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

Wall Street executive compensation

Robert Schiller began a look at executive compensation: Last Wednesday, we presented our findings, “The Squam Lake Report: Fixing the Financial System” (Princeton University Press). Ben S. Bernanke, the chairman of theFederal Reserve, helped introduce the book at a conference at Columbia University. He said he agreed with the principle that “the stakeholders in financial firms — including […]

TPP summary

Via Alternet Jim Hightower offers a simplified look at the possible consequences of this trade deal: Twenty years later, the gang that gave us NAFTA is back with the TPP, a “trade deal” that mostly does not deal with trade. Of the 29 chapters in this document, only five cover traditional trade matters! The other […]

Is Abenomics Working ?

Recently Paul Krugman wrote a typically diplomatic post entitles “What to do when You’re Wrong” . I thought of that while advising Alessio Marchetti’s undergraduate thesis. He argues at some length that the Abe/Kuroda efforts stimulate an economy at the lower bound with monetary policy have been successful. Of course I had vaguely noticed this. […]

FATCA Agreement with France

by Linda Beale FATCA Agreement with France On November 14, the US Treasury Department announced that it had signed an agreement with France relating to the implementation of the 2010 Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) law.  That makes the 10th such agreement signed between the US and other countries to date, and helps move […]

Recent decisions show China will not raise wages enough

I have written lately about the how the cultural economics of China will fail to raise wages of labor and thus fail to re-balance their domestic demand. A video interview with Minqi Li by The Real News Network notes that recent decisions by the Chinese government are meant to raise income for the owners of […]