David Leonhardt

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Democratic Rivals May Have Blown It With Biden
Democratic
Rivals May Have
Blown It With Biden
OPINION

Democratic Rivals May Have Blown It With Biden

He scared away promising rivals, writes David Leonhardt

(Newser) - A column by David Leonhardt in the New York Times on Sunday raises a provocative question with its headline: "Did Joe Biden Scare Off Our Next President?" The thinking is this: Biden's entry into the race as an instant front-runner kept promising moderates such as Mitch Landrieu on...

Affirmative Action, Unfair? OK, Let's Make It Fair

David Leonhardt: Let's focus on overall disadvantage

(Newser) - Affirmative action is losing favor among Americans because it emphasizes diversity over fairness—but proponents still have time to correct that mistake, writes David Leonhardt at the New York Times . He saw the issue on full display this week during Supreme Court arguments in the case of Abigail Fisher , a...

The Recession Is Worse Than the Great Depression: David Leonhardt

 As Bad as the 
 Depression? If Only 
David Leonhardt

As Bad as the Depression? If Only

At least new industries arose in the 1930s: Leonhardt

(Newser) - There's never a Great Depression around when you need one, apparently. Despite its misery, "the United States economy was quietly making enormous strides during the 1930s," argues David Leonhardt in the New York Times . Americans were getting a better education—high school, back then—while industrious entrepreneurs...

It's the Busted Consumer Bubble, Stupid
 It's the Busted 
 Consumer Bubble, Stupid 
DAVID LEONHARDT

It's the Busted Consumer Bubble, Stupid

With no consumer spending, economy keeps dragging

(Newser) - There are plenty of theories and explanations for the economic crisis that has afflicted the United States for years now, but they all miss the element of the continuing malaise—it's really about the bursting of the decades-long consumer spending bubble, writes David Leonhardt in the New York Times...

Ryan's Medicare Plan Screws the Young
 Ryan's Medicare 
 Plan Screws the Young 
OPINION

Ryan's Medicare Plan Screws the Young

Current program a giant 'welfare' program for boomers

(Newser) - Paul Ryan’s ambitious Medicare overhaul proposal might be a good idea, if not for one glaring flaw: “It asks for a whole lot of sacrifice from everyone under the age of 55 and little from everyone 55 and over,” complains David Leonhardt of the New York Times...

Tax Cut Showdown: Dems' Two Options

Must win centrists as Bush cuts expire

(Newser) - When it comes to tax cuts, the Democrats’ options are few. Politically speaking, it’s too late to force the expiration of Bush cuts on those earning more than $250,000. But Dems have two notable choices, writes David Leonhardt in the New York Times : one, to let the Bush...

'Jessi Slaughter': I'll Keep Making Videos

Police to talk to her about online safety

(Newser) - “Jessi Slaughter,” the 11-year-old whose profanity-laced YouTube rant made her an object of fun for 4Chan, has been on the receiving end of so many pranks and death threats that she’s under police protection . But none of that is keeping her offline. “I’m going to...

Is US Like Greece? NYT Writers Disagree
 Is US Like Greece? 
 NYT Writers Disagree 
krugman vs. leonhardt

Is US Like Greece? NYT Writers Disagree

Our federal debt may or may not doom us

(Newser) - David Leonhardt warns in the New York Times today of the parallels between Greece and the US. "The basic problem is the same," he says. "Both countries have a bigger government than they're paying for." He cites a stat showing that our federal debt is projected...

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