The Washington Post thinks the Democrats would be better off running for re-election with a higher unemployment rate.

News media need to present the facts that will reveal the falsity of arguments by “deficit hawks” who oppose the spending needed to end the recession.

“Panicked Congress Tells Unemployed and About To Be Fired Teachers to Stuff It.” That should have been the headline for this mindless New York Times article by Carl Hulse.

At the end of this month, the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform will hold its first meeting and begin to consider ways to dig our nation out from the irresponsible deficits created by the Bush Administration. This presidentially-created 18-member commission is tasked with addressing “the growth of entitlement spending and the gap between the projected revenues and expenditures of the Federal Government.”

While I and many of my fellow Members of Congress support efforts to balance the budget, it is critically important that this commission examine every part of the federal budget during this process. For example, the Commission should most certainly consider the $985 billion dollars spent on foreign wars since 2001.

>By Zach Carter, Media Consortium Blogger

One year after President Barack Obama secured passage of his critical economic stimulus package, the U.S. Senate is finally taking anther look at how to create jobs and repair the economy. These issues are more important than ever, but absurd Republican obstructionism and timid Democratic negotiation are once again threatening good public policy.

By Zach Carter, Media Consortium Blogger

On Feb. 1, President Barack Obama unveiled his 2011 budget proposal. While conservative pundits reacted with predictable, yet preposterous, wailing about the federal budget deficit, the short-term U.S. budget outlook is just fine. If anything, Obama’s budget doesn’t dedicate nearly enough funding to create jobs.

Paul Krugman has a must read column today on the irresponsible and harmful fear mongering over the federal budget deficit.

By Zach Carter, Media Consortium Blogger

Progressives have waited a year for President Barack Obama to roll up his sleeves and fight for serious financial reform. Last week, he finally jumped in the ring, telling weak-kneed Senators to stand up to Wall Street and endorsing a critical ban on risky securities trading.

Arnold ran for ofice promising to destroy 4 billion in annual revenue from recent increases in the state’s vehicle license fee. He won and slashed back the fee. Since the 2003 recall, annual lost revenue may have grown to exceed 6 billion.

Net cost in lost revenue: 20 billion to nearly 30 billion.

Size of California’s deficit? 21 billion…up to 40 billion for this and “next” year.

Now that Arnold’s created the crisis, he’s vetoed an oil depletion tax. But he wants to open California to offshore drilling – for $100 million. As a loan. The state would have to pay the $100 million back to Big Oil. They’d get the billions: California gets the spills.

Shock Doctrine‘s up!

The real problem is the economy. The fights over projected deficits for 5 and 10 years out are a distraction.