While at the moment, the U.S. and Russia seem to be working at cross purposes on this and other issues, Trenin of the Moscow Carnegie Center says there is one thing that unites them.

NPR: 3 min 58 sec

The non-responsiveness of the economy might be because the various policies are at cross-purposes at one another or that all the policies are in error, or some mix.

FORBES: Ben Bernanke Is Steering Us Off Course

Even when we act with what we believe to be the best of intentions, our efforts are often at cross-purposes with our goals.

WSJ: The Problem With Going Green by David Owen