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Thursday, September 5, 2013

General Economics

News                                                                                                                             
Market Watch | U.S. second-quarter productivity upped to 2.3%
The increase in U.S. productivity in the second quarter was much higher than initially reported, mainly because workers generated even more goods and services.
FOX Business | Service Sector Near 8-Year High in August
The pace of growth in the U.S. services sector accelerated in August to its fastest pace in almost eight years, an industry report showed on Thursday.
Bloomberg | Consumer Comfort in U.S. Declines for a Fourth Straight Week
Consumer confidence fell for a fourth consecutive week to its lowest level since early April as Americans’ views on the economy and buying climate deteriorated.
Market Watch | Factory orders fall 2.4% in July
Factory orders decreased 2.4% in July to a seasonally adjusted $485 billion, the U.S. Department of Commerce reported Thursday.

Econ Comments & Analysis                                                                                            
Forbes | America's Next Decade
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Politico | U.S. households still going hungry
Despite the explosion in food stamp enrollment, the percentage of American households experiencing food shortages remains stubbornly high, with so-called “insecure” families having 26 percent less for food than a typical “secure” household of the same size.
Bloomberg | Can We Pay a Minimum Wage That Makes Everyone Rich?
Last week, fast-food workers staged a one-day strike in 60 U.S. cities to demand a minimum wage of $15 an hour, more than double the current federal minimum of $7.25. The nationwide effort, “Fight for 15,” was organized by the Service Employees International Union.
Washington Times | The dark side of green
Builders across America are constructing and renovating everything from college football stadiums and Broadway theaters to libraries and elementary schools with an eye toward making environmentalists green with envy. They’ll do whatever it takes to persuade the United States Green Building Council to give them an eco-certification award known as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED.
WSJ | Fed Beige Book: U.S. Economy Grew at Modest to Moderate Pace in July, August
The U.S. economy expanded at a modest to moderate pace in recent months, led by consumer spending on cars and housing, according to the Federal Reserve's survey of regional economic conditions released Wednesday.

Health Care

News                                                                                                                             
National Journal | Poll: Young People More Likely to Consider Enrolling in Obamacare Exchanges
A new poll finds the group that was expected to be most difficult (and most important) to enroll in the new insurance exchanges may actually be the most likely to sign up.
CNN Money | Obamacare exchanges aren't the only game in town
Americans who buy their own health insurance next year won't have to get coverage through their state-based exchange.

Econ Comments & Analysis                                                                                            
Investors | ObamaCare Employer Mandate: A List Of Cuts To Work Hours, Jobs
One of 2013's most-contentious topics among both economists and politicians has been ObamaCare's jobs impact. Critics say the Affordable Care Act, with its employer mandate to provide health insurance, gives business an incentive to cut workers' hours.
Politico | Burn your Obamacare card
I think we struck a nerve. Judging from the left’s hysterical overreaction to FreedomWorks’ “Burn Your Obamacare Card” campaign, this oppressive transfer of wealth from young Americans to the elderly appears to be the Achilles Heel of the new, insanely authoritarian progressive movement.
CNN Money | A Rx for retirement: HSAs
How would you like a triple-tax-free way to save for certain retirement expenses?

Monetary

Econ Comments & Analysis                                                                                            
CNN Money | ECB sees slow recovery and many risks
The European Central Bank forecast Thursday a slow economic recovery and repeated its pledge to keep interest rates low as it waits for more evidence that the upturn will be sustained.
Forbes | Forget Its Dual Mandate, The Fed Should Have A Duodecuple Mandate
Although the Federal Reserve did many things (some wise, some not so wise) from January 30, 1934 to August 15, 1971, during that time it had only one legal “mandate” beyond acting as lender of last resort: to maintain the value of the dollar at 1/35th of an ounce of gold.

Blogs                                                                                                                             
Economist | It's the what, not the who
It is increasingly clear (or increasingly believed, at any rate) that Larry Summers will be the next chairman of the Federal Reserve. It is roughly as unclear as it has always been, which is very, what that will mean for monetary policy.

Taxes

News                                                                                                                             
CNN Money | Americans turn in passports as new tax law hits
The number of Americans choosing to give up their citizenship has spiked dramatically this year as the government works to implement a new disclosure law aimed at stamping out tax evasion.

Econ Comments & Analysis                                                                                            
Forbes | Amazon Can Support The Internet Sales Tax Because Amazon Is Exempt
Proponents of the Marketplace Fairness Act, which would force businesses to collect and remit sales taxes to at least 46 different state tax jurisdictions, argue that the legislation would ‘level the playing field’ between remote retailers and brick and mortar retailers, solve budgetary woes, and collect tax that is already due.

Employment

News                                                                                                                             
CNN Money | Jobs: 'Steady as she goes' hiring
Hiring continued at a modest pace last month, a report on private sector jobs showed Thursday.
Bloomberg | Jobless Claims in U.S. Decline More Than Forecast
Fewer Americans than forecast filed applications for unemployment benefits last week, indicating the labor market is improving.

Econ Comments & Analysis                                                                                            
NBER | The Phillips Curve is Alive and Well: Inflation and the NAIRU During the Slow Recovery
The Phillips Curve (hereafter PC) is widely viewed as dead, destined to the mortuary scrapyard of discarded economic ideas.

Blogs                                                                                                                             
WSJ | Small Businesses Not Adding Workers Like They Used to
It’s well known that job growth has been lacking in this recovery. One reason for the disappointment is that small businesses aren’t adding workers like they used to.

Budget

News                                                                                                                             
Bloomberg | Wall Street Sees Debt-Limit Talks Past Mid-October Target
The U.S. Congress may have scope to extend debt-limit negotiations for weeks past the mid-October date when Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew has said the nation will exhaust its borrowing authority, according to analysts at Credit Suisse Group AG and Jefferies LLC.

Econ Comments & Analysis                                                                                            
AEI | Fiscal collisions ahead
Even as serious decisions loom regarding Syria, Congress and President Obama still must deal with two related fiscal policy issues:  raising the debt ceiling before the government’s borrowing authority runs out around mid-October, and funding government operations beyond the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30.
CATO | Spending Freezes in History
With Congress reconvening, members will soon be battling over discretionary-spending levels for fiscal year 2014, which begins October 1. They will decide whether to abide by current federal budget caps, which are designed to keep discretionary spending roughly flat over the next few years.