News
Bloomberg | Sales of Existing Homes in U.S. Fall to Lowest Since 2012
Purchases (ETSLTOTL) of previously owned homes in the U.S. declined in February to the lowest level since July 2012, a sign the industry may be slow to recover.
CNN Money | Western banks lend billions to Russia
Russian oligarchs, banks and corporations have been borrowing heavily from the West, underscoring the risks for both sides in escalating the Ukraine crisis.
Bloomberg | Leading Index Rises More Than Forecast Signaling U.S. Pickup
The index of U.S. leading indicators rose more than forecast in February, a sign the world’s largest economy will strengthen after a weather-induced slowdown in the first quarter.
WSJ | March Economic Polls Bode Ill for Democrats
Foreign policy was a relative strength for much of Mr. Obama's first term. No more. According to the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, Mr. Obama's disapproval rating on handling foreign affairs is 53%, the highest of his presidency. That number is likely to have grown since the poll was conducted 11 days ago—before Vladimir Putin's very public humiliation of Mr. Obama's weak reaction to his takeover of Crimea.
Econ Comments & Analysis
Investors | Judging Obama's Economy By His Own Promises
President Obama gave a speech recently in which he, as he almost always does, patted himself on the back for what he described as a solid record on the economy.
WSJ | A Gas Export Strategy
The latest excuse for not exporting America's domestic energy resources to reduce Vladimir Putin's political influence is that it's too late to save Crimea. The anti-fossil-fuel left always has a reason not to drill, but their argument this time defies economic logic.
Forbes | The War on Poverty Wasn't A Failure -- It Was A Catastrophe
Has the War on Poverty been a failure? Well, of course it has. If you devote 50 years and $21.5 trillion (in 4Q2013 dollars) to anything, and people are arguing about whether it was a success or a failure, then you can be sure that it was a failure.
WSJ | Free Isn't Easy for Higher Ed
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam wants every high-school graduate in his state to be able to attend a community or technical college free of charge, a goal he says will strengthen the workforce and attract investment.
Mercatus | About the Mercatus Center's Regulatory Cost Calculator
When regulatory agencies propose regulations, they request comments on the rules from parties that will be affected. Agencies ask stakeholders to comment on the extent of the problem agencies are solving, options for solving those problems, and the costs and benefits of the options.
AEI | A mobility agenda for the right
It’s no secret that opportunity in the U.S. is staggeringly low. Studies suggest that mobility is lower in America than in other developed countries, and according to the Pew Charitable Trusts 70 percent of children born into poverty here will not make it to the middle class.
Blogs
CATO | Government Infrastructure Is Inefficient Everywhere
An op-ed in the Wall Street Journal today indicates that Edwards’ Law of Cost Overruns is an international standard. If a politician says that a project will cost $100 million, it will end up costing $200 million or more.
