24 | January | 2013

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Why the GOP can’t be an urban myth

James Pethokoukis | January 24, 2013, 4:30 pm

As New Jersey Governor Chris Christie knows firsthand, it’s hard to be a saint in the city if you’re a Republican. Urban areas and states with a high population density tend to be liberal and Democratic. New Jersey, the state … read more >

Carpe Diem

US housing market now 52% of the way back to normal

Mark J. Perry | January 24, 2013, 3:22 pm

An update yesterday from Trulia on the progress to date for the US housing recovery: Each month, Trulia’s Housing Barometer charts how quickly the housing market is moving back to “normal.” We summarize three key housing market indicators: construction starts (Census), … read more >

Image Credit: republicanconference (Flickr) (CC BY-NC 2.0)

Economics, Pethokoukis, Taxes and Spending

Some House GOPers want to scrap the US tax code by 2017. Is that a good idea?

James Pethokoukis | January 24, 2013, 2:37 pm

I am generally skeptical of policy ideas predicated upon “scrapping” some existing system — particularly if it’s been around for awhile and is deeply enmeshed in people’s lives. But some House GOPers want to take the wrecking ball to the US … read more >

Economics, Pethokoukis

Deconstructing the myth of middle-class stagnation

James Pethokoukis | January 24, 2013, 1:37 pm

Don Boudreaux and Mark Perry make several great points in arguing against the theory of multi-decade “middle-class stagnation” in the US: 1. The consumer price index overstates inflation and thus understates wage growth. 2. The focus on wages ignores the … read more >

Carpe Diem

Thursday afternoon links

Mark J. Perry | January 24, 2013, 12:15 pm

1. How Investors Can Join the 3-D Printing Revolution – there are three publicly traded 3-D technology companies – 3D Systems (DDD), Stratasys (SSYS) and Proto Labs (PRLB), and all are trading at record highs. (HT: Strider Elass) 2. Eagle … read more >

Economics, Pethokoukis

Paul Ryan is making the wrong argument about investment taxes

James Pethokoukis | January 24, 2013, 11:56 am

One of the worst aspects of the recent Obama tax hike was its treatment of investment income, raising capital gains and dividend tax rates by 60% (when you include the PPACA 3.8% surtax). The tax increase a) worsened further the … read more >

Society and Culture, Education

A game of ‘Good Test, Bad Test’

Michael McShane | January 24, 2013, 11:22 am

Teachers in Seattle are refusing to participate in a set of assessments designed to measure student growth over the course of a school year. The MAP, or Measures of Academic Progress, is used by the Seattle public schools as a … read more >

Foreign and Defense Policy, Defense

The case for the F-35

Phillip Lohaus | January 24, 2013, 10:57 am

Today, Tom Donnelly and I published Mass and Supremacy, which makes the comprehensive case for the F-35. In the paper, we present a series of arguments for increased and sustained funding for the F-35 “Lightning II” Joint Strike Fighter. We … read more >

Carpe Diem

More evidence of a US housing and construction recovery

Mark J. Perry | January 24, 2013, 8:52 am

More positive reports this week on commercial real estate construction from the American Institute of Architects and firming/rising residential home prices from FHFA. 1. The American Institute of Architects reported this week that: Business conditions at architecture firms continue to … read more >

Carpe Diem, Economics

The myth of America’s stagnating middle class

Mark J. Perry | January 24, 2013, 7:51 am

In today’s WSJ, Don Boudreaux and I address the myth that America’s middle class has stagnated in recent decades, here’s an excerpt: No single measure of well-being is more informative or important than life expectancy. Happily, an American born today can expect to … read more >

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