Political Economy - Politics, politicians, big business, and the economy.

Posted at 07:45 PM ET, 08/24/2011

What’s the first thing you'll do when you get a job? Longterm unemployed share their plans (Audio)

By Brian M. Rosenthal

When Kristine Connor finally gets a job, after months unemployed, she knows exactly what she is going to do: go to the store and buy perfume.

By Brian M. Rosenthal | 07:45 PM ET, 08/24/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 05:52 PM ET, 08/24/2011

D.C. earthquake: SEC shakeup fails to silence agency spokesman

By David S. Hilzenrath

How to give an interview to a reporter from under a desk.

By David S. Hilzenrath | 05:52 PM ET, 08/24/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 01:22 PM ET, 08/19/2011

Bank of America to lay off 3,500

By Brady Dennis

Bank of America, which has been battered in the stock market this year and beset by problems related to bad mortgages, plans to lay off 3,500 workers in the current quarter with perhaps thousands more pinks slips to come.

By Brady Dennis | 01:22 PM ET, 08/19/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 01:05 PM ET, 08/19/2011

Bank of America to lay off 3,500 workers

By Brady Dennis

Bank of America, which has been battered in the stock market this year and beset by problems related to bad mortgages, plans to lay off 3,500 workers in the current quarter with perhaps thousands more pinks slips to come.

By Brady Dennis | 01:05 PM ET, 08/19/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 12:05 PM ET, 08/18/2011

Live-blogging the markets: another major sell-off on Wall Street

By Sarah Halzack

Stocks news as it happens on Aug. 18, 2011.

By Sarah Halzack | 12:05 PM ET, 08/18/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 03:56 PM ET, 08/17/2011

Longterm unemployed offer tips on surviving joblessness (Audio)

By Brian M. Rosenthal

From being productive to driving around the Beltway screaming, the unemployed give advice.

By Brian M. Rosenthal | 03:56 PM ET, 08/17/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 11:57 PM ET, 08/15/2011

Perry takes aim at Bernanke

By Philip Rucker

Texas Gov. Rick Perry, making his maiden campaign swing in Iowa after jumping into the race for the Republican presidential nomination, suggested Monday night that Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke would be committing an act of treason by printing more money between now and November 2012.

By Philip Rucker | 11:57 PM ET, 08/15/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 08:03 PM ET, 08/10/2011

Asian markets follow U.S. selloffs

By Cezary Podkul

By Cezary Podkul | 08:03 PM ET, 08/10/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 11:26 AM ET, 08/10/2011

Markets back in the dumps

By Cezary Podkul

Stocks began the day sharply lower and extended their losses in midday trading Wednesday as investors resumed selling stocks and buying safe bets such gold and Treasurys.

By Cezary Podkul | 11:26 AM ET, 08/10/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 08:05 PM ET, 08/09/2011

Asian markets open sharply higher

By Cezary Podkul

Markets in Tokyo and Sydney opened sharply higher early Wednesday, rebounding from Tuesday’s continued losses and building on the momentum of the U.S. stock market rally.

By Cezary Podkul | 08:05 PM ET, 08/09/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 03:40 PM ET, 08/09/2011

Live blog: Fed decision prompts return of ‘flight to safety’

By Cezary Podkul

The day after a major selloff like Monday’s worst plunge since 2008 is always interesting, but even more so today, since nothing’s been good enough to quell the market’s fear over the past 10 days.

By Cezary Podkul | 03:40 PM ET, 08/09/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 03:55 PM ET, 08/08/2011

Live blog: Moody’s affirms U.S.’ top credit rating

By Cezary Podkul and Sarah Halzack

By Cezary Podkul and Sarah Halzack | 03:55 PM ET, 08/08/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 07:52 PM ET, 08/04/2011

What do you miss most about having a job? For the unemployed, a complicated answer

By Brian M. Rosenthal

As part of “Help Wanted: Stories of Unemployment,” a new reader-powered project seeking to explore the real impact of joblessness, The Post is asking the unemployed to leave audio and video messages answering the question: What do you miss most about having a job?

By Brian M. Rosenthal | 07:52 PM ET, 08/04/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 03:41 PM ET, 08/03/2011

Will the U.S. become another Old Poland?

By Cezary Podkul

Historians see not-so-comforting similarities between Poland’s disintegration and America’s recent debt debacle.

By Cezary Podkul | 03:41 PM ET, 08/03/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 02:25 PM ET, 08/01/2011

Wall Street claps politely to debt deal, tells Washington to get back to work on economy

By Cezary Podkul

Markets’ sharp u-turn on Monday shows Wall Street is now back to worrying about economic growth, which only continued to slow as the debt debate escalated.

By Cezary Podkul | 02:25 PM ET, 08/01/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Political Economy: August, 2011