Relevant and even prescient commentary on news, politics and the economy.

Not-So-Select Short Subjects

Now that I know we’re just members of the “Peanut Gallery,”* let this random links post work as a placeholder for longer posts as we prepare for the “holiday”: Shorter Mark Thoma at Marketwatch: If you can’t build a better model, best to reappoint a man who doesn’t think he has to do half of […]

US Flow of Funds: wealth recovery fully underway, China?

by Rebecca Wilder(crossposted with Newsneconomics) This week the Federal Reserve reported the Q3 2009 Flow of Funds accounts. The headline indicators show household net worth improving and private debt burden falling. The private sector – households and firms – is dropping leverage. Update: This chart has been modified slightly – the leverage level data (highlighted […]

Health Care Reading Assignment, & Link Request

by Bruce Webb CBO Director’s Blog Manager’s Amendment to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act CBO Analysis/Score Senate Health Care bill Manager’s Amendment Also I would like some links to current and historical numbers on Medical Loss Ratios. I found some claims from a commenter at Dean Baker’s Meet the Press (and past commenter […]

This week’s Greek tragedy

This week, the single most important event in global bond markets was the S&P downgrade of Greece’s long-term debt obligations, A- to BBB+. Moody’s is the last of the major rating agencies to hold Greek debt in the A-category of investment grade (currently at A1); but a major decision from Moody’s could come within weeks. […]

Billions for Bankers, Nothing for the Housing

Good Thing We Have Deficit Hawks in Congress: The tenants were all living low-rent under a program that’s beginning to expire – but had been promised they could still qualify for a federal Section 8 rent subsidy. But this week, when many of them began to show up at New York City Housing Authority offices, […]