Banking's Past, Present, and Future
Writing in Friday’s Wall Street Journal, Stanford professor Edward Lazear argues that the real danger to the American worker is too much government–in other words: too many taxes and too much spending. Prof. Lazear writes: During the debt-ceiling debate, President Obama characterized his push for higher taxes and less aggressive budget cuts as being helpful … Read more
Writing in today’s Wall Street Journal, John Taylor argues that “…the best way to understand the problems confronting the American economy is to go back to the basic principles upon which the country was founded—economic freedom and political freedom.” Taylor’s argument is based on assertion, rather than fact. For example, he is a little vague … Read more
Writing in today’s Wall Street Journal, Stanford economist Michael Boskin warns that the specter of “growth-destroying confiscatory” tax rates looms if the Obama Administration has its way. Be afraid. Be very afraid. Or maybe not. The Administration’s proposed changes to the tax code are neither as dramatic not as alarming as Boskin presents. During the … Read more
Writing in today’s Wall Street Journal today, Senators Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Jim DeMint (R-SC) tout their support (along with their 45 Republican Senate colleagues) for a balanced budget amendment to the constitution. This is a bad idea for three reasons. First, it is bad economic policy. Second, if passed, it would likely make the … Read more
Writing in today’s Financial Times, Glenn Hubbard argues–correctly–that the debate over the debt ceiling in Washington is misplaced. Rather than focus on the debt ceiling, he suggests that Congress and the Administration ought to consider the deficit. Or, as he puts it: “My wife and I don’t vote on whether we will pay our bills. … Read more
Speaking to the Economic Club of New York House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) said: It’s true that allowing America to default would be irresponsible. But it would be more irresponsible to raise the debt limit without simultaneously taking dramatic steps to reduce spending and to reform the budget process. Wrong. Defaulting would be irresponsible. It … Read more
Two high profile bipartisan budget commissions have been working on plans to return the US to fiscal balance. One, under the auspices of the Bipartisan Policy Center (a non-profit group), is chaired by former Senate Budget Committee Chairman Pete Domenici (R-NM) and former Clinton White House Budget Director (and former Federal Reserve Vice Chairman) Alice … Read more