- Fed Expects Weak Economy, Fears ‘Prolonged Retraction’ Jan 7, 2009 — Washington Post The economy is set to remain weak well into this year, and could even be at risk of entering a "prolonged contraction," leaders of the Federal Reserve concluded last month, as they agreed to take aggressive new steps to contain the recession.
- U.S. Service Sector, Factory Orders Decline: After-Christmas Sales Not Enough to Prevent Erosion Jan 7, 2009 — Washington Post The service sector contracted in December for the third consecutive month, while orders at factories fell the previous month on weakening consumer demand, according to data released yesterday that highlighted the persistent weakness in the U.S. economy.
- ITunes to Sell Songs Without Restrictions: Four Record Companies Back Tiered Pricing Plan Jan 7, 2009 — Washington Post Apple kicked off its final Macworld trade show in San Francisco yesterday with announcements about new versions of the company's photo management software and an update to its productivity suite. But in true Apple tradition, it was the company's "one last thing" that had people talking: ITunes will now sell songs without any restrictions and at three prices: 69 cents, 99 cents and $1.29.
- Obama Predicts Years of Deficits Over $1 Trillion: President-Elect Says Budget Reform Is ‘Absolute Necessity’ Jan 7, 2009 — Washington Post Slowing tax revenues and a historic bailout of the U.S. financial system will send the budget deficit soaring toward $1 trillion this year, President-elect Barack Obama said yesterday, and the red ink stands to get substantially deeper if Obama wins approval of a massive economic stimulus plan.
- TV’s Gupta Chosen for Medical Post: Pick for Surgeon General Brings Communication Skill Jan 7, 2009 — Washington Post America's most famous television surgeon, Sanjay Gupta, is poised to take his black bag and microphone to the White House as President-elect Barack Obama's choice for U.S. surgeon general.
- Obama sweetens stimulus for GOP Jan 6, 2009 — Los Angeles Times The U.S. Chamber of Commerce also said it was encouraged that tax cuts would be a major part of the stimulus proposal.
- Coming Down on Tobacco Jan 6, 2009 — New York Times The new Congress plans to move aggressively against the tobacco industry in coming months by regulating cigarettes, raising per-pack sales taxes and ratifying an international antitobacco treaty, according to aides for key lawmakers and experts who expect the Obama administration to break a logjam on smoking issues.
- Poll: Most Support Barring Burris from Senate Jan 6, 2009 — Washington Post According to a new national poll, most Americans side with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) in the Democratic leadership's decision to bar Roland Burris from taking over Barack Obama's seat in the Senate, and a wide majority want the President-elect to steer clear of efforts to find his replacement.
- Service Sector Eased Somewhat in December Jan 6, 2009 — New York Times America’s service sector continued to contract last month as the recession deepened, although at a slower pace than a month earlier, according to a report released Tuesday by the Institute for Supply Management, a trade association.
- New Voices in Congress Will Change the Tone of the Democratic Majority Jan 6, 2009 — New York Times From a former Nixon aide to a former head of Common Cause, a liberal government watchdog organization, the freshman House class of the 111th Congress represents a diverse but decidedly moderate group.
- Richardson, Obama Teams Trade Blame Jan 6, 2009 — Washington Post Weeks before President-elect Barack Obama chose New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson to head the Commerce Department, a small group of volunteers with ethics, tax and investigative expertise -- most of them lawyers -- scoured his background looking for embarrassing facts or political problems.
- As Prices Rise, Some See $2 Gas Jan 5, 2009 — New York Times The five-month slide in gasoline prices has come to an abrupt halt, with gasoline rising by several cents in recent days amid indicators that the national average could jump to $2 a gallon or higher this spring.
- So You Want to Be a Senator? Answer 28 Pages of Questions Jan 5, 2009 — New York Times Candidates hoping to be appointed to the United States Senate by Gov. David A. Paterson are being asked to divulge details about their finances, job history and any criminal record, several of them said on Monday.
- Kaine Poised To Chair The DNC: Va. Governor to Hold Position Part Time In Last Year in Office Jan 5, 2009 — Washington Post Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine will become chairman of the Democratic National Committee later this month, serving as the top political messenger for Barack Obama's administration even while finishing his final year in the governor's mansion, several sources said.
- Reid: Road could be rough for Burris Jan 5, 2009 — Boston Globe Senate majority leader Harry Reid said US lawmakers aren't likely to seat Roland Burris as long as Rod Blagojevich, the Democratic governor of Illinois who is facing corruption charges, remains in office.
- Franken Looks Like a Winner, but Not Quite a Senator Jan 5, 2009 — Washington Post A hand recount of the nearly 3 million ballots cast turned the race into a dead heat, and the recent counting of 933 wrongly rejected absentee ballots (don't ask) yielded a 225-vote edge for Franken heading into today's meeting of the state Canvassing Board, in which a winner -- presumably Franken -- will be named.
- Top Democrats Give Longer Timetable for Stimulus Bill Jan 5, 2009 — Washington Post Lowering expectations for quick passage of an economic stimulus bill, Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid rejected setting "some false deadline" for delivering legislation to President-elect Barack Obama in favor of a more deliberate approach that allows Congress to get the package right "the first time."
- Citing investigation, Richardson withdraws as Cabinet nominee Jan 5, 2009 — Seattle Times New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson withdrew his name from nomination as commerce secretary Sunday, saying a federal probe that has reached into his office could last months and was certain to bog down his confirmation.
- Obama readies push on recovery plan Jan 5, 2009 — CNN President-elect Barack Obama was set Monday to meet with key lawmakers and begin the push for a massive package of tax cuts and spending proposals aimed at reviving an economy mired in recession.
