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

Eurozone rebalancing depends on German inflation

The Federal Statistics Office reported that German consumer prices increased 0.2% on a seasonally-adjusted basis in October, translating into a 1.3% annual gain on a harmonized basis. German prices are very sticky, since the domestic economy doesn’t see the boom and bust cyclical behavior like that in other developed economies. However, inflation may headed north, […]

Post WW2 Private Investment v. New Deal Private Investment

by Mike Kimel Post WW2 Private Investment v. New Deal Private InvestmentCross posted at the Presimetrics blog. I had a post the other day (which appeared at the Presimetrics blog and Angry Bear, and which was followed up by my fellow Angry Bear, Spencer, here) looking at a paper by David R. Henderson about the […]

Rare earths and trade

A battle to keep using rare earths on our terms by Tim Worstall in The Register points to a facet of trade policy that would seem to demand some government action…I fail to see why trans-national companies would feel a need to act at least currently to implement more modern technology (or search for an […]

David Cay Johnston on the Child-Care Credit

by Linda Beale David Cay Johnston on the Child-Care Credit crossposted with Ataxingmatter David Cay Johnston, former tax reporter for the New York Times, now does a column in the weekly Tax Notes called “Johnston’s Take.”  This week, he examines Alan Viard’s claim that the child-care credit is a boon for working parents.   Download Who […]

Political Advice

How many of you read Frank Rich In the Sunday New York Times? http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/07/opinion/07rich.html?_r=1 It is an interesting approach. But I would do him one better. I would suggest to Obama that he offers the Republicans a deal for the Bush tax cuts for those making more than $250,000. Offer to sign legislation for this […]

Dean Baker on the Urgency of ‘Nothing’ for Social Security

by Bruce Webb A year and a half ago I put up a post here called The Fierce Urgency of ‘Nothing’ whose conclusion was: “Nothing”. The numerically proven plan for Social Security since 1997. So you can imagine my gratification at running across the following by the co-author of the must read book from 1999 […]

The Class war summed up in quotes

By Daniel Becker I just want to lay out the debate going on in our economy right now. There are 4 debaters. President Obama/Geithner et al, President Obama 2008, the rich (or capitalist, those who make their money from money) and the rest of us. From President Obama’s 60 Minute interview: PRESIDENT OBAMA:…And it turns […]

All you need to know to understand President Obama

By Daniel Becker I watched then read President Obama’s interview on 60 Minutes.  The following is the most telling quote: PRESIDENT OBAMA: …And, you know, I can make some really good arguments defending the Democratic position, and there are gonna be some people who just don’t agree with me. And that’s okay. And then we’ve […]