11 | February | 2013

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Global economic growth is expected to accelerate

Mark J. Perry | February 11, 2013, 4:24 pm

The chart above displays annual world GDP growth rates (adjusted for inflation) from 1980 to 2012 (actual) and 2013 to 2017 (projected), using data from the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) World Economic Outlook Database. According to its most recent “World Economic Outlook” (released January 23), the IMF is … read more >

Records from John Bolton's UN ambassador confirmation hearings kept stored at AEI. If stacked on top of one another, they would reach well above 5 feet.

Foreign and Defense Policy, Defense

The unprecedented and Chuck Hagel

Danielle Pletka | February 11, 2013, 2:13 pm

The Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee is poised to force a committee vote on Chuck Hagel to be Secretary of Defense tomorrow despite outstanding questions from Republican members regarding Hagel’s finances, speeches, receipt of foreign payments. Chairman Levin … read more >

Society and Culture, Education

What does the State of the Union hold for education?

Michael McShane | February 11, 2013, 1:51 pm

If past is prologue, President Obama’s previous State of the Union addresses can tell us something about what he will relay to Congress and the American people tomorrow night. All four addresses have featured a few words on education. So … read more >

Pethokoukis

If Obama thinks the job of debt reduction is nearly done, he should look at this chart

James Pethokoukis | February 11, 2013, 1:42 pm

The WaPo’s Lori Montgomery in a piece headlined: “Obama: Job of debt reduction nearly done”: One thing you won’t hear when President Obama delivers his State of the Union address Tuesday: An ambitious new plan to rein in the debt. … read more >

Image Credit: Official U.S. Navy Imagery (Flickr) (CC BY 2.0)

Foreign and Defense Policy, Defense

What just happened?

Tom Donnelly | February 11, 2013, 12:41 pm

The announcement from the Defense Department that “budgetary uncertainty” would delay the deployment of the carrier USS Truman and the destroyer USS Gettysburg to the Middle East seems to have woken Washington (if not Wall Street) at last to the realization … read more >

Pethokoukis, Economics, Taxes and Spending

Spending at 18% of GDP? Is the GOP’s Balanced Budget Amendment realistic?

James Pethokoukis | February 11, 2013, 12:41 pm

National Review’s Robert Costa says a Republican BBA is on its way: Frustrated by the months of non-stop budget fights, Senate Republicans are set to mount a fiscal counteroffensive this week with the reintroduction of a balanced-budget amendment. … Senate minority … read more >

Economics, U.S. Economy

The facts on the National Association of Realtors (NAR)

Edward Pinto | February 11, 2013, 11:47 am

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) exists to preserve the free enterprise system and protect home ownership in America for today and tomorrow. Is this fact or fable? For 90 years the NAR (and its predecessor organization) has supported expanding … read more >

Economics, Pethokoukis

The Cosmo Castorini Theory of Fiscal Analysis — and why that CBO budget forecast is probably a best-case scenario

James Pethokoukis | February 11, 2013, 11:43 am

The new Congressional Budget Office forecast has the US debt-GDP level more or less stabilizing in the 70% to 80% range over the next decade. But that macro forecast is composed of many microforecasts, outlined below (via the Tax Policy … read more >

Economics, Pethokoukis

Balancing the federal budget in 10 years: More gimmick than good policy

James Pethokoukis | February 11, 2013, 10:55 am

The congressional Republican goal of balancing the budget in 10 years seems a solution in search of a problem. Proponents seem more focused on the politics and optics of the idea than the economics. The 10-year goal supposedly provides a) … read more >

Carpe Diem

Monday morning links

Mark J. Perry | February 11, 2013, 10:49 am

1. VIDEO: Milton Friedman on Political Labels and Why He’s Not a Conservative. 2. Markets in Everything: Incredible machine that lays out a carpet of bricks removing back-breaking hard work (see video). 3. The Armed Citizen: It’s Been a Bad … read more >

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. […]
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. […]