Monthly Archives: September 2010

Short answer: No Howard Gleckman of the Tax Policy Center posted this analysis of how one might balance the budget by 2020, given the permanent extension of Bush’s tax cuts.  This is to be accomplished by making vague spending cuts … Continue reading →

I couldn’t resist using the original title — David Cay Johnston of Tax.com has done a thorough and scathing analysis of the results of Bush 43’s two tax cuts.  His conclusions — “The tax cuts did not spur investment. Job … Continue reading →

A few days ago, Allen Edwards posted on Facebook this thought-provoking comment: “If you took $10,000 to invest 50 years ago, and followed the pattern of investing in the S&P 500 during GOP presidencies, and at 5% in bonds & … Continue reading →

Here is a chart (via Krugman) compiled yearly of what business people consider their biggest problem.  Note that since 2009 sales is the largest problem by a significant margin.  This is why they aren’t hiring — not uncertainty.

More evidence that Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac were not drivers of the housing bubble.  Here is a graph from the conservator’s report: It says that Fannie and Freddie were, for the most part, on the sidelines during the peak … Continue reading →

Earlier this year, Rep. Paul Ryan (R) presented a fiscal roadmap for Republicans that he claimed would cut the deficit in half by 2020.  At his request,  the CBO analyzed a version of the  plan and agreed that the version … Continue reading →

The Great Depression gave the Nazi Party the opportunity to take power in Germany. Now, extremist groups are once again trying to use an economic crisis as a means to take power. Are we going to forget history’s lessons and … Continue reading →

From Bruce Bartlett in the Fiscal  Times: http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Issues/Taxes/2010/09/17/Bush-Tax-Cuts-No-Economic-Help.aspx “The truth is that there is virtually no evidence in support of the Bush tax cuts as an economic elixir. To the extent that they had any positive effect on growth, it … Continue reading →