Topic: Dean Baker
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Mitt Romney's 14 percent tax bite: your guide to deciphering what's 'fair'
Many millionaires pay an effective tax rate much closer to Mitt Romney's 14 percent than to the official 35 percent top bracket. Preferential rates for investment income, including capital gains, are the reason. Is it time to change that?
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Can Ben Bernanke buoy the economy and fend off Fed critics, too? (+video)
Fed chairman Ben Bernanke spoke Friday about tough policy choices. But he's also fighting to defend his institution against critics. Mitt Romney talks of replacing him, while others push possible reform legislation.
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Donald Marron Two heavyweights of economic statistics released this week
The two heavyweights of economic statistics are released this week, but the with both the job market stats and numbers on economic growth, competing systems of data collection and presentation can sometimes create confusion.
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Stefan Karlsson What is Germany's real unemployment rate?
Germany's 5.5 percent unemployment rate is reported the same way as other countries, but many news outlets insist on a reporting higher number for Germany, and only Germany
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Social Security will not destroy the economy
Social Security is threatened by the deficit committee's budget cuts . But the $2.6 trillion Social Security trust fund isn't nearly as draining or risky as many would have you believe
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Opinion: A small tax on Wall Street could be a big help to US economy
A modestly higher financial transaction tax, or FTT, could discourage speculation, lead to less price volatility, and encourage long-term investment. One estimate projects such a 'sales tax' on Wall Street may raise $175 billion a year, even if it cut the total number of transactions in half.
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No short-term solutions from Romney
The presidential hopeful's jobs plan will result in more upward wealth redistribution, rather than job creation
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Job sharing? Seriously?
Job sharing was a failure during the Great Depression. Why should it work now?
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Medicare and health care: Where have they been in the budget debate?
Medicare and health care costs were an insignificant part of the budget talks. If health care costs keep growing faster than GDP, can we ever come up with a solid debt deal?
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What will debt-ceiling deal do to the fragile US economy?
The political deal to raise the debt ceiling averted a fiscal crisis, but a big question remains: Will the cuts in spending help or harm the economic recovery? So far the markets are unimpressed.
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AARP agrees to benefit cuts!?
AARP may have changed its position on Social Security cuts. But how much is the shortfall, anyway?
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Remember the deficit-shrinking plans?
Three budget proposals all found ways to shrink the deficit. Where did they find common ground?
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Deficit-cutting ax may fall on Social Security
Cuts in Social Security benefits might be used as one means to reduce the burgeoning federal budget deficit. But are there better ways to deal with the problem?
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Will financial reform end big bank bailouts?
Lawmakers are pledging to end bailouts in the financial reform bill that the Senate is considering now. But many experts say bank bailouts can and will occur again.
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The bailout's costs are big – but falling
Washington's bailout of Wall Street will likely cost far less than originally expected.
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Post recession, a new era of consumer caution
A year after the Dow reached a 12-year low, investors and consumers are warier and thriftier. The change could last.
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Big winners right now in the job market: older white women
The unemployment rate for adult white women fell to 6.8 percent in January. Other statistics indicate that women over age 55 are faring well in the job market.
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Could the US use a little protectionism?
Though it's a dirty word in many circles, a little protectionism might be good for the US.
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Opinion: Obama can create jobs by modeling two good ideas
He should combine New Deal-era solutions with Germany's successful work-share program.
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Opinion: Obama's 'nuclear option' on China's yuan
Selling US dollars at a lower price than the exchange rate would do much more to balance trade than pressuring Beijing.
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Dodd bill aims to simplify the patchwork of bank regulation
Sen. Christopher Dodd introduced a bill in the Senate Banking Committee Tuesday aimed at tightening bank regulation. Critics of the current system say regulators are too cozy with bankers now.
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Economic crisis scrambles retirement math
The 401(k) model of saving is under duress as stocks slide. Home equity losses don’t help.
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Solutions to the nation's housing bubble still up in the air
Homes are still overpriced by $8 trillion. Is 'tough love' the answer?
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Next move in Fed's most activist year
In its latest effort, the bank may cut rates to below 1 percent Tuesday.
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How deep a recession?
The housing-bubble collapse makes recovery hard to predict.
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