A September 9 Morgan Stanley report attributes much of the economic slowdown in August to a loss of confidence resulting from the debt limit debate in Congress.
On September 8, Macroeconomic Advisers estimated that Obama’s jobs plan will boost GDP by 1.2 percent next year and create 1.3 million jobs.
A September 8 Census Bureau report examined a number of different factors – race, gender, ethnicity, English proficiency, geographical location and others – and found that educational attainment is far and away the principal factor determining lifetime earnings.
In a September 8 commentary, Nobel Prize winning economist Joseph Stiglitz said that the main barrier to reducing unemployment isn’t a lack of ideas, but the political will to enact them.
In a September 7 commentary, Brookings economist Gary Burtless argued against the idea that government regulation is a major factor holding back economic growth at this time.
On September 7, Macroeconomic Advisers estimated that extended unemployment benefits add about half a percent to the unemployment rate because it discourages workers from taking available jobs.
On August 26, the Bureau of Labor Statistics published a report on the geographical distribution of employment in 2010.
On August 25, the BLS published a report on the racial and ethnic characteristics of the labor force.
Also on August 25, the BLS published a report on occupational fatalities 2010.
On August 24, the BLS published a report on health and retirement plans offered by businesses in 2010.
Bruce Bartlett is an American historian and columnist who focuses on the intersection between politics and economics. He blogs daily and writes a weekly column for The Fiscal Times. Bartlett has written for Forbes Magazine and Creators Syndicate, and his work is informed by many years in government, including as a senior policy analyst in the Reagan White House. He is the author of seven books including the New York Times best-seller, Imposter: How George W. Bush Bankrupted America and Betrayed the Reagan Legacy (Doubleday, 2006).
