The US Attorney’s office in Manhattan has been on a tear recently over insider trading, arresting and convicting several high-profile investors and making the issue a hallmark of criminal justice around the financial industry. But Preet Bharara will be busy for the rest of his life if he thinks he can clean up the markets in this fashion. Because insider trading is .They are supposed to be among Wall Street’s most closely guarded secrets: changes in research analysts’ views, up or down, of a company’s prospects. But some of the nation’s biggest brokerage firms appear to be giving a handful...…The US Attorney’s office in Manhattan has been on a tear recently over insider trading, arresting and convicting several high-profile investors and making the issue a hallmark of criminal justice around the financial industry. But Preet Bharara will be busy for the rest of his life if he thinks he can clean up the markets in this fashion. Because insider trading is .They are supposed to be among Wall Street’s most closely guarded secrets: changes in research analysts’ views, up or down, of a company’s prospects. But some of the nation’s biggest brokerage firms appear to be giving a handful...WW…

I have a piece in the American Prospect today on in the debt limit fight. I think they’re actually in descending order of importance, and the biggest one is right at the top – this deal is the function of horrible economic stewardship in 2009 and 2010.OBAMA AND DEMOCRATS COULD HAVE FIXED THE ECONOMY. While this sounds pie-in-the-sky, there’s actually a pretty simple solution to our economic woes. It involves higher near-term deficits, particularly spending to create jobs. The Obama administration admitted that it underestimated the extent of the recession, and last Friday’s from 2007 to...…I have a piece in the American Prospect today on in the debt limit fight. I think they’re actually in descending order of importance, and the biggest one is right at the top – this deal is the function of horrible economic stewardship in 2009 and 2010.OBAMA AND DEMOCRATS COULD HAVE FIXED THE ECONOMY. While this sounds pie-in-the-sky, there’s actually a pretty simple solution to our economic woes. It involves higher near-term deficits, particularly spending to create jobs. The Obama administration admitted that it underestimated the extent of the recession, and last Friday’s from 2007 to...WW…

The Senate election in Kentucky offers a pretty stark choice – hardcore glibertarian Rand Paul, or mainstream Democrat Jack Conway. Conway, the state’s Attorney General, sat down with FDL News while at Netroots Nation, and I was impressed with his ability to describe common-sense issues in populist terms, and his insight on people’s anger with the current state of the economy. Notably, he supported breaking up the nation’s biggest banks and using the tools of the FTC and the Justice Department’s anti-trust division to restore competition to Wall Street and fix the economy.Conway and Paul...…The Senate election in Kentucky offers a pretty stark choice – hardcore glibertarian Rand Paul, or mainstream Democrat Jack Conway. Conway, the state’s Attorney General, sat down with FDL News while at Netroots Nation, and I was impressed with his ability to describe common-sense issues in populist terms, and his insight on people’s anger with the current state of the economy. Notably, he supported breaking up the nation’s biggest banks and using the tools of the FTC and the Justice Department’s anti-trust division to restore competition to Wall Street and fix the economy.Conway and Paul...WW…

Last week, the US Department of Agriculture and allowed for the planting of genetically modified alfalfa without restrictions. As highlights, this appears to have been a political decision. USDA chief Tom Vilsack was apparently ready to halt the planting of GM alfalfa until the White House meddled. According to , the White House intervened because of their new mantra of limiting “burdensome” regulations. And even mentioned the cabinet-level concern over GM alfalfa, and making sure it could be planted. Philpott writes:If White House political strategists rallied behind deregulated alfalfa,...…Last week, the US Department of Agriculture and allowed for the planting of genetically modified alfalfa without restrictions. As highlights, this appears to have been a political decision. USDA chief Tom Vilsack was apparently ready to halt the planting of GM alfalfa until the White House meddled. According to , the White House intervened because of their new mantra of limiting “burdensome” regulations. And even mentioned the cabinet-level concern over GM alfalfa, and making sure it could be planted. Philpott writes:If White House political strategists rallied behind deregulated alfalfa,...WW…

