Economic Policy
Next Entries »We Need Public Institutions
Friday, June 8th, 2012The solution to this problem is obvious. More tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires, while slashing education and job training. With more than 12.7 million Americans unemployed, companies have no trouble attracting applicants….While these workers don’t need college degrees, they need at least two years of specialized training plus strong math, reading and writing skills. […]
Only basic math skills required.
Sunday, April 29th, 2012Just think, this could have been the American experience if conservatives had their way. Growth requires addition. Subtraction leads to contraction. Is this rocket science? MADRID | Fri Apr 27, 2012 12:49pm EDT (Reuters) – Spain’s sickly economy faces a “crisis of huge proportions”, a minister said on Friday, as unemployment hit its highest level […]
Krugman’s EUROmess Summary
Saturday, February 25th, 2012“There are basically three stories about the euro crisis in wide circulation: the Republican story, the German story, and the truth.” The Republican story is that it’s all about excessive welfare states. OK, the German story is that it’s about fiscal profligacy, running excessive deficits. Finally, let’s look at the balance of payments — the […]
The Bell Tolls for Europe, Who Will listen?
Tuesday, February 21st, 2012No man is an island, entire of itself…any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee. John Donne (1572-1631) Europe is slowly committing suicide. After 50 years of seeking a common path forward, nationalism is dividing Europe once […]
Federal Government Prevents Another Recession
Friday, February 17th, 2012Why is Europe sliding into recession and we are staying above water? The Federal Government. Europe is essentially a confederation; it is multiple states with a single currency. Unlike the US they have no central government or bank to off set the cuts in individual states. As Paul Krugman explains, the US federal government should […]
How to tell Conservatives are lying about the housing bubble.
Saturday, January 28th, 2012I modified Mark Zandi’s chartto add what would have happened if conservatives were right about the causes of the housing bubble. Frannie’s and Freddie’s market share would have gone up, while private firms’ share would have gone down.   Blaming FF is not only dishonest, but it prevents us from stopping future scams. If conservatives succeed […]
US Needs Demand, Not Degulation
Monday, November 14th, 2011Theory meet fact. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that very few layoffs are caused principally by tougher rules. Whenever a firm lays off workers, the bureau asks executives the biggest reason for the job cuts. In 2010, 0.3 percent of the people who lost their jobs in layoffs were let go because […]
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