Economic Crisis

Latest Articles

Drawing inspiration

Anarchist Seth Tobocman brings radical comic-book to the Lucy Parsons Center
"Die, yuppie scum," chants the long-haired man, to the beat of a pounding drum. "You don't need to fuck people over to survive."
By VALERIE VANDE PANNE | June 16, 2010

Beer on a budget

In defense of expense
The beer industry is generally considered recession-proof, since people are still going to drink beer when times get tough. But has the same been true for more expensive craft beer in the recent recession?
By JOSH SMITH | May 19, 2010

How Rhode Island can eliminate homelessness

The concept is as simple as it is radical: give the homeless a place to live, with no strings attached
Making it a reality is a matter of political will.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | May 14, 2010

Get smart

Budget problems? It's the stupidity, stupid.
There are lots of theories about what's wrong with Maine's economy.
By AL DIAMON | March 10, 2010

Romney's new character: Macho man

In his new book, Mitt makes himself over as a muscular defender of America
Few things are more predictable than a GOP presidential candidate posturing as a he-man protector of America, and depicting his Democratic counterpart as an effete, appeasing girlie-man on the dangerous world stage.
By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | February 10, 2010

A nation hooked on cars

Vroom! Vroom!
The car is at the center of many of our troubles — our addiction to oil, the warming of the planet. Car accidents do incalculable damage.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | January 27, 2010

Trying times for Obama

Tough times for the nation
It was only a matter of time before President Barack Obama turned into a deficit hawk. But it is a measure of the desperation sparked by Scott Brown's election to Ted Kennedy's old Senate seat that Obama hatched before the conclusion of the 2010 congressional elections and unveiled a spending freeze.
By EDITORIAL | January 27, 2010

Instead of cuts: guts

Raise taxes on the rich? Only one candidate says ‘yes’?
Let’s assume, reader, that you’re concerned about economic and social justice. For those in real need — people who are poor, sick, old, mentally ill, addicted, disabled — you want decent care. You’re concerned, too, about proper funding of schools, community colleges, and university campuses.
By LANCE TAPLEY | January 06, 2010

2009: The year in cheap eats

A good year to dine 'On the Cheap,' for many reasons
In the wake of the Bush Recession, it's been gratifying to spend 2009 noting how many good budget-priced restaurants Boston has.
By MC SLIM JB | December 24, 2009

Worth the gamble?

A push for full-scale Vegas-style casinos is in the cards again. Can poker and craps save a state in freefall?
Just three years after Rhode Island voters killed plans for a full-scale, Vegas-style casino, big-time gambling is in the cards again.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | December 16, 2009

Even more recession recipes

Big Fat Whale
Scamfast
By BRIAN MCFADDEN | November 25, 2009

Has Obama peaked? No, he hasn't

Obama’s days of greatest power and popularity lie before him. But be warned: he might not do what you want with it.
Barack Obama's popularity should not be judged by the day-to-day, media-driven vagaries of politics — nor by the wishful thinking of his opponents.
By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | November 12, 2009

Has Obama peaked? Yes, he has

Yes, he made history. Unfortunately, it’s all downhill from there.
To listen to some pundits, Barack Obama's public image began taking a serious beating when the off-year election returns came in a week ago. Or maybe it was the undeserved Nobel Prize, his approach to the war in Afghanistan, or when he revved up his pursuit of national health-care reform.
By STEVEN STARK | November 12, 2009

Con Sol

Shining light on a secret Iberian bargain
Three-year-old ethnic bargain spot Con Sol snuck under reviewers' radar with an Iberian menu that draws mostly on Portuguese-American food — a cuisine that feels native to long-time Cantabrigians, but otherwise is little known north of New Bedford and Fall River or west of Provincetown.
By ROBERT NADEAU | October 14, 2009

Review: Capitalism: A Love Story

Moore of the same: Capitalism fails to make a prophet
In his new film about the Wall Street meltdown, Michael Moore — surprise! — denounces capitalism and its exploitation of the working class. Not that he's above doing a little exploiting himself.
By PETER KEOUGH | September 29, 2009

The Mighty Wind

New England is answering Obama's clarion call and beginning to harvest its most viable renewable energy source. In Rhode Island, can Deepwater also blow life into our ailing economy?
The Rhode Island recession, among the worst in the country, has become something of a national curiosity: how could such a little state be in such big trouble?
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | August 19, 2009

The sunny side of the street

Politics and other mistakes
It's good to be known as an optimist. It keeps people from realizing you're actually a boob.
By AL DIAMON | July 22, 2009

History's mysteries

Explore Portland's past with AIRE
Melodrama is a particularly satisfying popular art form for a financial crisis, filled as it is with unambiguous types and tropes — rich ruthless villains, poor but warm-hearted heroes and heroines, music that spiritedly cues our hisses and cheers, and reversals of fortune that reward honest, ordinary people just like us.
By MEGAN GRUMBLING | May 27, 2009

More recession recipes

Big Fat Whale
Pity chips and fancy beans
By BRIAN MCFADDEN | May 20, 2009

Men plus money equals mess

The financial crisis is a man-made problem. And it might not have occurred if we had listened to women.
Since Iceland is something of the epicenter of the global financial crisis — its government being the first to essentially go belly up — it's probably not surprising that the Icelanders have come up with the most novel and interesting theory as to what caused the meltdown. And they may be right.
By STEVEN STARK | May 14, 2009

Arlen the Family

Will Specter the Defector trigger a Democratic domination, or is his jump the sign of a growing moderate revolution?
So, Arlen Specter is now a Democrat. That's old news.
By STEVEN STARK | May 11, 2009

Is the American Dream a nightmare?

Action Speaks!
Action Speaks!, AS220's panel discussion series, continues with a topic near and dear to us here in little Rhody — failure.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | April 29, 2009

Spare Change?

At the 100-day mark, Barack Obama still doesn't have a clear mandate for sweeping reforms
A tension lies at the heart of the Obama presidency. After 100 days in office, the public still seems uncertain how to interpret the historic nature of the election last November.
By STEVEN STARK | April 28, 2009

The shovel-ready lessons of the New Deal

Action speaks!
Action Speaks!, AS220's always-engaging panel discussion series, is back. "So soon?" you ask. Why, yes.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | April 22, 2009

Tax time?

New taxes may be needed. Plus, why Massachusetts can take pride in the Serve America Act.
State House of Representatives leaders have served the Commonwealth well with their austere new budget: they have shown us the tremendous sacrifices we will need to make, and the drastic cuts that will be put into effect, if we don't raise new revenues.
By EDITORIAL | April 22, 2009

Time to wake up

The State Legislature and Boston's big municipal unions are hurting the public
The news that Massachusetts's finances are in even worse shape than previously thought was not exactly a surprise.
By EDITORIAL | April 15, 2009

Blue Balls

The word on the street is that sports are recession-proof — think again
It's one of the great myths of modern American life that, no matter what travesties befall us, sports will carry on unfazed.
By STEVEN STARK | April 15, 2009

Do it to debt

Spending money to make money?
A friend of mine walked into the local bar during a recent happy hour and announced, "I'm furious at IGA."
By AL DIAMON | April 01, 2009

Car talk

General Motors: What's really at stake
President Barack Obama did the right thing in ousting Rick Wagoner as head man at General Motors. Already there are a few encouraging signs that the GM community realizes it is time to step on the accelerator.
By EDITORIAL | April 01, 2009

As bad as Wall Streeters

The greed of Boston's unions is staggering
Even in our 24/7, blog-and-Twitter media world, commentators can barely seem to keep up with the worsening economic conditions.
By EDITORIAL | March 11, 2009