{!hitembed ID=”hitembed_1″ width=”380″ height=”214″ align=”right” !}A few more comments on last night’s debate:• I don’t think the college student worried about his job prospects was looking for the answer Obama gave about the budding rise of manufacturing. He’s not looking for a factory job. I think high-skill manufacturing should absolutely be part of the mix of the 21st-century job landscape, but there’s a way to tailor that to a graduate of higher education, such as through research and development, or even administrative or executive roles.• Romney’s alibi on “Let Detroit go bankrupt”...…{!hitembed ID=”hitembed_1″ width=”380″ height=”214″ align=”right” !}A few more comments on last night’s debate:• I don’t think the college student worried about his job prospects was looking for the answer Obama gave about the budding rise of manufacturing. He’s not looking for a factory job. I think high-skill manufacturing should absolutely be part of the mix of the 21st-century job landscape, but there’s a way to tailor that to a graduate of higher education, such as through research and development, or even administrative or executive roles.• Romney’s alibi on “Let Detroit go bankrupt”...WW…

I guess the Republican Party has decided to run on a platform of sticking a speculum inside of women, but they’re not entirely secure in that desire. Every time people find out about it, they back off.In Virginia, the trans-vaginal ultrasound bill was changed to a trans-abdominal ultrasound. The State Senate a chance to vote on that bill yesterday, but may take it up today.In Alabama, the outrage over a trans-vaginal ultrasound bill didn’t even last 24 hours before the .State Sen. Clay Scofield, R-Guntersville, today said he plans to rewrite an abortion bill he sponsored so that it could...…I guess the Republican Party has decided to run on a platform of sticking a speculum inside of women, but they’re not entirely secure in that desire. Every time people find out about it, they back off.In Virginia, the trans-vaginal ultrasound bill was changed to a trans-abdominal ultrasound. The State Senate a chance to vote on that bill yesterday, but may take it up today.In Alabama, the outrage over a trans-vaginal ultrasound bill didn’t even last 24 hours before the .State Sen. Clay Scofield, R-Guntersville, today said he plans to rewrite an abortion bill he sponsored so that it could...WW…

Spain’s new government today, split between tax increases and spending cuts. It’s part of a larger austerity plan that would cut 16.5 billion euros by the end of 2012. And yet this is what the austerity measures of the past year provided…It also said Spain’s 2011 deficit will be about 8% of its output – higher than the 6% seen by the previous government.The Popular Party last month ousted the Socialists from power at elections amid deep economic gloom.The government of new Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has vowed to meet Spain’s target of reducing the public deficit to 4.4% of gross domestic...…Spain’s new government today, split between tax increases and spending cuts. It’s part of a larger austerity plan that would cut 16.5 billion euros by the end of 2012. And yet this is what the austerity measures of the past year provided…It also said Spain’s 2011 deficit will be about 8% of its output – higher than the 6% seen by the previous government.The Popular Party last month ousted the Socialists from power at elections amid deep economic gloom.The government of new Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has vowed to meet Spain’s target of reducing the public deficit to 4.4% of gross domestic...WW…

Giving post-mortems on the question of health care at the Supreme Court is premature, and as law professor writes, you can find as much evidence for upholding Obamacare in the text of the arguments as you can evidence for tossing it out.However, as a political spectacle, with the eyes of the nation upon them, it was clear to see that we have a large contingent, perhaps a majority, of committed judicial activists on the Court. Only they’re on the conservative side of the ledger. I think EJ Dionne is :Three days of Supreme Court arguments over the health-care law demonstrated for all to see...…Giving post-mortems on the question of health care at the Supreme Court is premature, and as law professor writes, you can find as much evidence for upholding Obamacare in the text of the arguments as you can evidence for tossing it out.However, as a political spectacle, with the eyes of the nation upon them, it was clear to see that we have a large contingent, perhaps a majority, of committed judicial activists on the Court. Only they’re on the conservative side of the ledger. I think EJ Dionne is :Three days of Supreme Court arguments over the health-care law demonstrated for all to see...WW…

The President laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery today, and he :“After a decade under the dark cloud of war, we can see the light of a new day on the horizon,” he said at Arlington National Cemetery, drawing applause when he noted the “milestone” of it being the first Memorial Day in nine years without Americans fighting and dying in Iraq.“As commander in chief, I can tell you that sending our troops into harm’s way is the most wrenching decision that I have to make,” Obama said shortly after laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.“I...…The President laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery today, and he :“After a decade under the dark cloud of war, we can see the light of a new day on the horizon,” he said at Arlington National Cemetery, drawing applause when he noted the “milestone” of it being the first Memorial Day in nine years without Americans fighting and dying in Iraq.“As commander in chief, I can tell you that sending our troops into harm’s way is the most wrenching decision that I have to make,” Obama said shortly after laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.“I...WW…