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Economy

Tax Rates and Receipts

Submitted by Roanman on Thu, 06/16/2011 - 07:39

 

Here's a nice little chart that comes with an editorial from the Wall Street Journal.

The chart is so good at making it's point I don't think you necessarily need the editorial, but if you want it you can link it up by clicking on the chart ..... as usual.

This is pure human nature at work here.

If most of your profits are going to go to the government anyway but your losses are your own, why bust your ass, why put your capital at risk, why do anything other than the bare minimum?

 

 

If you want some more revenue for public development, your social programs, a couple more wars or straight out vote buying, you are going to have to figure out how to grow the economy.

 

 

Empire State Manufacturing

Submitted by Roanman on Sun, 09/19/2010 - 10:27

 

From EconomPicData with analysis from The Street.

EconomPicData operates a little like we do around here.

The difference being that we are a lot more random, Jake is primarily interested in ... well? ... economic data ... pics.

Recommended.

 

The New York Federal Reserve's key manufacturing index that measures activity in the New York region came up short Wednesday morning.

The Empire State Manufacturing Survey index dropped 3 points to 4.1 for early September, after rising 2 points for a reading of 7.1 in August.

Economists expected the index to decline to a reading of 6.4, according to Briefing.com, though any reading above zero indicates growth.

 

 

The Global Competitiveness Report

Submitted by Roanman on Fri, 09/10/2010 - 13:52

 

The Global Competitiveness Report has been released for 2010-11.

Real good stuff.  Maybe a little tough.

The rankings with regards to property rights are a real eye opener.

Click the map below to get to the report site, there are 5 or 6 tabs each of which offer lots of interactive views.

 

 

Stocks and the Economy

Submitted by Roanman on Fri, 09/10/2010 - 10:28



Business Insider Clusterstock also has a "Chart of the Day" which like the other "Chart of the Day that we post here from time to time also could be more accurately called 'The Chart of Whenever We See Fit To Send It To You".

Still, the charts I've received have been mostly worthwhile.

The chart below links up to a short little piece that tells you that growth in the price of stocks has little to do with growth within the economy.

Presently your Uncle Roany is more likely to subscribe to the Richard Russell school of thought.

 

"The major movements of the stock market are meaningful.

The stock market is made up of the hopes, worries, research and aspirations of millions of people in every sector of life.

As such, the stock market possesses a strange, almost eerie, ability to discount the future.

To put it another way, everybody knows more than any one person or any group of people."



 

 Notwithstanding the possibility of a change of mind if the damn thing doesn't start lining up a little more in accordance with my world view.

 

Two Points of View

Submitted by Roanman on Tue, 08/10/2010 - 07:07

 

An editorial from CNN Money the title of which pretty much explains it all.

Click anywhere below for the entire story.

A 30 second read, easy, small words.

Apologies for snide editorialization.

I'm starting to crack.

 

Raise taxes now -- the elders of the economy say so

Because, as we all know, all these guys really know what they're doing.

By Lex Haris, managing editor 

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- First it was Greenspan. Now one by one other elders of the economy are speaking out against deficits, and they're making the surprising argument for higher taxes.

Former Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan was first and has taken the most extreme position, arguing that all of the Bush tax cuts of 2001 and 2003 should be allowed to expire.

 

Greenspan, no fan of big government and an initial backer of the Bush tax cuts, allows that higher taxes now could lead to slower economic growth, but has said that chipping away at the deficit is more important.

 

Joining him -- at varying degrees -- are David Stockman, former budget director in the Reagan White House, and former Treasury Secretaries Robert Rubin and Paul O'Neill.

 

 

From The Wall Street Journal 8/10/2010, a letter from Michael P. Fleischer, president of Bogan Communications Inc of Ramsey, New Jersey.

Click anywhere below to link up Mr. Fleischer's letter.

Not a very tough read, recommended.


 

Why I'm Not Hiring

 

When you add it all up, it costs $74,000 to put $44,000 in Sally's pocket and to give her $12,000 in benefits.


By MICHAEL P. FLEISCHER

With unemployment just under 10% and companies sitting on their cash, you would think that sooner or later job growth would take off. I think it's going to be later—much later. Here's why.

Meet Sally (not her real name; details changed to preserve privacy).

Sally is a terrific employee, and she happens to be the median person in terms of base pay among the 83 people at my little company in New Jersey, where we provide audio systems for use in educational, commercial and industrial settings.

She's been with us for over 15 years. She's a high school graduate with some specialized training.

She makes $59,000 a year—on paper. In reality, she makes only $44,000 a year because $15,000 is taken from her thanks to various deductions and taxes, all of which form the steep, sad slope between gross and net pay.

It's the arithmetic stupid. 

To quote Barack Obama, yet again

Submitted by Roanman on Sun, 10/18/2009 - 13:53

                                                   

                                                                                                                                           

                                                                          

                           

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