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

Okun’s Law

The Fed of San Francisco just published a note on Okun’s Law and the Unemployment Surprise of 2009. In the paper they conclude that strong productivity was the main reason employment growth was weaker than the traditional relationship that Okun’s law implied. Of course, we at Angry Bear have long known this. I have published […]

Making Markets be Markets

by Daniel Becker I came across a presentation called Make Markets be Markets sponsored by the Roosevelt Institute which is tied to New Deal 2.0.  Here is the full report here (pdf). The following are two videos, first by Simon Johnson, second by Elizabeth Warren,  from the full presentation (see here). I have not read the full […]

The endgame for Europe: wage cutting and the battle for exports

Yesterday I argued that Latvia’s cost-cutting efforts are evident compared to a cross-section of European Union countries. Latvia’s efforts, while commendable, were very much a function of the emergency IMF loan in December 2008 and the ensuing recession in 2009. After an email exchange with Marshall Auerback, and thinking more about the cross-section of Europe, […]

RANDOM ECONOMIC OBSERVATIONS WHILE TRAVELING THE RUSTBELT

by Tom aka Rusty Rustbelt RANDOM ECONOMIC OBSERVATIONS WHILE TRAVELING THE RUSTBELT Even while on vacation the CPA/consultant side of my brain is engaged sometimes (although my grandchildren engaged the Super Mario and Spongebob Squarepants side of my brain). * small businesses are closing at an alarming rate* cities thought recession-proof (e.g. Columbus Ohio) are […]

Transparency Liquidity

Felix Salmon is a very smart person who writes very well. Also he once invited me to an instant messenger debate that he posted on his high traffic blog. So I’d like to make only polite criticisms. However, I can’t write well so I will please translate the following to polite in your heads. Salmon […]

Obamanation

Robert Waldmann To obamanate V. To open an argument absurdly excessive concessions to one’s opponents. Obamanation gerund of To obamanate.Obamanation present participle of to obamanate. I offer this definition in defense of Obama. The word will be defined, and he’d better hope my definition is adopted.