Category: U.S. economy

The US Will Spend Another $1.7 Trillion, With Little Democratic Accountability

Commentary Our politicians are spending more than they have, again (and again and again). It’s a mounting danger to the U.S. economy, upon which U.S. national security relies. The fiscal blame for the latest $1.7 trillion “omnibus” spending bill, which passed the Senate on Dec. 22 before the Dec. 23 deadline, mostly points toward Democrats….


Where Have the Small Businesses Gone?

Commentary For the last two years in the United States, the number of business formations have fallen by about 3 percent per month. They recovered briefly after the devastation of lockdowns, during which as many as a third of small businesses shut forever, but that recovery has come to an end and we are in…


How and When Will This Inflation End?

Commentary Can the press stop saying that inflation is “easing” please? It’s getting ridiculous. The Consumer Price Index came in at 7.1 percent from a year ago. That’s terrible. Yes, not as terrible as last month but look at the breakdown in detail. Food at home was up 10 percent and food at restaurants up…


5 Principles of Stagflation

Commentary Stagflation is the combination of slow or falling economic output plus high inflation. For nearly two years, we’ve been stuck in this pattern and it still feels confusing. Prices for many items like cars and homes have whipsawed around in strange ways, up one month and down the next only to repeat the pattern….


The Administration Can Help the Fed Fight Inflation by Unleashing American Energy Production

Commentary The recent Index of Supply Manufacturers data showed that fewer employers are planning to hire in the months ahead. That’s because inflation is whittling away buying power, leaving Americans with less discretionary income to spend. Less income translates to lower demand for goods—and for the workers who produce these goods. In an effort to…


How the Boom Bust Works

Commentary If you have a house for sale, you might want to get in front of the market and lower the price dramatically now. I know it hurts, but housing prices are highly sensitive to 30-year mortgage rates. The higher the monthly payment goes, the lower the price paid for the home itself will be….


US Housing Markets Are in Turmoil

No sector of the U.S. economy affects middle- and working-class Americans more than housing. Most Americans have the majority of their savings and net worth tied up in their homes. Housing is the primary asset that serves as a literal and metaphorical shelter in the storm, a store of value for the future, and as…


An Economic Candle Burning From Both Ends

Commentary Some facts of our times follow. As you read, consider your own household and portfolios and how they measure up. Disposable personal income per capita has been in decline in real terms for 19 straight months. This is not just dollar amounts but dollars adjusted for purchasing power. We are just now level with…


High Inflation: The Gift That (Unfortunately) Keeps on Giving This Thanksgiving

Commentary Americans can expect to pay more to drive to Grandma’s house for Thanksgiving this week, and Grandma will have to pay more for the traditional feast, according to new inflation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Let’s start with energy prices. The October consumer price index shows yet another month of price increases,…


Can Reaganism Make a Return?

Commentary People tell me all the time: stop talking about Ronald Reagan. No one remembers that stuff. It’s a bit like feeling nostalgic for Calvin Coolidge. We have to move on with new messaging and new themes. I get the point but actually the best lessons for the way forward today are readily available via…