THE HUFFINGTON POST DAILY BRIEF

2010-03-26 The Daily Brief

Simon Johnson: Senator: Which Part Of 'Too Big To Fail' Do You Not Understand? Simon Johnson: If you look into the eyes of the decision-makers from Spring 2009, they honestly believe that taking over Citi or Bank of America would have caused greater financial trouble and a worse recession. You can argue about their true motivation all you want; this is irrelevant. The point is that the structures in place last year remain unchanged today. If a megabank shut-down under pressure was impossible for our policymakers last year, how exactly will the situation change after the Dodd bill passes -- remembering that our current policymakers or a close facsimile will run this country for the indefinite future? Click here to read more. Robert Creamer: Taking Responsibility for Political Violence Right wing talk show hosts and Republican leaders must shoulder the responsibility for the outbreak of threats and violence that has accompanied this week's passage of health insurance reform. Howard Glaser: No "Moral Hazard" In Obama's Housing Plan With the administration ramping up efforts to avoid a renewed housing death spiral, some people will argue that the plan rewards risky behavior. But the opposite is true. Les Leopold: Slaughterhouse '10: The Gutting of State and Local Government If we could just get over our blinding hatred of unions and public sector workers, we might see that we do in fact have the money we need to rebuild our infrastructure and create a new green economy. Michael Roth: Cruelty, Freedom and the Politics of Health Care Reform Fear of government won't disappear and it shouldn't. But now we have to show that these reforms can really reduce suffering and vulnerability without engendering a bureaucracy that erodes our freedom. Alexa von Tobel: Your New Best Friend: A Roth IRA If you get in the habit of putting just $50 per month into a Roth IRA for the next 40+ years, you could retire as a millionaire (thanks to the amazing effects of compounding interest)!

HuffPost News New US-Russia Nuclear Pact: Obama, Medvedev Sign Off On 'Landmark' Arms Accord Rachel Maddow's Boston Globe Ad: I'm Not Running Against Scott Brown, He Won't Come On My Show China's Draconian Instructions For Reporting

To view the latest headlines on your mobile device, go to http://m.nytimes.com/ If you have trouble reading this e-mail, go to http://www.nytimes.com/afternoonupdate
		Friday, March 26, 2010   Compiled 4 PM E.T. TOP STORIES Advertisement Allawi Wins Most Seats in Iraqi Elections  By ROD NORDLAND and TIMOTHY WILLIAMS A secular coalition led by Iyad Allawi, a former Iraqi prime minister, won 91 seats in Iraq’s 325-seat Parliament, narrowly edging out Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki, who won 89. Under Pressure on Foreclosures, White House Pledges Aid  By DAVID STREITFELD The Obama administration on Fridayannounced broad initiatives to provide more assistance to homeowners who are behind on their mortgage or owe more than their house is worth.  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/