25 | June | 2012

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

One interesting data point from today’s Census report on new home sales is the very low inventory level of homes for sale: there is currently only a 4.72 months’ supply of new homes for sale at the current sales pace, … read more >

Pethokoukis

Graphic of the Day: The economic catastrophe of a euro breakup

James Pethokoukis | June 25, 2012, 4:00 pm

Well, this wouldn’t be good at all (via Der Spiegel):

Economics, International economy, Pethokoukis

Citigroup says austerity is working, no such thing as a ‘Keynesian Laffer Curve’

James Pethokoukis | June 25, 2012, 3:25 pm

A fascinating analysis by Citigroup Chief Economist Willem Buiter in a just-released note. Buiter says, “The growth vs. austerity debate is a logical nonsense: the former is an outcome rather than a policy.” Here’s why: 1. To get growth, government … read more >

Economics, Free Enterprise, Pethokoukis, U.S. Economy

Has there been an explosion in U.S. inequality? No

James Pethokoukis | June 25, 2012, 2:18 pm

Should the U.S. economy be growing faster? Yes. But that won’t happen if we raise taxes, increase regulation, and expand government as a way of dealing with an economic myth. read more >

Economics, Energy and the Environment

California’s energy future

Kenneth P. Green | June 25, 2012, 2:17 pm

AEI recently published a somewhat technical, but still very interesting paper on some of the energy policy choices facing California. read more >

Carpe Diem

J2LYK: There’s a texting/SMS language revolution underway

Mark J. Perry | June 25, 2012, 2:05 pm

Back in 2009, a CD post featured Charles Platt, former senior writer for Wired Magazine, who got hired at an Arizona Wal-Mart and then blogged and wrote about his experience. Today he sends along this provocative guest post for CD: … read more >

Politics and Public Opinion, Polls

50-50 Nation: Only 12% of registered voters could change their minds before Election Day

Henrik Temp | June 25, 2012, 2:05 pm

When almost 90% of the electorate has already settled on their decision five months before the election, you almost wonder what the point of even having a campaign is. read more >

Carpe Diem

Law school grads face a brutal job market

Mark J. Perry | June 25, 2012, 1:57 pm

From Monday’s WSJ: “Members of the law-school class of 2011 had little better than a 50-50 shot of landing a job as a lawyer within nine months of receiving a degree, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of new … read more >

Carpe Diem

Yale study finds that consumer benefits from shale gas exceed $100 billion

Mark J. Perry | June 25, 2012, 1:43 pm

It’s been well-documented now that falling prices for natural gas (see chart above) and the resulting drop in utility rates have saved consumers billions of dollars (see CD posts here and here). A new study by researchers at Yale University, … read more >

Society and Culture, Education

Increased Pell grants treat the symptom, not the disease

Michael McShane | June 25, 2012, 1:11 pm

The fact that low income students are failing to attend college is a symptom of a problem, not a problem in and of itself. read more >

Hindsight Isn’t 20/20
Many lessons should be drawn from the U.S. experience in Iraq. Unfortunately, we’re not learning what we should. […]
The Uses of Scandal
One of the greatest uses of scandal is to vividly demonstrate what new laws are needed and to create the political conditions to get them enacted. […]
Lean In… to Government?
Sheryl Sandberg's runaway best-selling book Lean In has managed to offend both the Left and the Right. Sandberg touts female hard-headedness, yet also calls for an elaborate government- and employer-supplied support system for women. […]
Are American Voters Racist?
Racial prejudice plays a very small role in American politics, but a highly disciplined sense of self-interest on the part of one group may play a very large role in the way the federal government functions. […]