-
Are the Rich Just Lucky?
Tweet Share on Facebook December 7, 2006 Comment (1)In the ongoing debate about growing income inequality in America — the top 10 percent of families grabbed 43 percent of income in 2004 vs. 33 percent in 1980 — some have argued that America needs a more progressive tax system, both to share the wealth and to help deal with the government's long-term budget woes. When the Bush tax cuts on income and investments end in 2010, plenty of liberals and budget hawks will surely argue that they should not be extended. (This is going to be a huge issue in the 2008 presidential campaign.)
-
A Venture Capital Alternative to Federal Student Loans
Tweet Share on Facebook December 6, 2006 Comment (2)Now that they've taken over Congress, Democrats want to show that they can govern. That means pushing practical, incremental solutions that might actually avoid a Bush veto. (So no proposals to implement a Canadian-style national healthcare system or a return to Jimmy Carter-era income tax rates.)
-
Election '08: Edwards Raises the Protectionist Banner
Tweet Share on Facebook December 5, 2006 CommentDon't think it's too early to ponder 2008 presidential politics. Yes, yes, we are still digesting the impact of the 2006 midterms. But potential candidates are already forming exploratory committees and hiring top talent in Washington and in key early states like Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina. Take well-groomed 2004 vice presidential candidate John Edwards, widely assumed to be an almost sure-go for 2008. Just today, he announced that former Michigan Rep. David Bonior has joined his "One America" PAC as senior adviser for policy and politics–and de facto campaign manager should Edwards officially join the hunt.
-
High Deficits, Low Bond Yields: What Gives?
Tweet Share on Facebook December 1, 2006 CommentWhen President Clinton left office on Jan. 20, 2001, the 30-year U.S. treasury bond was trading at 5.55 percent. The U.S. government had just posted its third straight year of budget surpluses. Fiscal rectitude was a key feature of Clintonomics/Rubinomics under the theory that such prudence would encourage bond investors to accept lower rates of return, thus lowering interest rates and boosting economic growth. In fiscal 2000, the surplus was $236 billion. In 2001, the federal budget was again in the black, registering a $128 billion surplus.
-
Forecasting the Paulson-Bernanke Trip to Beijing
Tweet Share on Facebook December 1, 2006 Comment (1)Just for fun, let's say that Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke are wildly successful on their jawboning trip to China in mid-December. Although there's no formal announcement, within days, the yuan begins to gradually appreciate against the dollar. Over the next two years or so, it rises some 20 percent against the greenback.
advertisement
Follow U.S. News Money
Like Us On Facebook
advertisement
Subscribe
U.S. News Weekly
An insider's guide to politics and policy, available on the iPad or as a PDF download.
