News
WSJ | U.S. Industrial Production Hits Prerecession Peak
U.S. industrial output in November surpassed its prerecession peak for the first time, the latest sign of momentum for the economic recovery.
NY Times | Big Bonuses, but a Shift in Who Gets the Biggest
Wall Street’s senior executives have been holed up in conference rooms across Manhattan the last couple of weeks, locked in tense all-day sessions. The special project: dividing up this year’s spoils as bonus season approaches.
Barrons | Some Good and Bad Lessons from 2013
The basics of sound investing shouldn't change from one year, or market cycle, to the next. But recent results often have a way of influencing how we think about such a timeless topic.
Econ Comments & Analysis
Washington Times | The deniers of economic reality
Only 12 percent of likely U.S. voters favor a federal budget that increases government spending, but that’s just what the bipartisan budget deal passed by the House late [last] week does. It restores billions cut by the sequester on March 30 and puts off potential savings for several years.” This quotation does not come from some conservative blogger, but from the respected polling company, Rasmussen, in its report of Dec. 14.
WSJ | How Britain Returned to Growth
As the U.S. and Britain recover from the Great Recession, the question being asked of advanced economies like ours is this: Do we now face secular stagnation and long-term decline, so that it simply won't be possible to promise the next generation better lives than our own?
Washington Times | Fairness Doctrine 2.0
Fairness, like beauty, lies in the eye of the beholder, but some of President Obama’s men are eager to tell everyone who’s pretty and who’s not. There’s a buzz inside the Federal Communications Commission to deputize the government once more as the news cop, commissioning bureaucrats to decide what’s fair and what isn’t. We don’t need a rocket scientist or even a shade-tree mechanic to see where that leads.
WSJ | Washington's Worst Mistake of 2014?
Some consequences of government action remain largely unforeseen until a moment of crisis. That will not be the case if Washington regulators forge ahead on a misguided attempt to treat every large financial firm like a bank.
The Nation | Who’s Really Waging the Class War?
There’s little support among the wealthiest Americans for policy reforms to reduce income inequality.
NBER | Accounting for Income Changes over the Great Recession (2007-2010) Relative to Previous Recessions: The Importance of Taxes and Transfers
With data from the March CPS and using shift-share analysis, we analyze the factors that account for changes in post-tax post-transfer income during each of the past four recessions.
Heritage Foundation | GSE Reform: FHFA Should Not Pursue Mortgage Principal Reduction Alternatives
Until Congress finally resolves the important reform issues surrounding Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and government guarantees in the U.S. housing market, the FHFA should not begin any new mortgage modification programs, specifically any PRA programs.
AEI | INFOGRAPHIC: Who's looking out for homebuyers?
Bad habits are hard to break. As America climbs out of recession fueled by the 2007 housing market collapse, government-sponsored agencies are up to their old tricks, lending out billions of dollars for risky home mortgage loans.
Blogs
WSJ | Key Inflation Measures Still Weak as Fed Meets
Both of the government’s consumer inflation measures are trending well below the Federal Reserve’s 2% target, complicating the central bank’s decision on whether to curtail its easy-money policies this week.
CATO | Lessons from Dutch Welfare Reform
Welfare advocates regularly urge Americans to look to the European welfare state as a model. At least in the case of the Netherlands, they might be on to something.
WSJ | Watchdog: More Payout Options Needed for 401(k) Plans
A new government watchdog report encourages federal regulators to expand payout options for people who save for retirement through 401(k) plans. That could benefit people who are pondering how to live off – and not beyond – their savings.
