News
WSJ | Finland Trails Its Nordic Neighbors
Finland is an economic power among countries that use the euro, but compared with its Scandinavian neighbors it is slipping. The dichotomy is putting stress on citizens and politicians here.
Washington Times | Economic recovery is weakest since WWII
The recession that ended three years ago this summer has been followed by the feeblest economic recovery since the Great Depression.
WSJ | Rising Retail Sales Ease Fears for Economy
Americans cracked open their wallets last month, stepping up spending on everything from clothes to cars for the first time since March and easing fears that the fragile job market and weakness overseas are stalling the U.S. economy.
USA Today | U.S. home builder confidence at five-year-high in August
U.S. home builders grew more confident in the housing recovery in August, as many reported that prospects for sales are the best they've been since the home bubble burst five years ago.
Econ Comments & Analysis
Bloomberg | Don’t Let the SEC Punish Too Harshly
The ink is barely dry on the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial-reform law, but Congress is already considering new legislation that would grant the Securities and Exchange Commission its latest wish list of much higher financial penalties, especially against recidivists.
Washington Post | Obama inconsistent on pace of economic recovery
President Obama’s principal economic argument for reelection now appears to be that he has an excuse for the U.S. economy’s extremely weak recovery from the deep recession of 2007 to 2009: that recoveries after financial crises are always slow.
Blogs
The American | Five Myths about Glass-Steagall
There is a remarkable degree of ignorance about the alleged role of Glass-Steagall in the financial crisis. It’s time to set the record straight.
AEI | The New York Times: America’s economy should be more like Italy’s
Eduardo Porter of the New York Times is pretty sure that whatever America’s problems are, they can be solved through higher taxes. And look no further for a role model than … Italy.
