February | 2012 | AEIdeas

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Forget the Laffer Curve. Meet the Krugman Curve

James Pethokoukis | February 29, 2012, 12:34 pm

It’s just common sense, really. There are two tax rates that generate zero tax revenue, 0 percent and 100 percent. And in between, there is some tax rate which generates a maximum, non-zero amount of tax revenue. As tax rates … read more >

Foreign and Defense Policy, Europe and Russia

Was Moscow’s Syria veto good strategy?

Daniel Vajdic | February 29, 2012, 10:12 am

A recent Moscow Times op-ed tries to explain Russia’s obstinate defense of the Assad regime in Syria. According to Peter Rutland of Wesleyan University and Nadiya Kravets of the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute, the Kremlin’s objectives extend beyond the “narrow … read more >

Politics and Public Opinion

Highlights from the Arizona and Michigan exit polls

Karlyn Bowman and Andrew Rugg | February 29, 2012, 10:05 am

Arizona In Arizona, Hispanics were 8 percent of the electorate. Thirty-eight percent voted for Romney, 23 percent for Santorum, and 20 percent for Gingrich. The top issue in the poll was the economy (49 percent), followed by the budget deficit … read more >

Economics

Is Obama serious about privatizing the housing market?

Peter J. Wallison | February 29, 2012, 10:04 am

Despite publishing a series of options for housing finance reform over a year ago, the Obama administration has done nothing to follow up. In early February, however, in a report to the Financial Stability Oversight Council, Treasury Secretary Geithner promised … read more >

Politics and Public Opinion

The Romney juggernaut rolls on

James Pethokoukis | February 29, 2012, 10:01 am

OK, maybe that is overstating things just a smidgen. But a win is a win, and two wins are even better for Mitt Romney. He entered Tuesday as the Republican frontrunner and he exited just the same. Romney has an … read more >

Carpe Diem

South Carolina is No. 1 State for Auto Exports

Mark J. Perry | February 29, 2012, 3:52 am

Following up on this recent CD post about BMW exporting 70% of its U.S.-made vehicles at its South Carolina plant, comes this report: “South Carolina reclaimed its lead as the No. 1 exporter of vehicles in 2011, outranking Michigan, … read more >

Carpe Diem

Markets in Everything: 41 Megapixel Camera

Mark J. Perry | February 29, 2012, 3:35 am

In a smartphone….. “At this week’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Nokia announced the 808 PureView, a smartphone with an astounding 41-megapixel image sensor. The Nokia 808 will be the first smartphone by Nokia to include its new PureView imaging … read more >

Carpe Diem

Housing Bubble? Not in Oil-Rich North Dakota

Mark J. Perry | February 29, 2012, 3:23 am

According to quarterly house price indexes from the FHFA, national home prices in the last quarter of 2011 increased slightly from the previous quarter, but ended the year at the same index level as the fourth quarter of 2004, seven … read more >

Carpe Diem

Bank Profits and Average ROA Highest Since 2006

Mark J. Perry | February 28, 2012, 6:52 pm

From today’s Quarterly Banking Profile from the FDIC: “For all of 2011, bank net income totaled $119.5 billion, an increase of $34 billion (39.8%) from 2010 earnings. This is the highest annual net income total since the industry earned $145.2 … read more >

Carpe Diem

Richmond, Dallas Fed Report Manufacturing Gains

Mark J. Perry | February 28, 2012, 3:31 pm

RICHMOND FED — “Manufacturing activity in the central Atlantic region advanced for the third straight month, according to the Richmond Fed’s latest survey. Our broadest indicators of overall activity—shipments, new orders and employment—remained in positive territory, and the rate of … read more >

Lean In… to Government?
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The Perpetual Passion for Paper
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Could California Make a Comeback?
An unexpected glimmer of hope might cast a new light on the Golden State. […]