05 | December | 2012

Sunday, May 19, 2013

According to government forecast, abundant and reliable fossil fuels will supply 80% of U.S. energy demand in 2040

Mark J. Perry | December 5, 2012, 8:04 pm

The Department of Energy released it Annual Energy Outlook today for 2013, with updated estimates of U.S. energy consumption by fuel source out to the year 2040 in Table A1 of the report (data here) . Based on the government … read more >

Economics, Pethokoukis

Can Marco Rubio be converted to market monetarism?

James Pethokoukis | December 5, 2012, 4:15 pm

At the Jack Kemp dinner last night, Marco Rubio touched briefly on monetary policy: Sound monetary policy would also encourage middle class job creation. The arbitrary way in which interest rates and our currency are treated is yet another cause … read more >

Pethokoukis

Innovation or finance — what’s the biggest drag on U.S. growth?

James Pethokoukis | December 5, 2012, 3:25 pm

Is the problem with the U.S. economy the aftermath of the Financial Crisis, the Ken Rogoff argument, or an ongoing innovation crisis, the Peter Thiel-Tyler Cowen-Robert Gordon argument. Rogoff, not surprisingly, talk his own book in a new column: With … read more >

President Obama signing the Affordable Care Act into law

Economics, Pethokoukis

The Democratic endgame is here

James Pethokoukis | December 5, 2012, 3:06 pm

Yuval Levin deftly describes Democratic and Republican policy goals. For the Ds, he says, it’s to preserve, protect, and defend the Obamacare-expanded welfare state — oh, and finance it, too: With Obamacare enacted, they are basically done building. They might … read more >

Economics, Taxes and Spending

Sometimes it’s good if people aren’t paying attention

Andrew Biggs | December 5, 2012, 3:05 pm

Automatic participation in retirement savings accounts does seem to increase saving, precisely because it affects people who aren’t quite as rational. read more >

Image Credit: Edalisse Hirst (Flickr) (CC BY 2.0)

Politics and Public Opinion, Elections

How Team Obama won, according to the former national deputy director of OFA

Henrik Temp | December 5, 2012, 1:48 pm

While Team Obama’s objectives weren’t particularly revolutionary—get the most votes!—their tactics certainly were. read more >

Pethokoukis, Politics and Public Opinion

Actually, it was the economy that got Obama reelected

James Pethokoukis | December 5, 2012, 10:39 am

Yes, the recovery has been horrible. But it seems that the U.S. economy was just good enough to get President Obama a second term. As AEI’s Kevin Hassett notes over at National Review: Models that predict elections using only economic … read more >

Image Credit: Kevin Dooley (Flickr) (CC BY 2.0)

Pethokoukis

How could Washington avoid a debt ceiling default? Mint a few trillion dollar platinum coins. Seriously

James Pethokoukis | December 5, 2012, 10:04 am

While raising the US debt ceiling has not gotten as much attention — yet — as the risk of falling off the fiscal cliff, it soon will. The limit will likely be hit by year end. And if Congress fails … read more >

255

Photo Credit: Pete Souza, White House Flickr Feed

Economics, Pethokoukis

Again, raising taxes on capital gains and dividends is a truly horrible idea

James Pethokoukis | December 5, 2012, 9:03 am

Set aside the relative performance of the current US economic recovery versus, say, past US recoveries or what’s happening presently in Europe. Instead, let’s focus on absolute performance. Right now the US economy is growing too slowly to generate many … read more >

Carpe Diem

The insourcing boom is bringing manufacturing back to the US

Mark J. Perry | December 5, 2012, 8:50 am

In an article in the December issue of The Atlantic titled “The Insourcing Boom,” Charles Fishman explores “the startling, sustainable, just-getting-started return of industry to the United States.” Much of the article features GE’s recent insourcing: “After years of offshore … read more >

226

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. […]
The Perpetual Passion for Paper
Paper is becoming less important in some respects, but its strengths — prestige, utility, permanence, and security — are more essential than ever. […]
Could California Make a Comeback?
An unexpected glimmer of hope might cast a new light on the Golden State. […]