Thoughts on tax day
[NOTE: This is an edited version of an essay of mine from the past.] Today is April 15th. This means that millions of us will be making our way to the copy machine and then on to the post office … Continue reading →
Category Archives: Finance and economics
Obama: the legacy
Obama actually offers up a proposal that at least gives the appearance of being a compromise (entitlement cuts for tax raises), and the left gets angry at him, naturally: Progressive groups and lawmakers, including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), are blasting … Continue reading →
This was so successful the first time…
…let’s do it again!—says the Obama administration: The Obama administration is engaged in a broad push to make more home loans available to people with weaker credit, an effort that officials say will help power the economic recovery but that … Continue reading →
Cyprus: less is more
The latest on the Cyprus banking crisis: Depositors in Cyprus with savings of more than 100,000 euros ($128,000) could face losses of up to 60 percent, under tough conditions attached to an international bailout, Finance Minister Michalis Sarris said Saturday… … Continue reading →
Why the EU is a really, really bad idea
This article by Timothy Garton Ash goes into only part of the reason: Why is Europe in this downward spiral of mutual resentment? Because of the basic design flaws of the euro, certainly. Also because of mistaken economic policies in … Continue reading →
Coolidge: man of the hour
First Shlaes. Now Charles C. Johnson (no, not that one; this one).
Continue reading →Cyprus and the EU: nobody seems to know…
…what to do about Cyprus. And yet today something—that is, the seizing of a certain percentage of the assets of depositors who have put more than 100 thousand Euros in Cypriot banks—has been decided on: European leaders reached an agreement … Continue reading →
More Obamacare prognostications
Ever since Obamacare was proposed and then passed there has been rampant speculation on what its actual effects will be. It would almost be funny, if it weren’t so sad, how little anyone actually knows about precisely how this new … Continue reading →
Budget passes House: so what?
The House has passed (221/207) what’s known as the “Ryan budget,” after the Democratic proposal failed to garner enough votes. I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, I think it’s good that Republicans did something. On the … Continue reading →
The return…
…of the Twinkie. I never, never ever, cared for the things, so I don’t have a dog in this race. But some of you may care very, very much.
Continue reading →Cyprus roundup
More on Cyprus: Here’s a good article about why what happened in Cyprus is important. And the comments to the article are worth looking at, too. This article gives a clear explanation of how the EU could be so stupid. … Continue reading →
The Cyprus Parliament…
…did in fact reject the bill to “tax” bank deposits, even though it had been amended to exclude smaller investors from the levy. The vote was 36 against, 0 in favor, and 19 abstentions. Hundreds of protesters outside Parliament cheered … Continue reading →