Archive for February, 2011
February 27, 2011
Diluting the Tea Party: The Importance of Supping With a Long Spoon
Elections happen very quickly when they come, but they are not won, or indeed lost, simply in the moment of voting. Winning and losing elections is the business of the space between elections. We are in such a space now; and if we are not careful, the business we are now in will prove to […] read more »
February 13, 2011
Obama and Housing – Is Anybody Home?
You may not know it, if you watch only Washington beltway politics, but we are currently in the midst of a housing crisis of monumental proportions. read more »
February 4, 2011
Appendix 2: The Economics in Play
(Appendix outline) A faith in efficient markets The fallibility of efficient markets Keynes’ second coming (Extract) …one thing at least is certain in this age of uncertainty. It is that this debate between schools of economists will inevitably go on. One side will go on telling us (indeed they now do so daily in the […] read more »
February 4, 2011
Appendix 1: The Causes of the Meltdown: An Update on the Debate
(Appendix outline) THE REVAMPED CONSERVATIVE ARGUMENT A LIBERAL RESPONSE Housing Policy: Pattern and Role Fannie, Freddie and Ginnie – The role of the GSE’s Regulation or De-regulation: Which was it? Guilty Finance A FINAL NOTE ON LEVELS OF ANALYSIS (Extract) As we saw in Chapter 6, quite where you break off your explanation of the […] read more »
February 4, 2011
Conclusion
(Chapter outline) THE SCALE OF THE TASK BEFORE US Mighty Finance The Lightness of Labor Deindustrialization and the Weakness of Industrial Capital WHAT THAT SCALE TELLS US No Going Back External Constraints Internal Reform GETTING FROM HERE TO THERE Housing Banking Poverty Wages Trade Industry Empire THE POLITICS OF WINNING (Extract) There are other things […] read more »
February 4, 2011
Making the Case for a Reform of the American Model
(Chapter outline) THE CASE FOR AMERICAN SUPERIORITY American exceptionalism Economic Superiority The Home of the Brave and the Land of the Free A Beacon for the World Corrosive Forces THE CASE FOR RETHINKING THE AMERICAN MODEL Revisiting the claims about US “exceptionalism” Cherry picking your way to glory. Writing labor out of the US story […] read more »
February 4, 2011
Making the Case for a Green Economy
(Chapter outline) GREEN POLITICS AND THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION THE CASE AGAINST GOING GREEN Global Warming as a Manufactured Issue Global Warming as an Exaggerated Issue Global Warming as a Hyped Issue Global Warming as an Excuse for Bad Policy Market Solutions to Global Warming THE CASE FOR GOING GREEN Climate Change is No Hoax “Seven […] read more »
February 4, 2011
Making the Case for Managed Trade
(Chapter Outline) THE CASE FOR GLOBAL FREE TRADE Exploiting comparative advantage The many benefits of untrammeled free trade Any costs associated with of free trade are temporary, slight and focused, whilst its benefits are permanent, substantial and general Free trade is unambiguously good for America Free Trade is good for the “South” as well as […] read more »
February 4, 2011
Making the Case for Regulated Markets
(Chapter outline) THE CASE FOR UNREGULATED MARKETS Capitalist markets are the great drivers of human progress Unregulated markets are optimal allocators of resources Unregulated markets guarantee freedom in ways that even democratic politics cannot Markets and morality go together The regulation of markets by governments necessarily impairs their performance Free markets are the American way: […] read more »
February 4, 2011
The Financial Meltdown and the Obama Response
(Chapter outline) THE FINANCIAL MELTDOWN DOCUMENTING THE OBAMA RESPONSE Moving to alleviate the housing crisis Recapitalizing and regulating financial institutions Stimulating the economy, searching for jobs Working with America’s global partners to reactivate global economic growth EVALUATING THE OBAMA PERFORMANCE Disappointing Results Housing Banking Employment and the Recession Conservative Condemnation Housing Banking Employment and the […] read more »
