Outside the Beltway

Derek Thompson argues that “the real reason Americans fell so squeezed” is our obsession with productivity.

Did World War II teach us anything about spending-as-stimulus? Not really.

Thank goodness, the July PCE numbers look pretty good compared to recent months. Lets hope it is something that will continue.

How would a Democrat-equivalent of Rick Perry be received?

Repeating the “destruction creates wealth” fallacy every time there’s a natural disaster doesn’t make it any less of a fallacy.

Updates to the Gross Domestic Product numbers for quarter two aren’t good, but they could have been worse. Still, the risk of recession is considerable.

Ben Bernanke didn’t offer many clues in his speech today, but one wonders if he really has any tricks left up his sleeve.

My latest for The National Interest is posted under the somewhat misleading headline “NATO Fails in Libya.”

Either a bunch of bloggers or one of the world’s smartest economists doesn’t understand economics.

Jon Huntsman is not going to be the Republican nominee in 2012, but he seems ready to carve out a niche for himself.

The signs are not good.

Not only is the US outspending all our allies and competitors combined in real dollars on defense, we’re doing so in terms of GDP as well.

Social Security is like a Ponzi scheme in one way but not in other, more important ones.

While it’s hard to argue with S&P’s political analysis, its economic judgment is a head-scratcher.

So, it happened………

Don’t worry be happy!

Following on Doug’s cheery post about the weak state of the economy here are some more things to consider.

Another round of economic statistics raises questions about the health of the economy.

And you thought the bad economic news was over.

Another government program isn’t going to bring health care costs under control.

Economic figures released today demonstrate clearly why the irresponsible talk surrounding the debt ceiling must end.

Even if we adopt the “Cut, Cap and Balance” plan, tax hikes are a necessity.

One of the GOP’s staunchest media allies isn’t too impressed with their Balanced Budget Amendment.

Moody’s is on the right track. The current debt ceiling law has done more harm than good.

Let’s look at the actual proposal.

It isn’t just President Obama who should be worried about the economy next year.

Yes, China’s GDP growth has been impressive for some time now, but it is not the sole way to understand development.

I’m continually shocked when demonstrably bright and accomplished people fall in love with authoritarian states.

The White House would really appreciate it if you didn’t pay attention to all that bad economic news.

House and Senate Republicans are pushing a Balanced Budget Amendment. It sounds like a good idea, but it isn’t.

More slow economic growth, the L-shaped recession.

We might be looking at a potential fiscal crisis.

Tim Pawlenty’s new fiscal plan isn’t very grounded in reality.

To the shock of no one, Mitt Romney announced his bid for the GOP presidential nomination today.

Despite what appear to be the fond hope of European central bankers that it will just all go away, something needs to be done. But what?

And even more bad news.

All in all, not looking like it will be a fun summer.

Will days of strong economic growth ever return? And what happens if they don’t?

Obama’s main politics are hardly as leftist as many make them out to be. Indeed, much of them could have fit well in the the GOP of 1990s and early 2000s.