Economic Commentary
Jefferson County’s Inevitable Bankruptcy
After three years of trying to solve their self-imposed debt crisis, the Jefferson County, Alabama, commissioners threw in the towel on Wednesday and...
National Bank Transfer Day (Nov 5): How Effective Was It?
Critics of the banking system in the United States declared Saturday, November 5, National Bank Transfer Day — a grassroots movement that encouraged...
Read moreDeflation: Good and Bad
Economist Gary Shilling’s claim that the U.S. economy is on the edge of deflation defies the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ recent announcement that...
Read moreFed Chairman Bernanke Is on the Defensive
Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke’s news conference on November 2 included the admission that the Fed is depending on hope and patience to see...
Read moreThe Bankruptcy of MF Global: So Much for Financial Regulation
After spending the entire weekend trying to sell his company, MF Global, Chairman Jon Corzine finally capitulated, and his board declared bankruptcy on...
Read moreNorth American Oil Development Is Reducing Demand for Foreign Oil
The September 15 report from the National Petroleum Council expressed surprise at how much has changed just since their “Hard Truths” report of...
Read moreOn Halloween, Nat’l Debt Exceeds Gross Domestic Product
A little-noticed event occurred at approximately midnight on Monday, October 31, 2011: The national debt of the United States exceeded, for the first...
Read moreConsumers Don’t Drive the Economy, Producers Do
In Commerce Secretary John Bryson’s announcement that the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew at an annual rate of 2.5% last quarter, he...
Read moreWhat Does “Distrust of Government” Really Mean?
The New York Times and CBS has come out with a new poll that shows Americans have a strong mistrust of government. Almost...
Read moreHow Hyperinflation Could Start in America
David Galland’s article for the Daily Reckoning painted a picture of imminent collapse of America’s monetary system, which was followed four days later...
Read moreSome Reasons Behind Income Inequality
In an effort to examine the Occupy Wall Street crowd’s complaint about income inequality, economist Mark Perry has concluded that people with higher...
Read moreWhat Is the Real Unemployment Rate?
A closer look at the Department of Labor’s employment report earlier this month reveals that the real unemployment number is different from the...
Read moreThe New Recession: How Bad Will It Get?
The prediction by the Economic Cycle Research Institute (ECRI) that the United States is headed into another recession was greeted by a rise...
Read moreWashington, D.C. Surpasses San Jose as Wealthiest Metro Area
While high unemployment persists and the U.S. economy remains stubbornly flat, Washington, D.C. now hails as the nation’s wealthiest metropolitan area, according to...
Read moreGallup: U.S. Unemployment Drops to 8.3% in October
With the announcement from Gallup that the unemployment rate had dropped precipitously in early October to 8.3 percent came the disclaimer that they...
Read more