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

News from hřbitov Nové Město na Moravě, Czech Republic “Stupid is as Stupid does Edition

– “Missouri Republicans have drafted a bill that would allow parents to pull their children from science classes that are teaching the theory of evolution. According to the National Center for Science Education (NCSE), Missouri’s House Bill 1472 would effectively “eviscerate” the teaching of biology in the state.” Stupid is as stupid does. “Missouri GOP: […]

Oh, dear. Another loopy challenge to yet another ACA provision, this one concerning the Independent Payment Advisory Board.*

A legal-news blog I read mentions an article published today on the National Review Online aspirationally titled “A Strike at the Heart of Obamacare” and subtitled “A case against IPAB is heard by the Ninth Circuit — and eventually by the Supreme Court?”  I don’t normally read the National Review and am not familiar with […]

the safety net as hammock hypothesis

Matthew Yglesias reports another dramatic study providing evidence against the safety net as hammock hypothesis. The argument that just giving poor people cash helps in the short run but hurts in the long run by creating dependency is extremely influential. The evidence supports the opposite conclusion. Here I note Yglesias noting Moises Velazquez-Manoff noting another […]

Choosing sides not Sides

by Robert Waldmann Choosing sides not Sides Booman wants me to set up an account to comment at his tribune. Like hell. He debates John Sides about 2016. I want to pile on. Associate Professor of Political Science at George Washington University, John Sides, attempts to rebut Dan Balz’s fine analysis yesterday that the Republican […]

Mike Konczal Vs Market Monetarists

Just click the link I don’t have anything interesting to add. My problem is that I can’t help thinking of whether Konczal’s criticisms amount to a credible accusation of impropriety. I have tried not to blog this, but really can’t resist. At the end of 2012, David Beckworth told the Keynesians they were wrong. In […]

Comparing methods to determine the Output Gap

David Beckworth made a determination of nominal interest rates using the Output Gap from this paper…Measuring potential output: Eye on the financial cycle, by Claudio Borio, Piti Disyatat, Mikael Juselius. Determining the output gap correctly in real-time is very important for determining the nominal interest rate and many other factors. It is not good to […]