News
FOX News | US trade deficit widened slightly to $39.1 billion in January, reflecting jump in imported oil
The U.S. trade deficit widened slightly in January as a rise in imports of oil and other foreign goods offset a solid increase in exports.
CNN Money | The real reasons to export U.S. gas
The crisis in Ukraine has sparked calls for the U.S. to step up its natural gas exports. The hope is that increased supplies will weaken the hand of Russia, Iran or other nations in future confrontations.
Econ Comments & Analysis
WSJ | The Myth of the Great Wages 'Decoupling'
Many pundits, politicians and economists claim that wages have fallen behind productivity gains over the last generation. This "decoupling" explains allegedly stagnant (or in some versions of the story, declining) middle-class incomes and is held out as a crisis of the market economy.
Washington Times | Obama economic policies revising growth and hope downward
The Obama economy continues to sink deeper into a recessionary abyss, where full-time jobs are in short supply, incomes are flat and life for many millions of Americans is a daily struggle.
CRS | An Analysis of the Geographic Distribution of the Mortgage Interest Deduction
This report analyzes variation in the mortgage interest deduction tax expenditure across states. Tax expenditures, such as the mortgage interest deduction, can generally be viewed as government spending administered via the tax code, or as tax incentives that are intended to achieve particular policy objectives.
Blogs
WSJ | Social Security Proposes to Tighten Rules on Disability Appeals
The Social Security Administration, under pressure from Congress, is moving to tighten rules that would require people applying for disability benefits to present the government with all relevant medical information – even if it says they can work.
