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Wednesday, September 17, 2014

General Economics

News                                                                                                                             
Fox Business | Homebuilder Sentiment Climbs to Highest Level in Nine Years
U.S. homebuilder sentiment rose in September to its strongest in nearly nine years.

Econ Comments & Analysis                                                                                            
Investors.com | America Wastes $22 Trillion In War On Poverty
The Census Bureau's annual report on poverty, released Tuesday, is noteworthy because this year marks the 50th anniversary of President Lyndon Johnson's launch of the War on Poverty.
The Washington Times | The Obama disease takes toll on economy
Ronald Reagan's famous question that sank Jimmy Carter in 1980 - "Are you better off than you were four years ago?" - could be reprised to measure the performance of Barack Obama and the Democrats
New York Times | You Can’t Feed a Family With G.D.P.
The most important thing to know about the state of the United States economy was revealed in a report Tuesday morning that Wall Street barely noticed.
National Journal | Obama Wants to Talk About the Economy. Is Anyone Listening?
White House hopes for the summer were sky-high as plans were made for a messaging blitz the administration hoped would buoy struggling Democratic candidates across the country.
AEI | A straight path to wealth, and debt-free homeownership
The Wealth Building Home Loan (WBHL), a new approach to home finance, was unveiled at the American Mortgage Conference on September 8.

Blogs                                                                                                                             
Wall Street Journal | Maps Illustrate Mortgage-Lending Boom and Bust for Minorities
It won’t come as any surprise that mortgage lending exploded during the early part of the 2000s before crashing in 2008 and 2009 after the housing bust.

Health Care

News                                                                                                                             
Wall Street Journal | ObamaCare and American Decline
The reports of Darrell Issa's House Oversight and Government Reform Committee are a clinic on how government is really run. The latest on ObamaCare is no exception.
Politico | GAO: Obamacare abortion rules widely ignored
There are widespread instances of Obamacare insurance plans violating the rigid rules surrounding whether customers can use federal health care subsidies on insurance policies that cover abortion procedures, according to a Government Accountability Office investigation.
CATO Institute | Paying the Health-Care Piper
Last week roughly 250,000 Virginians began receiving notices that their health insurance was being cancelled because it failed to meet all the mandates and other regulatory requirements of Obamacare.

Monetary

News                                                                                                                             
Bloomberg | U.S. Consumer Prices Drop for First Time in a Year
The cost of living in the U.S. unexpectedly dropped in August for the first time in more than a year, giving some Federal Reserve policy makers reason to maintain that interest rates should remain low for longer.

Econ Comments & Analysis                                                                                            
Market Watch | Fed exit may be bumpy ride for investors
The Federal Reserve’s next tightening cycle won’t look like anything investors have seen before.
Bloomberg | Fed Decision Day Guide: Considerable Debate on Forward Guidance
Here’s what to look for when the Federal Open Market Committee releases its policy statement and new economic projections at 2 p.m. today in Washington and Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen holds a press conference at 2:30 p.m.

Blogs                                                                                                                             
Wall Street Journal | WSJ Analysis: The Case for the Fed to Tweak but Keep “Considerable Time” For Now
In a webcast Tuesday, I explained why I thought the Federal Reserve would stick with, but qualify, an important phrase in its policy statement Wednesday which assures near-zero interest rates for a “considerable time.” This was simply my best analysis of where I think the Fed is going based on what we have been reporting and what officials have said in the past.

Taxes

Econ Comments & Analysis                                                                                            
CATO Institute | Cutting Business Property Taxes to Improve Competitiveness
Tax Foundation has released a study comparing country tax codes. The “International Tax Competitiveness Index” by Kyle Pomerleau and Andrew Lundeen found that “the United States has the 32nd most competitive tax system out of the 34 OECD member countries.”

Blogs                                                                                                                             
Market Watch | Senators take aim at NFL’s tax benefits
The National Football League’s had a tough first three weeks of the season. The league made the news again Tuesday when New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, a Democrat, introduced legislation that would put an end to the league’s tax-exempt status.

Employment

Econ Comments & Analysis                                                                                            
NBER | It's Where You Work: Increases in Earnings Dispersion across Establishments and Individuals in the U.S.
This paper links data on establishments and individuals to analyze the role of establishments in the increase in inequality that has become a central topic in economic analysis and policy debate.
Wall Street Journal | Saving the Vanishing American Worker
A decent job for every worker is a key indicator of a well-functioning economy, and it should be a prime focus of economic policy.

Budget

Econ Comments & Analysis                                                                                            
Congressional Research Service | Child Welfare: An Overview of Federal Programs and Their Current Funding
Child welfare services are intended to prevent the abuse or neglect of children; ensure that children have safe, permanent homes; and promote the well-being of children and their families.
Mercatus Center | Debt and Deficits in CBO’s Updated Budget Outlook: 2014 to 2024
This week’s charts use data from the Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) recently released update to its Budget and Economic Outlook to show the trends and components of projected debt and deficit increases.