Economics & Political Systems

Short-Lived Euphoria in Europe

Thursday, Oct. 27, 2011, was a giddy day for European politicians and global investors. European Union officials announced a plan for addressing the EU’s worst financial problems. There would be a partial write-down of Greek sovereign debt—a 50 percent haircut … Continue reading

We’ve Been ZIRPed

It isn’t easy to earn interest income these days. Interest rates on government T-bills, banks’ savings accounts, and certificates of deposit are microscopic. You can blame our government and central bank. They have “ZIRPed” millions of American savers. Here are … Continue reading

It’s Not Easy Subsidizing Green

The bankruptcy of “green jobs” darling Solyndra is still in the news because it could cost U.S. taxpayers $535 million due to a federal “stimulus” program loan guarantee. The Silicon Valley solar-panel maker’s failure comes on the heels of another … Continue reading

Debt Control or Bondage?

The student-loan checks for the fall semester have now been cashed. Round one of the Federal debt-limit debate is over, but round two may soon begin. Should we be experiencing feelings of control or bondage? It is proverbial that acquiring … Continue reading

The Democrats’ Deadly Sin

Envy is sadness or discontent at another’s good fortune or excellence. Dante defined it as a perversion of one’s own good; a “wish to deprive” others of their own good. Augustine deemed it “the diabolical sin.” Conservative columnist George Will quips … Continue reading

Greece on the Brink

The Greek government is in a gigantic financial hole and is teetering on the brink of defaulting on its debt. It has been able to limp along since last year only with bailouts from outside of Greece. According to the … Continue reading

America’s Mark Twain Conservatives

Attempting to categorize conservatism in the 21st century runs the risk of plunging into the briar patch of academic labeling or the fever swamp of left-wing vitriol. In the first category, one finds such designations as conservatism, neo-conservatism, and paleo-conservatism, … Continue reading

Obama’s New Stimulus Czar

Obama’s selection of Alan Krueger to head the Council of Economic Advisers might be an upgrade from Austan Goolsbee, but not by much. Obama’s new economic adviser lacks the foresight to craft an economic agenda to actually put Americans back … Continue reading