30 | July | 2012

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Creative destruction: acoustic pianos, r.i.p.

Mark J. Perry | July 30, 2012, 5:30 pm

From yesterday’s NY Times, comes an excellent story about the economic concept of “creative destruction,” which has been described as the “accumulation and annihilation of wealth under capitalism.” In this example, it’s the acoustic piano that is literally being annihilated … read more >

Politics and Public Opinion, Elections

Bringing in the Big Dog: Clinton to give keynote address at Democratic convention

Henrik Temp | July 30, 2012, 4:22 pm

Team Obama is taking a calculated risk by tapping him for the role, but it’s one that is likely to pay off. read more >

Pethokoukis

Obama’s overly optimistic economic forecasts

James Pethokoukis | July 30, 2012, 4:20 pm

How much confidence should Americans have in the latest economic forecasts from the Obama White House? In its latest update, Obama’s Office of Management and Budget slashed its GDP forecast for 2012, to 2.3% from 2.7%, and for 2013, to … read more >

Carpe Diem

Obama opposes raising minimum wage in American Samoa due to its harmful effects, will he do the same for the U.S.?

Mark J. Perry | July 30, 2012, 3:57 pm

Both of these events took place last Thursday: 1. PAGO PAGO, American Samoa — “President Obama has signed into law legislation to freeze American Samoa’s minimum wage until 2015. The president signed the bill Thursday, which delays a 50-cent increase … read more >

Pethokoukis

7 arguments against Obama’s auto bailouts

James Pethokoukis | July 30, 2012, 3:00 pm

President Obama has made the auto bailouts a big part of his reelection argument. In a recent piece in The American, Steve Conover takes the other side of the trade: 1. The choice in 2008-2009 was not bankruptcy versus no … read more >

Carpe Diem

Chicago Fed: Midwest manufacturing grew 11% over the last year through June, vs. 5.6% for the U.S., and 2.2% for GDP

Mark J. Perry | July 30, 2012, 2:44 pm

The Chicago Federal Reserve reported today that its Midwest Manufacturing Index increased 1.1% in June compared to May, reversing most of the revised 1.4% monthly decline in May. On an annual basis, regional manufacturing activity in the 7th Federal Reserve … read more >

Foreign and Defense Policy, Terrorism

Mission not accomplished yet in south Yemen

Katherine Zimmerman | July 30, 2012, 2:20 pm

Last week, Ansar al Sharia militants, insurgent fighters for al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), resumed attacking pro-government positions in an area recently recaptured by Yemen’s military. This attack may prove Ansar al Sharia’s staying power in the region … read more >

Politics and Public Opinion, The Presidency

Will America vote with its heart or its head?

Henrik Temp | July 30, 2012, 1:55 pm

In politics, emotion generally trumps reason, and the candidate with better likability has won each of the past five presidential elections. But most elections aren’t held in a time of crisis and economic stagnation as severe as our own. read more >

Foreign and Defense Policy, Latin America

Drug war fatigue?

Roger Noriega | July 30, 2012, 11:37 am

A provocative article in the Sunday New York Times (South America Sees Drug Path to Legalization, July 29, 2012) casts light on a growing debate in the region about the decriminalization – indeed, legalization – of illicit drugs such as marijuana … read more >

Politics and Public Opinion, Polls

Shining city on a hill?

Karlyn Bowman | July 30, 2012, 10:12 am

When Fox News asked voters whether the United States is still a “‘shining city on a hill,’ meaning a country that all others want to be like,” 45 percent of respondents said it is and 50 percent said it is … read more >