Federal Register Improved version 2.0 is now available for use, and includes on some items a link to the that particular item that is open to comments at Regulations.gov.

I keep being told that the lower personal tax rates lead to greater business investments, especially by small businessmen that are not incorporated, those that flow their business income into their personal accounts so they are subject to the personal tax rates rather than the corporate tax code. Numerous, sophisticated econometric exist that conclude that […]

The lower the fee, the more money raised by the IPO that actually goes to pay back the taxpayer. Doesn’t change that Michael Moore’s analysis of GM is likely much more true than not (especially the likely reasons for the abrupt sidelining of Ed Whitacre), but every little bit helps. In related news, it’s Economists […]

Robert Waldmann This article by David Hilzenrath in the Washington Post is interesting. The news is that an internal inspection for Transocean use reported that some equipment (two cranes) had to be replaced and could not be used, but the official inspection outsourced to a private firm, concluded that everything was fine (this is the […]

by Bruce Webb House Minority Leader John Boehner said in a statement marking the 75th anniversary that while the law has served the needs of millions of Americans seniors, the Social Security and Medicare Trustees have “repeatedly warned Congress and the American people that reforms are necessary or future benefits will be threatened.”He added that […]

Donklephant offers the familiar graphs making the rounds on tax cuts comparisons, but the comments were worth reading last time I checked.

lifted from comments from anne at Economistview: Share of Gross Domestic Product of Federal Government, Defense and Nondefense Spending, 2000-2009 January 15, 2010 Percent of GDP of Defense Spending 2000 ( 3.7)2001 ( 3.8) Bush2002 ( 4.1)2003 ( 4.5)2004 ( 4.6) 2005 ( 4.7)2006 ( 4.7)2007 ( 4.7)2008 ( 5.1)2009 ( 5.5) Obama [There are […]

Lifted from comments in open thread by reader sgetz99: August 10 – Bloomberg (Jungmin Hong and Saeromi Shin): “China’s banking regulator ordered banks to transfer off-balance-sheet loans onto their books and make provisions for those that may default… The assets linked to wealth management products provided by trust companies must be shifted onto banks’ balance […]

Higher Ed Watch reports: The student loan company Nelnet announced late Friday afternoon that it has reached “an agreement in principle” to settle a Federal False Claims lawsuit filed against the corporation and five other lenders that engaged in a scheme to bilk taxpayers by systematically overcharging the government for subsidy payments on federal loans […]