This week on CounterSpin: After several weeks of media debate, the House passed a nearly 900 billion dollar economic stimulus package. White House efforts to reach out to Republicans resulted in exactly zero GOP voters, leaving some in the media to wonder if Obama was failing to deliver on his promises of bipartisanship. But what about the stimulus debate was entirely off-the-mark? We'll talk to economist Dean Baker.

Also on CounterSpin today: President Obama's executive order said to ban torture, hasn't settled the issue for many commentators. Some on the right and in the corporate media seem to be happy to see what they suggest are loopholes in the presidential order that would allow some harsh treatment to continue. There are also those on the left who suggest there may be loopholes, but are less happy about it. We'll be joined by Michael Ratner of the Center for Constitutional Rights to talk about the language, and the media's seeming relief at what they see as the possibility that torture may continue in some form.

Links:

— Dean Baker's Center for Economic and Policy Research

— Michael Ratner's Center for Constitutional Rights