Media

Another week, another distraction for the Romney campaign. This latest flap, though, is instructive. The revelation that Romney told donors that nearly half all Americans are basically freeloaders offers insights into the core ideas -- or myths, as it turns out -- that animate modern conservative thinking.

Of the Americans who don't pay federal income taxes, 37% are not in the labor force either because they're students, elderly, or unemployed. (University of Denver)

This week marks the 25th anniversary of the Montreal Protocol, which reduced or eliminated the use of chemicals that led to ozone depletion. As a result, the ozone layer is now on track to recover in 50 years, an impressive feat considering the size of the hole in the ozone layer.

It might as well be Harry Potter’s invisible Knight Bus, because no one can prove it exists.

Fossil fuel interests have spent over $153 million in television ads attacking President Obama’s clean energy agenda.

As we celebrate Occupy Wall Street’s first birthday, the movement's pivoted from financial regulation to focus on crushing consumer debt. While reforming debt is crucial (particularly student debt), finance remains an imminent threat to the American economy. We shouldn't forget it.

The weather may be cooling, but the summer of money laundering is far from over. There hasn’t really been an uptick in banks looking the other way on dirty money (they have for years), it’s that regulators are finally stepping up. 

Sick of investment advice from hacks like Warren Buffet and Donald Trump? Ask a congress member. Roll Call published their latest list of the “50 Richest Members of the 112th Congress” last week. Texan House Representative Mike McCaul took first place, reporting a minimum net worth of $305.46 million for 2011.