KeithHennessey.com

The president has two challenges: How does he convince enough congressional Democrats to support a deal they won’t like because it doesn’t raise taxes, and how does he mitigate the attacks from those on the left who deny a serious and immediate problem even exists?

The whole point of a PAYGO principle is to prioritize deficit reduction over other desirable policies. If you apply a principle to block the policies you don’t like but exempt yourself from it for policies that you favor, then it’s not much of a principle.

I have an op-ed running in today’s New York Daily News. Here is a footnoted version of it.

Dr. Laura Tyson and I will be live on KQED radio’s Forum for an hour today, beginning at 9 AM PDT / noon EDT. You can listen live here.

On the heels of Dr. Christina Romer’s announced resignation, here’s an explanation of the different positions that make up the President’s economic team, and in particular the different roles of the heads of the National Economic Council and the Council of Economic Advisers.

Spendthrift teenager Billy Jones and his skeptical sister Suzy discuss the Social Security Trustees Report.

I agree with Secretary Geithner Secretary that we need to restore America to a pro-growth tax and fiscal policy. I just don’t think that government spending of 24% of GDP, budget deficits averaging 6% of GDP, and raising taxes on successful small business owners during a weak recovery are that policy.

Irresponsible Billy Jones is once again spending more than his allowance. He is running up huge bills on the credit card his parents gave him. His parents cut his allowance nine and then again seven years ago and now Billy’s sister Suzy is debating some family friends whether a scheduled automatic increase in Billy’s allowance should be allowed to take effect January 1.

While the President will win the vote on Unemployment Insurance, he lost the debate.

President Obama spoke in the Rose Garden today about extending unemployment insurance benefits. His attack today is part of a set piece.