The Congressional Budget Office yesterday issued its latest economic outline, as of August 2009, as a pdf document. The CBO forecasts have been respected, traditionally, as accurate, non-partisan forecasts. They estimate both annual federal deficits, overall public debt, and unemployment to continue to rise in the near term, with annual federal deficits (and thus overall…
Economy
Economy, Free Markets, Libertarians
“Eight Reasons Why Big Government Hurts Economic Growth”
by JOHN ADAMS •
Reason’s group video blog offers the first of two videos on economic and fiscal policy. Here’s the description accompanying the video: This Center for Freedom and Prosperity Foundation video analyzes how excessive government spending undermines economic performance. While acknowledging that a very modest level of government spending on things such as “public goods” can facilitate…
Economy, Free Markets
Jason DeSena Trennert: Remembering the Reagan Bull Market of August 1982 – WSJ.com
by JOHN ADAMS •
How to assure prosperity for years to come? The way Reagan did in beginning in 1982: “The simple – yet difficult to achieve – strategy of getting government out of the way and turning the economy over to free enterprise set the stage for a period of tremendous economic growth and wealth creation.” See, Remembering…
Economy, Libertarians
TV from Reason.tv: California After Arnold
by JOHN ADAMS •
NBC used to bill its Thursday evening lineup, and other parts of its schedule, as “Must See TV.” In a time when broadcast television mattered far more than now, it was a successful branding effort. Here’s a recent video from a different source, libertarian Reason.tv — After Arnold: California Gubernatorial Candidate Tom Campbell on Fixing…
Economy, Uncategorized
NYT: France’s Stimulus Projects, Unlike in U.S., Were ‘Shovel Ready’
by JOHN ADAMS •
I have no confidence that France’s version of the stimulus will produce productive, long-term gains for France. America’s won’t do the same for America, either. At least France’s spending will actually take place timely to the supposed goal of simulating the economy now. Even a year from now, much of America’s spending may not be,…
City, Economy
Wisconsin State Journal: Municipalities Look to Furloughs to Fill Budget Gaps
by JOHN ADAMS •
The State Journal has a story on how cities in Dane County and beyond are considering furloughing workers to make up shortfalls, likely to be far worse come budget planning in the fall. Whitewater’s not mentioned, but is there’s little doubt that our local administration’s strategy of public spending, local government aegis, and marketing will…
Economy
Area’s unemployment rate tops state, keeps climbing — GazetteXtra
by JOHN ADAMS •
If anyone were so foolish that he or she doubted the seriousness of our economic condition, then grim statistics will sweep away all uncertainty. Nearby Janesville now has an unemployment rate of 13 percent, the highest in all Wisconsin. The story’s at the Gazette: http://gazettextra.com/news/2009/mar/26/areas-unemployment-rate-tops-state-keeps-climbing/
Economy
Keynesians — Still as Wrong as Ever!
by JOHN ADAMS •
Over at Cato’s website, there’s a post from Daniel J. Mitchell on how, despite the rush to spend and tax our way to prosperity, it’s clear Keynesian economics is, still, bad economics. Who, by the way, said we’re all Keynesians now? That’s right, the man who was wrong about almost everything — Richard Nixon. Goldwater…
Economy, Free Markets, Libertarians
Reason.tv: Economist Lee Ohanian Explains the “Bailout Puzzle”
by JOHN ADAMS •
Note 1: Ohanian and colleague Harold Cole calculated in 2004 that “FDR’s policies prolonged Depression by 7 years,” as announced in a UCLA press release. Note 2: The actual study — not a press release — is considerable. Although the University of Chicago’s online version of the Journal of Political Economy is a subscription-only journal,…
Economy, Free Markets, Libertarians
Reason.tv Asks: “Where’s My Bailout?”
by JOHN ADAMS •
Economy, Free Markets
Fortune Comes Around on the Bailout
by JOHN ADAMS •
In September, it was “Paulson to the Rescue,” and Fortune asked: “The Steely-Eyed Treasury Chief is Betting Billions on Bailouts. Can He Save Us from a Meltdown?’ Now, in November, Fortune sees something different when it asks, “Who Pays for the Bailout? You Do, Of Course!” “Of Course!” Wait, wait, wait — you breathless cheerlearders…
Economy, Free Markets, Libertarians
Saving Social Security: Run, Sonny, Run
by JOHN ADAMS •
Here’s the final segment of a five-part series from Reason.tv entitled, Saving Social Security. The animated video comes from Lineplot, a company that creatively describes financial topics. I posted the first of the series, Pimp My Walker, on October 4th, the second part, Boom Baby Boom! on October 11th, the third, Policy Warrior on October…
Economy, Free Markets, Libertarians
Saving Social Security: Broken Trust
by JOHN ADAMS •
Here’s the fourth part of a five-part series from Reason.tv entitled, Saving Social Security. The animated video comes from Lineplot, a company that creatively describes financial topics. I posted the first of the series, Pimp My Walker, on October 4th, the second part, Boom Baby Boom! on October 11th, and the third, Policy Warrior on…
Economy, Free Markets, Libertarians
Saving Social Security: Policy Warrior
by JOHN ADAMS •
Here’s the third part of a five-part series from Reason.tv entitled, Saving Social Security. The animated video comes from Lineplot, a company that creatively describes financial topics. I posted the first of the series, Pimp My Walker, on October 4th, and the second part, Boom Baby Boom! on October 11th.