Gdp

Testing the Fed's Predictions

Richard Barrington | Posted 05.24.2012

Richard Barrington

How good is the Federal Reserve at its job? That can be a difficult question to answer. Monetary policy is subjective, and it can take years before t...

Argentina and the Magic Soybean: The Commodity Export Boom That Wasn't

Mark Weisbrot | Posted 05.08.2012

Mark Weisbrot

I know what you are thinking: "Who cares?" Well, try to keep reading, because this does have implications beyond the sprawling soybean farms in the Argentine province of Cordoba. What does it mean to have a "commodities boom," or growth driven by the export of commodities?

Arthur Delaney

Are You Earning Less Than You Used To?

HuffingtonPost.com | Arthur Delaney | Posted 05.03.2012

WASHINGTON -- American workers are earning more money than they used to, but the rate of wage growth has been slowing down since the Great Recession t...

The Fed Shows a Steady Hand in Stormy Seas

Richard Barrington | Posted 05.03.2012

Richard Barrington

Disturbing as some of the March economic data has been, it is just one month, and that does not constitute a trend. It would be unsettling to the economy and the financial markets if the Fed shifted direction with every twist and turn in monthly data.

We Could Still Be In A Recession If Not For The Stimulus, Report Finds

The Huffington Post | Alexander Eichler | Posted 05.02.2012

The recovery's been weak these last few years. But if the federal government hadn't reacted to the financial crisis the way it did, things would have ...

Why Societies Fail: The 'Other' Consequences of Debt

American Anthropological Association | Posted 04.30.2012

American Anthropological Association

What will likely be absent in the inevitable debt debate before the election is any consideration of the relationship of debt to the requirement for perpetual economic growth and its role in the dramatic increase in economic inequality.

Reasons for Optimism on the U.S. Economy -- We're the King of the World!

Terry Connelly | Posted 04.24.2012

Terry Connelly

In short, we have a chance to have an "American decade" economically. All we are missing is a little optimism -- well, OK, a lot of optimism, and lot more skepticism about the folks peddling pessimism as if it were the new true religion.

Finding the Right Balance to Adjusting Public Spending

Carlo Cottarelli | Posted 04.20.2012

Carlo Cottarelli

When it comes to adjusting public spending, getting the balance right is important. Fiscal adjustment is taking place in economies around the world, but risks remain high.

10 Economic Indicators That Mislead Small Businesses

Gene Marks | Posted 04.18.2012

Gene Marks

Being a small business owner I'm an eternal optimist. But small business owners need to pay close attention when the media says that something "increased" or "got better." Always say to yourself: "Better? Compared to what?"

Limits to Growth: Of Stuff, Value, and GDP

Brian Czech | Posted 04.16.2012

Brian Czech

I'm starting to think that perpetual growth notions are the Achilles heel of the human brain. They pop up like munchkins on a wackamole machine. You s...

The U.S. Export and Import Bank Should Help Finance Sales of Domestic Firms That Compete with Imports

Robert E. Scott | Posted 04.04.2012

Robert E. Scott

Promoting exports while ignoring the negative impacts of imports has become an executive mantra in Washington. It's time to end that single-minded focus.

Why 2013 Budgets Won't Cut It and the Untapped Treasury in Violence

Michael Shank | Posted 04.02.2012

Michael Shank

Politicians need to realize that in the pursuit of available funds, there are untapped dividends available where they may least suspect it. Increasing the peace not only improves quality of life but the economy as well.

20 Metros Recovering Worst From The Recession

The Huffington Post | Harry Bradford | Posted 03.28.2012

In the elusive quest for a sustainable economic recovery, some areas have fared better than others. Only 19 of the 100 largest U.S. metropolitan a...

Bank Fraud Watchdogs In Asia 'Have Got A Bicycle' To 'Catch A Ferrari'

Reuters | Eveline Danubrata | Posted 05.27.2012

By Eveline Danubrata SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Many banks still do not have enough teeth to tackle fraud, which costs Asia around $1 billio...

10 Countries With The Most Workplace Diversity

The Huffington Post | Harry Bradford | Posted 03.16.2012

High school history books might call the United States the world's melting pot, but that characterization doesn't quite hold true in today's workplace...

Fiscal Affairs: The Fetishization of Balance

James Kwak | Posted 05.15.2012

James Kwak

Thomas Friedman's fetishizing of balance as an end in itself, in order to brand himself as a reasonable centrist who wishes we could all get along, is not going to get us anywhere.

8 Things About The Economy That Scare Small Business

Gene Marks | Posted 05.07.2012

Gene Marks

Small business owners are scared. Which is why we're still not hiring and still not overly optimistic. What are we so scared about? I can name 8 things right off the bat.

A 'Seismic' Shift In The Small Business Economy

Reuters | Posted 05.02.2012

(By Lynn Adler - Reuters) - A "seismic" shift to service-based small businesses away from manufacturing, transportation and construction is stifling e...

Is President Obama Only Running for Re-Election During Bad News Days?

Dee Evans | Posted 04.30.2012

Dee Evans

Whenever a bad news topic arises like high gas prices or Iran, Obama's face is plastered all over the news with the caption, "What Does This Mean for the President's Re-Election Chances?" But, when there is good news on the horizon... nothing.

Questionable Economics From The Economist

Richard L. Revesz and Michael A. Livermore | Posted 04.29.2012

Richard L. Revesz and Michael A. Livermore

The Obama administration is already on the case here, requiring agencies to come up with plans to revisit old rules and identifying outdated regulations for the chopping block. This strategy represents the most robust effort of any president to clean out cobwebs in agency rules.

What America's Manufacturing Sector and Labor Policies Can Learn From Germany

Michael Shank | Posted 04.25.2012

Michael Shank

The German manufacturing strategy is based on making existing products better again and again, or as a Mercedes ad put it: "We are inventing the car. Since 1886."

Classic American Brand: We Like China Better

Posted 02.15.2012

Not satisfied with what they've found at home, a classic American brand is looking overseas to feed its need for sales. The Gap is planning on open...

Bonnie Kavoussi

It's Only Getting Worse: Economists' Latest Dire Prediction

HuffingtonPost.com | Bonnie Kavoussi | Posted 02.13.2012

"The economy that we had before the recession is gone," said Kenneth Goldstein, economist at the Conference Board. "It's not coming back." The U.S....

The Fed's New Transparency: Too Much information?

Richard Barrington | Posted 04.10.2012

Richard Barrington

A series of inaccurate forecasts could make people doubt the ability of the FOMC. Opinions on the new reporting detail will vary, but ultimately the verdict may lay in the hands of whoever eventually succeeds Ben Bernanke as Fed chairman.

Casino Industry Accounts For Significant Slice Of U.S. Economy: Study

The Huffington Post | Ron Dicker | Posted 02.08.2012

As the U.S. economy sagged, gambling was there to try and prop it up. At least that's the finding of the American Gaming Association. The trade ass...