"What you need to know to navigate today's economic debate."

Building a Green Economy (NYT)
In this lengthy spread for the Sunday Times, Paul Krugman brings together climate change and the recession to explore the possibilities of building a new economy on green technology.

Europe Bankrolls Greece (WSJ)
The EU has decided to extend a $40 billion loan to Greece to rescue the country from the brink of a crisis caused by the same big banks that just decimated the US economy.

Greece Saved For Now - Is Portugal Next? (BaselineScenario)
Peter Boone and Simon Johnson discuss the short-term feasibility of the Greek bailout, noting that real recovery is going to require a paradigmatic shift in the way global business is conducted.

Obama's Ambitious Nuclear Security Summit (BBC)
President Obama is hosting a summit to discuss his new nuclear strategy, which includes cutting down the number of nukes held by the US while also monitoring states like North Korea and Iran for nuclear activity and cooperation.

The Internet's Last Hope (MotherJones)
The battle for net neutrality rages on, and with a recent court ruling in favor of private companies such as Comcast and Verizon, the Internet may soon become anything but a great equalizer.

How Financial Innovation Causes Financial Crises (WaPo)
Ezra Klein responds to a new paper entitled Financial Innovation and Financial Fragility, noting that the connection isn't all that strange when we consider the role of a AAA rating system in causing the financial crisis.

Obama Calls for Probe of Coal Mine Tragedy (TruthDig)
President Obama is calling for an investigation into the deaths of 29 miners after a fatal explosion, highlighting the need for vigilant and substantive safety standards for workers across the country.

What's the Matter with Georgia? (NYT)
Krugman asks why Georgia has suffered severe post-housing bubble trauma. The answer? The state has poor consumer protection regulation.

"What you need to know to navigate today's economic debate."

Greenspan: Love Him, Hate Him (BaselineScenario)
James Kwak recaps Greenspan's first day in front of the FCIC, lamenting his paltry attempt at salvaging his legacy, while commending his honesty on the complexity of financial regulation.

Citigroup Ex-Chief Prince, Rubin Face Grilling on Loan Losses (BusinessWeek)
The former Citigroup execs must somehow explain to the commission how their company violated its own standards to eventually require $45 billion in federal bailout funds.

States Reignite Abortion Debate (WSJ)
The passage of the health care bill has ignited fear and controversy around the country, sparking legal challenges from a few states that could threaten a woman's right to chose.

Exclusive: Is Goldman Sachs Playing Fair? (CBS)
This CBS investigative report examines the disingenuous accounting practices and powerful connections to Washington that have lead the company to turn massive profits over the years.

Guest Post: Banking Industry Insiders Call for Breaking Up Giant Banks (NakedCapitalism)
The chorus of voices advocating for the invalidation of the "too big to fail" argument is growing louder, and Naked Capitalism has put together a very useful list of recent outcries for breaking up the big banks.

Job Creation Basics (NYT)
This editorial in the Times reiterates the need for something we've been calling on for a while here at the Roosevelt Institute: meaningful and substantial legislation to spur job creation and put Americans back to work.

Rescuing Capitalism from Wall St. (WaPo)
This op-ed from Matt Miller takes an intriguing look at anti-capitalist sentiment that has been catalyzed by a perpetually corrupt financial sector and the federal government that sponors it.

"What you need to know to navigate today's economic debate."

8 Ways of Saying 1 Thing on Financial Reform: We Need Hard Rules (AtlanticWire)
Heather Horn lays out eight conceptions of meaningful financial reform, including Roosevelt Institute Fellow and ND20 blogger Mike Konczal's recent critique of the Dodd bill.

Giving Up on Policymakers (Economist'sView)
Mark Thoma fears that recent signs of economic recovery will lead to little more than token financial reform legislation from policymakers.

Updates on the Battle for Financial Reform (WP)
Roosevelt Institute Fellow and ND20 blogger Mike Konczal updates us on the state of financial reform, noting that Republican opposition to a consumer protection bill is weakening.

Financial Crisis Inquiry Wrestles With Setbacks (NYT)
The panel established by Congress to investigate the causes of the financial crisis has been hobbled by delays and internal disagreements.

The Invisible Underclass (WP)
Eugene Robinson confronts racial inequality, regretfully concluding that "entrenched black poverty, with all its causes and implications, barely makes a ripple in the public debate these days."

Financial Reform: Far from a Done Deal in Congress (TIME)
Michael Grunwald examines the possibility of financial reform legislation, warning that even with a Democratic majority, the passage of financial reform is not guaranteed.

Rental Prices ... Up or Down? (NakedCapitalism)
Guest blogger George Washington explains the nature of rent prices in a time of recovery.

Pro-Reform Attorneys General on the Offense (WaPo)
Suzy Khimm reports on a recent uprising by several attorneys general to defend health care reform against those challenging its constitutionality.

"What you need to know to navigate today's economic debate."

U.S. Adds 162,000 Jobs in March; Rate Remains 9.7% (NYT)
The American economy added 162,000 jobs in March, the Labor Department reported Friday, in a month when the government hired thousands of temporary census workers.

AIG Less Reliant on U.S., on Path to Repaying Bailout, CEO Says (Bloomberg)
American International Group Inc. Chief Executive Officer Robert Benmosche said the insurer is becoming less reliant on U.S. aid as it sells units, borrows from debt markets and strengthens operations it intends to keep.

Mortgage Problems? Fed Can Relate (WSJ)
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York doesn't have to look far to understand the woes of banks and investors that hold loans and securities underpinned by real estate. It can look at its own books.

U.S. Stock Futures, Treasury Yields Gain as Employment Rises (Bloomberg)
U.S. stock-index futures advanced after employers added the most jobs in three years, boosting optimism that the economic recovery is accelerating. Yields on 10-year Treasuries climbed.

Insurer Fights Maine Regulator on Premiums (WSJ)
As insurers wrestle with the changes coming from the federal health overhaul in Washington, they also face challenges at the state level from regulators seeking to head off big premium hikes.

J.P. Morgan's Dimon Says New Laws Have Hurt His Company (WaPo)
The company maintains that it has been hit hard by recent regulatory efforts by the Obama administration--including the Credit CARD act.

How the States Could Sabotage Health Reform (MotherJones)
Suzy Khimm on how "the 14 states suing the Obama administration to stop the enactment of health care reform aren't likely to get very far. But though they probably won't succeed in overturning the legislation, they could seriously undermine it."