Category Archives: Economic fundamentals

Paul Ryan Sorry for Calling Americans “Takers.” Let’s Talk About the Real Takers.

Rana Foroohar’s new book, Makers and Takers: The Rise of Finance and the Fall of American Business, addresses what Paul Ryan conveniently left out.

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Marshall Auerback: Donald Trump Understands the Nexus Between Trade and Immigration

By linking immigration and trade, however crudely, Trump has exposed the broader paradox and inherent contradictions which lurk between the two.

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Senators Try to Scuttle Syngenta/ChemChina Merger, in a Harbinger for U.S. Posture Toward Chinese Investment

This is a big week for the future of American industry. Chinese Premier Xi Jinping will meet one-on-one with President Obama on the sidelines of a summit in Washington. The Chinese will apparently use the meeting to make a new offer on a bilateral investment treaty that would pave the way for more foreign direct […]

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Good Booms, Bad Booms: Why Only Some Credit Booms End in a Crisis

Credit booms are not rare and usually precede financial crises. However, some end in a crisis while others do not. This column argues that credit booms start with an increase in productivity, which subsequently falls much faster during ‘bad booms’. When this decline is severe enough, it changes the informational regime in credit markets, leading to a drying up of credit. A crisis may be the result of an exhausted credit boom and not necessarily of a negative productivity shock.

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Bill Black: Democrats Need to Give Up Being Deficit Hawks Even When it Feels Good Politically

Why do Democrats act like Republican wannabes with deficit scaremongering? Let us count the reasons: Wall Street, Pete Peterson, hatred of the poor…

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Michael Hudson and Chris Hedges: The Real World Cost of Turning Classical Economics Upside Down

Classical economics recognized the costs of rent extraction, excessive borrowing, and encouraging speculation over commerce. Ideologues have turned those lessons on their head.

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