More on the Economy From washingtonpost.com Blogs

44: White House adviser is open to additional economic stimulus

In a sign of the gathering momentum for additional economic stimulus, a top White House economic adviser on Thursday expressed openness to the possibility of additional aid to local governments to prevent layoffs or even to the creation of a new public jobs program to spur employment.

By Eric Rich | November 19, 2009; 03:55 PM ET | Comments (4)

44: Questionable government payments on rise, administration says

The federal government made $98 billion in questionable payments to contractors and individuals last year, the Obama administration said Tuesday, a sharp increase from 2008. The increase does not necessarily mean fraud is growing, said White House budget director Peter Orszag. But the administration is moving quickly to address the issue.

By Post Editor | November 17, 2009; 11:30 PM ET | Comments (19)

CAPITOL BRIEFING: House shifts focus to 'jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs'

Now that they've finished their health-care bill, House leaders are turning their attention to the soaring unemployment rate. But don't look for another economic stimulus package. This time, House leaders said, they want to put together a "jobs bill."

By Kendra Nichols | November 17, 2009; 12:47 PM ET | Comments (17)

44: Flawed stimulus numbers -- or a flawed promise to provide them?

With every grenade from the media blowing a hole in the credibility of the jobs numbers, it may be worth asking whether the administration's problem comes less from the quality of the numbers being provided than from its decision to provide the numbers in the first place.

By 44 Editor | November 17, 2009; 12:27 PM ET | Comments (84)

44: Administration to announce financial fraud task force

The Obama administration is set to announce a new task force on Tuesday of the nation's top regulatory officials to investigate financial fraud.

By 44 Editor | November 17, 2009; 11:18 AM ET | Comments (6)

44: White House announces a jobs summit on Dec. 3

By Michael A. Fletcher The Obama administration announced plans Monday to hold a forum on...

By Post Editor | November 16, 2009; 09:33 PM ET | Comments (20)

44: Primary source: Obama on 'unsettling' food security report

President Obama on Monday released a statement in response to the USDA report on the nation's food security (PDF), which determined that the number of Americans who lack dependable access to adequate food shot up last year to 49 million, the largest number since the government has been keeping track.

By 44 Editor | November 16, 2009; 03:29 PM ET | Comments (10)

44: Frank talk about an earlier Chamber of Commerce study

Earlier this year, the Chamber was more candid about the nature of the studies commissioned by business groups to buttress their side in legislative battles.

By 44 Editor | November 16, 2009; 01:24 PM ET | Comments (4)

CAPITOL BRIEFING: Congress passes bill extending unemployment insurance, home buyer tax credit

By Perry Bacon Jr. and Dina ElBoghdady Congress on Thursday completed final approval of a bill that includes several measures designed to spur the economy and help people who have lost their jobs, representing its latest intervention as the country suffers through its worst recession in decades. The $24 billion...

By 44 Editor | November 5, 2009; 03:59 PM ET | Comments (23)

CAPITOL BRIEFING: Senate passes bill extending homebuyer tax credit, unemployment benefits

Updated 7:22 p.m. By Perry Bacon Jr. The Senate on Wednesday approved a bill that extends several measures designed to spur the economy and help people who have lost their jobs, including a provision that will extend unemployment benefits for up to 20 weeks in states with high unemployment rates....

By 44 Editor | November 4, 2009; 06:30 PM ET | Comments (12)

44: Obama budget chief warns of lingering economic ills

As the economy struggles toward recovery, the nation is still likely to endure a sustained period of high unemployment that will have a long-term impact on laid off workers and their children who will, on average, earn smaller salaries and have lower educational levels, according to President Obama's budget chief.

By 44 Editor | November 3, 2009; 01:39 PM ET | Comments (3)

44: Bush economist: Jobs 'created or saved' figure touted by Obama is meaningless

By Frank Ahrens Ed Lazear was the top economic adviser to President George W. Bush...

By 44 Editor | November 2, 2009; 12:01 PM ET | Comments (9)

44: Obama says growth a sign of stimulus success

President Obama warned in his weekly radio and Internet address Saturday that the U.S. economy is likely to shed more jobs in the coming days, but said the recent quarter of growth marked an important turning point in the country's recovery from deep recession.

By 44 Editor | October 31, 2009; 06:00 AM ET | Comments (37)

DOT.COMMENTS: Can economic growth continue?

Readers worry about whether federal efforts will keep economy going.

By Doug Feaver | October 28, 2009; 07:12 AM ET | Comments (1)