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ProPublica
Reporter for ProPublica; former Deputy Editor of the liberal blog, TalkingPointsMemo.com
PROFILE
Paul Kiel
Guest
FROM Paul Kiel
To the Point
Is the Bank Bailout Still Going On? Four years after the Toxic Asset Relief Program , America's twelve biggest banks are bigger than ever — and still protected by the guarantee of taxpayer money. Even a member of the Federal Reserve says they need to be broken up before increasingly risky investments provoke another financial crisis. TARP, supported by both the Bush and Obama Administrations, was supposed to provide foreclosure relief for abused homeowners, but a pending settlement is now being described as "another gift to the banks." We hear about the consequences, intended and otherwise, of government action to "save the economy."
Which Way, L.A.?
Homeownership and the Fading American Dream In the aftermath of the housing market collapse and the sub-prime mortgage scandal, President Obama promised help for millions of homeowners trying to avoid foreclosures. That hasn't happened. We hear what's going wrong and what it could mean for the future.
To the Point
Homeownership and the Fading American Dream Since the Great Depression, the US government has encouraged home ownership, most conspicuously with the homeowner's tax deduction. In the aftermath of the housing market collapse and the sub-prime mortgage scandal, President Obama promised help for millions of homeowners trying to avoid foreclosures. Now six million Americans are facing foreclosure, but new federal programs may be doing more harm than good. Instead of help with mortgage modification or refinance, desperate homeowners face a blizzard of paperwork and official errors with little or no supervision. Is homeownership all that it's cracked up to be? If not, what are the consequences for the economy and a cornerstone of American culture?
To the Point
Conflict Between Congress and the Administration Escalates On Tuesday, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales underwent four hours of battering before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Even Republican Arlen Specter called Gonzales' credibility "breached to the point of being actionable." Today, Senate Democrats today called for a special counsel to investigate whether the Attorney General lied under oath. Gonzales is accused of deliberately misleading Congress about Justice Department opposition to the President's plan for domestic spying without warrants. Also today, a Democratic committee subpoenaed Karl Rove to talk about his role in firing US Attorneys. We update the ongoing political warfare between Congress and the White House.
Recommended
To the Point
Venezuela spirals into economic and political chaos Venezuela, a country whose potential for prosperity is unmatched, finds itself on the verge of civil war. What sustains the repressive government? With time running out, guest host León Krauze looks at what the international community can do to pull the country from the edge of collapse.
To the Point
Will the Senate write a healthcare bill in secret? While Democrats and Republicans argue White House relations with Russia, another question is being decided behind closed doors: who gets help buying health insurance and who doesn't? We hear how the pros and cons are being shrouded in secrecy.
To the Point
Trump plays scolder-in-chief with NATO allies At the opening of NATO’s dramatic new headquarters in Brussels today, President Trump acknowledged that Article 5 — promising that “an attack on one nation is an attack on all” -- has only been invoked one time: in the aftermath of September 11. But the President failed to provide what 27 other Alliance members have been waiting for: a re-commitment by America’s new leader to Article 5. Instead, they got a scolding.
To the Point
What happens when America retreats from the world? Is President Trump taking his "America First" agenda to extremes, withdrawing the country from the international stage on trade and climate change, distancing America from its traditional allies across the Atlantic and even threatening to physically isolate the country through the building of a wall along its southern border? León Krauze guest hosts.