News
Bloomberg | Federal Workers Face ‘Unprecedented Assault’ in U.S. Budget War
Congress is considering ways to cut U.S. federal workers’ pay, benefits and possibly their jobs even as a record number are borrowing against pensions.
CNN Money | Is China faking its economic growth?
Known for predicting the Enron collapse, the chief of Manhattan-based Kynikos Associates, has been betting on a Chinese slowdown for a few years now, and once famously remarked, the world's second largest economy is on a "treadmill to hell."
National Journal | Consumer Bureau Already Overreaching, Critics Say
Even in its infancy, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is facing scrutiny for every move it makes.
Politico | Re-imagining U.S. infrastructure
President Barack Obama took the first step toward re-imagining U.S. infrastructure when he promised an executive order to reduce the red tape that frequently delays or derails building projects.
CNBC | Mid-Atlantic Manufacturing Gains More Than Expected
The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia said on Thursday its index of business conditions in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region rose in February to 10.2 from 7.3 in January.
Econ Comments & Analysis
Washington Times | A sand-castle recovery
That 348,000 more people found themselves jobless in the last 30 days is being hailed as good news, but only because that number could have been worse.
Washington Post | Has the U.S. lost its will to compete in the global economy?
Starting with Sputnik in 1957, Americans have suffered periodic bouts of competitiveness anxiety.
NY Post | Consumers not fooled by gov’t. stats
Consumers, it turns out, were a lot less optimistic in early February, according to a University of Michigan survey. And they didn’t spend nearly as much during Christmas or in January as the geniuses who follow this stuff for a living thought.
Market Watch | Thursday's Personal Finance Stories
Still, halfway marks and four-year lows don’t get us back to a healthy economy. As RealtyTrac reports, the housing market is a real mess in some places
Politico | Obama clueless on transit funding
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood last week told POLITICO that the House transportation bill is “the worst” measure he’s ever seen “during 35 years of public service.”
Real Clear Markets | If You Squint, You Can See the Recovery
There's been a running debate among economic commentators about whether we're in a genuine economic recovery (as opposed to another shallow, temporary reaction to the Fed's monetary "stimulus") and how strong the recovery is.
Minyanville | Is This the Economic Recovery?
There is a lot of good news to buoy the markets and give cheer to the public.
Blogs
CATO | Dumb Government Intervention in the Housing Market of the Day
With the continuing bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, along with the impending bailout of the Federal Housing Administration, it is easy to think that the federal government has a near monopoly on misguided and harmful housing policies.
Heritage Foundation | The United States of America: Land of Overregulation?
Indeed, this unfortunate drifting away from “free to choose” has been the prime culprit in America’s startling decline in economic freedom and overall competitiveness.
Café Hayek | Inequality and Stagnation
There is now a widely held view that the last 10 or 20 or even 40 years have been a time of great stagnation for the average American. Yes, the overall economy has grown, but all or most or nearly all of the gains have gone to the top 1% or top 10% or top 20%.
Marginal Revolution | Scott Winship summary on mobility and inequality
We have no more downward mobility from the middle than other nations, no less upward mobility from the middle, and no less downward mobility from the top
