Free Republic

Why did Standard & Poor's drop its "negative" long-term outlook bomb on America's AAA credit rating yesterday? S&P revealed no numbers not previously known to a "shocked" stock market, which dropped 140 points. So what's new? Chief White House economist Austan Goolsbee declared that S&P had made a "political judgment," and we'd have to agree, though probably not for the same reasons. The bulk of S&P's analysis is taken up with repeatedly citing what it sees as next-to-no chance that Washington will do anything significant on deficit reduction this year or next. "The outlook reflects our view of the increased...

What is it about Barack Obama that caused his vice president Joe Biden to fall asleep during the president’s speech Tuesday? Did Biden, getting on in years, just need his afternoon nap? Well, maybe, but the television cameras showed a woman quite near the veep nodding out as well. No, I think it was a natural response. Biden and the woman were bored stiff. Barack Obama has become the most tedious president in my lifetime. He is like those college professors whose classes you did everything you could to avoid but, if you had to go, sat as far back...