27 | June | 2012

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

I’ve written several posts about the Washington Post’s vaporous story accusing Mitt Romney and Bain Capital of being “pioneers” in shipping jobs overseas. Team Romney wanted the newspaper to retract the story. The WaPo has now refused, despite the campaign … read more >

Pethokoukis

Whoa! Did Peter Orszag just endorse Paul Ryan’s Medicare reform plan?

James Pethokoukis | June 27, 2012, 3:50 pm

A remarkable statement from former Obama White House budget boss Peter Orszag in an interview with Bloomberg television: I think what we should be doing is a version of Domenici-Rivlin. … The thing that’s interesting about that is it has … read more >

Carpe Diem

Real Estate Recovery Watch

Mark J. Perry | June 27, 2012, 2:28 pm

1. “Pending home sales bounced back in May, matching the highest level in the past two years, and are well above year-ago levels, according to the National Association of Realtors. Both monthly and annual gains were seen in every region. … read more >

Economics, Health Care

Banter #62: America’s health care economy

Stuart James | June 27, 2012, 1:37 pm

As we await the Supreme Court Ruling on the Affordable Care Act, AEI adjunct scholar Dr. Christopher Conover sits down with us to discuss his new book, The American Health Economy Illustrated. read more >

Carpe Diem

N. Dakota Leads the Country in Q1 Income Growth

Mark J. Perry | June 27, 2012, 12:56 pm

From the BEA today: “State personal income growth accelerated to 0.8% in the first quarter of 2012, from 0.4% percent in the fourth quarter of 2011. Personal income rose in 47 of the 50 states, fell in Kansas and Mississippi, … read more >

Pethokoukis

‘Some useful definitions to understand our modern progressive world’

James Pethokoukis | June 27, 2012, 12:49 pm

Hedge fund manager Cliff Asness does his best to explain how progressives see the world (via Zero Hedge): Social Darwinism Definition: Essentially a darling concept of the progressive left of the first half of the 20th century (along with eugenics … read more >

Pethokoukis

Why are liberal economists suddenly pretending the Laffer Curve does not exist?

James Pethokoukis | June 27, 2012, 12:08 pm

OK, so there’s this new survey of “leading economists” conducted by the University of Chicago’s business school. And here are the two big results. – First, 43% of respondents think a “cut in federal income tax rates in the US … read more >

Barack Obama toasts with Julia Gillard of Australia

Politics and Public Opinion, Elections

Moody’s Analytics: Obama 303, Romney 235

Henrik Temp | June 27, 2012, 11:23 am

Moody’s Analytics is out with its June electoral forecast, and the sister company to the credit-rating agency still thinks President Barack Obama is a good bet to beat Republican nominee Mitt Romney in November’s election.
read more >

Foreign and Defense Policy, Middle East and North Africa

Iran’s latest anti-Semitic rant

Marc Thiessen | June 27, 2012, 10:39 am

Did you know that the Jews are secretly responsible for the international drug trade? The amazing Zionist culpability in the spread of illegal drugs around the world was revealed at a UN conference by Iranian first Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi in Tehran the other day. read more >

Pethokoukis

Superstar economist Justin Wolfers says economists don’t believe in the Laffer Curve. He’s dead wrong

James Pethokoukis | June 27, 2012, 10:37 am

I was stunned to learn this morning that leading economists flat-out don’t believe in the Laffer Curve. I mean, economic historian and liberal favorite Bruce Bartlett calls the Laffer Curve “a generally accepted analytical device … [that is] a widely … read more >