A short history of Congress, Democrats, Republicans, Fannie, and Freddie
Send this to everyone you know. It’s short and sweet. This is also worth a view. Or two. [Hat tip: The Anchoress.]
Continue reading →Category Archives: Finance and economics
That demanding public
Here’s Cristopher Caldwell in Financial Times on the origins of the current financial crisis: In a sense, the public has willed its way into government intervention by entertaining socialist expectations of a capitalist economy. Housing values were not supposed to … Continue reading →
Naked shorts and other wonders of the financial world
Here’s today’s market bulletin from that newly-minted financial “expert” of the day, neo-neocon. This comment from reader “John F. Opie” got me thinking about how the practice known as fair value accounting enters the current picture (see this for Opie’s … Continue reading →
Getting gloomy about the dismal science
How did all these brilliant economic minds, and our dedicated public servants in Congress and the White House, fail to foresee and prevent the current fiscal crisis? My take on the matter is not the opinion of an expert; au … Continue reading →
The AIG bailout
The Feds decided that sometimes there can be too much tough love, and so a creative loan was cobbled together for failing AIG. Even most fiscal conservatives seem to think AIG was too big to let sink; it could have … Continue reading →
That reformist Democratic Congress
Love that Pelosi. Rangel’s woes? Nothing much to see there; moving right along. ‘ Democrat involvement in the long and complex build-up to the current subprime mortgage crisis? Nah; it’s all the Republicans’ fault, according to Pelosi. Forget history, forget … Continue reading →
Playing the blame game in the Wall Street crisis
The current financial crisis proves the maxim that there’s no free lunch—or rather, there may seem to be a free lunch, but the bill is merely deferred, and ultimately it comes due with interest. How is it that all these … Continue reading →
It’s the economy again, stupids
I’ve said several times that economics is one of my weakest areas. But there are a few things I do know about the current crisis, and here are three of them: there’s a lot of greed out there, loans were … Continue reading →
RIP Milton Friedman
It seems as though it must have been an awfully good life: a long one filled with accomplishments, a happy marriage, and countless friends. Milton Friedman, who died today, was the economist nearly everyone’s heard of, the architect of libertarian … Continue reading →
Economic illiteracy
Even though I was a good student, economics was my nemesis. I passed it, but it was a slow slogging grind, and it didn’t quite stick. And, although I’ve made an effort to learn more about economics since then, every … Continue reading →
The health care is always greener on the other side
This review of the book Miracle Cure, appearing in Commentary, reminded me of something I’ve long thought: that the Canadian health care system isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. I used to be active on a forum that dealt … Continue reading →