- Stimulus bill faces delay to win support Jan 4, 2009 — USA Today President-elect Barack Obama will meet with congressional leaders today to discuss a $775 billion economic recovery plan that lawmakers now say must be delayed to win bipartisan support.
- DAVIS: Advice to Obama: Revive ‘Gang of 14′… or more Jan 4, 2009 — Washington Times, A1 Barack Obama's key philosophy and message in the campaign and during the transition has demonstrated just the new kind of politics that rises above partisanship that he promised in his campaign. If he wants to be successful in implementing those themes as president, he might be wise to reflect on the lessons to be learned from the "Gang of 14" compromise over judicial nominations.
- Democrats pursue ambitious agenda on Hill Jan 4, 2009 — Washington Times, A1 Democratic congressional leaders expect to pass a massive economic-stimulus package and other pieces of long-sought legislation - such as expanded stem-cell research funding and more money for poor children's medical insurance - in the first several weeks of the 111th Congress.
- Obama Plan Includes $300 Billion in Tax Cuts Jan 4, 2009 — New York Times President-elect Barack Obama plans to include about $300 billion in tax cuts for workers and businesses in his economic recovery program, advisers said Sunday, as his team seeks to win over Congressional skeptics worried that he was too focused on government
- Costly ‘free choice’ Jan 4, 2009 — Pittsburgh Tribune-Review The "renaissance" that unions envision to stem three decades of declining membership is a recipe for certain economic disaster.
- Bennet’s 2010 run under way: Senate nominee naming team to tackle tough race Jan 4, 2009 — Rocky Mountain News On New Year's Eve, preparations were being made to announce Denver Public Schools Superintendent Michael Bennet as a replacement for Interior Secretary-nominee Ken Salazar.
- Inauguration tests a troubled transportation grid Jan 3, 2009 — Boston Globe On a typical weekday, close to 2 million people commute to the nation's capital, snarling the highways and packing subway trains and buses during peak hours.
- LaHood’s tough road at Transportation Jan 3, 2009 — Washington Times, A1 Outgoing Illinois Rep. Ray LaHood, President-elect Barack Obama's pick for transportation secretary, will face several daunting challenges if Congress approves his nomination, including a shortage of air traffic controllers, crumbling highway infrastructure and a fluctuating petroleum market.
- Obama urges stimulus bill passage Jan 3, 2009 — Washington Times, A1 President-elect Barack Obama said Saturday that the nation finds itself at one of its "moments of trial" because of the economy and called for Congress to pass a massive public spending bill to create jobs, saying it would pull the country out of its slump.
- Tone May Empower Obama’s Agenda Jan 3, 2009 — Washington Post Rarely have lawmakers confronted an agenda as ambitious as the one Congress will face upon convening this week, with an incoming president pushing to stabilize an economy on the brink of long-term recession, to create universal health coverage and to overhaul federal energy policies.
- Delaware Voice: Businesses beware of Employee Free (Forced) Choice Act Jan 2, 2009 — News Journal The so called Employee Free Choice Act goes against one of our country’s greatest traditions – the right to vote by private ballot.
- Obama’s Team Rankles the Right Jan 2, 2009 — Washington Post To some staunch conservatives watching President Bush relinquish the reins of power to President-elect Barack Obama, a few too many ardent liberals are now crashing the gates.
- Obama, Pelosi to Discuss Scope of Economic Package Jan 1, 2009 — Washington Post President-elect Barack Obama will meet with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Monday as Congress prepares to reconvene and debate a massive recovery plan for the nation's struggling economy, according to Democratic sources.
- A Nevada Town Escapes the Slump, Thanks to Gold Jan 1, 2009 — New York Times At current prices — gold hit $892 an ounce on Monday, its highest price in three months and not that far off its record high of more than $1,000 an ounce in March — places like Battle Mountain hum with good-paying jobs and rising home values, making the financial woes of the rest of the country a distant concern.
- Steel Industry, in Slump, Looks to Federal Stimulus Jan 1, 2009 — New York Times The steel industry, having entered the recession in the best of health, is emerging as a leading indicator of what lies ahead. As steel production goes — and it is now in collapse — so will go the national economy.
- Oil plunges for year, losing 4 years of gains; pain at the pump eases Dec 31, 2008 — USA Today Oil prices jumped 14% on New Year's Eve, capping a year that saw prices soar to unprecedented heights only to give up four years of gains in just five months.
- Card-check opponents rally for state amendment Dec 31, 2008 — Las Vegas Review-Journal The possible passage of a new federal law next year has opponents scrambling to tighten state constitutions, including Nevada's.
- Treasury’s Bailout Promises Runneth Over: Commitments Exceed $350 Billion Congress Has Allocated So Far Dec 31, 2008 — Washington Post With the announcement of its $6 billion investment to stabilize GMAC, the Treasury Department has now spent or committed more money than Congress has allocated to its financial rescue program, effectively making more promises than it can afford to keep.
- Giant Food to Offer Free Prescription Antibiotics Dec 31, 2008 — Washington Post Giant Food stores will give free generic antibiotics to customers with a prescription for the next three months in what retail experts called an aggressive move in supermarkets' heated battle for shoppers.
- Elmendorf Tapped for Congressional Budget Office Dec 31, 2008 — Washington Post Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill announced yesterday that Douglas W. Elmendorf will take over the Congressional Budget Office.
- Obama plans to campaign for economic stimulus package Dec 31, 2008 — Los Angeles Times President-elect Barack Obama is preparing to lead a full-scale marketing blitz to pass the massive new stimulus package that he says is needed to revive the slumping economy and put the nation on the course he laid out during his campaign.
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