Field and normblog

Uri Blau / Haaretz:
Dead Palestinian babies and bombed mosques - IDF fashion 2009

Discussion: The Daily Dish

John / Power Line:

ARE WE A BANANA REPUBLIC? — I'm stupefied to find that some people are defending the constitutionality of Nancy Pelosi's discriminatory, confiscatory and retroactive tax on people who receive bonus income from companies that got TARP money. I would have considered it a bright line rule …

Discussion: Vox Popoli, Blue Crab Boulevard, Wizbang, The Corner and Real Clear Politics

The Politico:

VIDEO: Obama's 4 budget principles — Featured Topics: - Barack Obama - Presidential Transition — Previewing a critical week for his administration, President Barack Obama on Saturday called on Congress Saturday to pass a budget that adheres to four principles: increasing energy independence …

Discussion: Reuters and Associated Press

Helene Cooper / New York Times: Obama to Push Programs in Budget

The Politico:
Battle lines drawn on health care

Discussion: Associated Press

Ali Akbar Dareini / Associated Press:

Iran's supreme leader dismisses Obama overtures — TEHRAN, Iran - Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dismissed overtures from President Barack Obama on Saturday, saying Tehran does not see any change in U.S. policy under its new administration. — Khamenei was responding …

Discussion: Jihad Watch and DISSENTING JUSTICE

Ali Akbar Dareini / Associated Press:
Iran plays down new Obama video message

Discussion: Political Machine, The Jawa Report, RealClearWorld, Booman Tribune, RealClearPolitics Video Log and TIME.com

David Kurtz / Talking Points Memo:

WITCH HUNTERY! — A great exchange on CNBC between the anchor and Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA), one of the few elected voices of reason during the financial crisis:

Discussion: Obsidian Wings

Washington Times:

Conyers suggests probe of ACORN — Calls fraud charges ‘serious’ — In an startling partisan shift, House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers Jr. on Thursday proposed holding hearings on claims the liberal activist group ACORN engaged in a pattern of crimes ranging from voter fraud to a mob-style “protection” racket.

Discussion: Wizbang, AmSpecBlog, Stop The ACLU and Hot Air

Liz Sidoti / Associated Press:

Analysis: Obama rhetoric, reality clash — Featured Topics: - Barack Obama - Presidential Transition — WASHINGTON - Barack Obama's optimistic campaign rhetoric has crashed headlong into the stark reality of governing. — In office two months, he has backpedaled on an array of issues …

Discussion: Stop The ACLU

Randolph E. Schmid / Associated Press:

US Post Service looks for new ways to cut losses — Featured Topics: - Barack Obama - Presidential Transition — WASHINGTON - The U.S. Postal Service has already suggested dropping a day of mail delivery to save money. Now, with economic gloom everywhere, it's turning to early retirements, management cutbacks and office closings.

Discussion: But As For Me