Economics

What if Federal Income Tax Rates Were Higher at High Income Levels?

December 6, 2011 Economics

The Tax Policy Center, a joint effort of the Urban Institute and the Brookings Institution dispenses with the question of how much how much tax revenue is generated at higher levels of tax rates. It also undermines some of the supply-side scripture that high marginal tax rates are counterproductive. The evidence here suggests that the […]

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The Rich Get Richer … Connecting the Economic, Political & Social Dots

November 8, 2011 Economics

Inequality is both effect and cause. Inequality of income and resources is indeed a significant, even profound social, political and economic problem. But this did not just happen suddenly and, by itself, it’s not enough to explain the current unrest. That’s more because a large proportion of the public has come to the conclusion (rightly, […]

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Numbers News

September 29, 2011 Cities

Just for a taste. Though most of the taste is bitter Roubini says the economy has started a downturn.spending less on entertainment and charity. Guess we can’t count on charity to help those who are struggling in a down eocnomy. Fifth consecutive year that US cities suffer a revenue decline. Original study was done of […]

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We slide toward talking about economics – and economic slides

July 11, 2011 Economics

The current economic distress in the US and in the EU have common threads both financially and politically. Certainly the public reactions do. In particular, both involve protecting lenders to a much greater degree than borrowers and much more than the public, which in various ways pays to protect the lenders. They also both involve […]

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Use ALL the Damn Data

March 30, 2011 Economics

Follow the trail here. It’s only barely polite, if that. But the issues are important. The issues are what should our economic policy be and the honesty in data analysis. John Taylor is a professor of Economics at Stanford. In mid-January, he posted an analysis, Higher Investment Best Way to Reduce Unemployment, Recent Experience Shows […]

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Peanut, Peanut Butter

March 21, 2011 Economics

Too much of economics is pure theory with no data. Take a look at James Hamilton’s commentary at Econobrowser on a paper by Chevalier and Kashyap. The authors actually used grocery store price data. What variability is hidden behind national economic data?

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