BloggingStocks http://www.bloggingstocks.com BloggingStocks http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/media/feedlogo.gif BloggingStocks http://www.bloggingstocks.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Tidbits of Americans' economic insights and observations]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/05/19/tid-bits-of-americans-economic-insights-and-observations/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/05/19/tid-bits-of-americans-economic-insights-and-observations/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/05/19/tid-bits-of-americans-economic-insights-and-observations/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

A wonderful 19th century writer offered observations in print from time to time. He remains one of our nation's best role models and minds, so accordingly the following economic insights and observations are offered, With Malice Toward None.

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First, why does it look like in this market all of good long plays have been bid-up to $47, and all short plays are trading near $8?

Continue reading Tidbits of Americans' economic insights and observations

Tidbits of Americans' economic insights and observations originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 19 May 2009 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Alan KingArianna HuffingtonEBAYGeneral MotorsGMHuffington Postmixed capitalismTue, 19 May 2009 16:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Martin Wolf: Wanted! Economic pragmatists with bold ideas]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/12/31/martin-wolf-wanted-economic-pragmatists-with-bold-ideas/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/12/31/martin-wolf-wanted-economic-pragmatists-with-bold-ideas/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/12/31/martin-wolf-wanted-economic-pragmatists-with-bold-ideas/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Financial Times columnist Martin Wolf argues that the current financial crisis and global recession is best viewed through a Keynesian lens, and it's the lens of a pragmatist.

Wolf sees three Keynesian themes, or lessons, that policy makers would be wise to heed.

Keynes: Markets are essential, but not perfect

The first: if you expect markets to be self-correcting and self-policing, there's trouble up ahead. Wolf: Mistakes occur, even among those who were following standard operating procedure. A market filled with bankers -- or other participants -- following standard operating procedures that were flawed leads to ... what we have today, pretty much -- a global recession and constrained credit.

The second: It's o.k. for a corporation to become more efficient, but it's not necessarily a good thing if a society or nation (or world) does so all at once. This reinforces one of Keynes's tenets: It's a good thing to have consumers amass savings, but if everyone saves everything all the time it would be a disaster.

Or, for the globalization version of the above, economist Richard Felson told BloggingStocks: "We need people in the United States to save more money, but if people in Europe, China, India, Japan, Brazil and Russia do the same thing simultaneously, the global economy will remain in a recession for a very long time."

Continue reading Martin Wolf: Wanted! Economic pragmatists with bold ideas

Martin Wolf: Wanted! Economic pragmatists with bold ideas originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 31 Dec 2008 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featuredfiscal policygdpglobalizationKeynesKeynesianmarketsMartin Wolfmixed capitalismmixed economyObamaWed, 31 Dec 2008 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Once again, Keynes holds the keys to economic recovery ]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/10/29/do-americans-have-a-right-to-an-economic-expansion/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/10/29/do-americans-have-a-right-to-an-economic-expansion/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/10/29/do-americans-have-a-right-to-an-economic-expansion/#commentsFiled under: , ,

These days, investors have to search far and wide to find positive data points, let alone a positive outlook, for the U.S. and global economies.

And, without question, the financial crisis and slowing global growth, combined with previously weak economic fundamentals in the U.S., are indeed formidable obstacles to any investor's hope for optimism.

Still, perhaps the real the danger lies in not where we are but in denying where we can be, and that's where John Maynard Keynes comes in.

For those unfamiliar, Keynes, along with Milton Friedman and Karl Marx, are the three major philosophers of modern economics.

In the United States, policy markers since 1981 have favored market absolutism, Friedman's view, peppered by government intervention, Keynes' view, when needed.

More recently, during the current decade, market absolutists appeared to have had free rein. Some of these market absolutists are now arguing that 'the market should run its course' and 'recessions, even deep recessions, are an essential part of the business cycle,' etc. Don't believe any of it for a moment, Keynes would say.

Expansion is the normal condition

It was part of the genius of Keynes that he revealed to us that the natural state of the economy is expansion and that a downturn is "extraordinary imbecility." Further, Keynes also reminds us that recessions, or economic downturns, are not necessarily self-correcting.

Keynes also believed that the market economy, in the form of mixed capitalism, could survive only if it earned the support of the public by raising living standards.

Continue reading Once again, Keynes holds the keys to economic recovery

Once again, Keynes holds the keys to economic recovery originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 29 Oct 2008 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>FDRfeaturedgdpJohn Maynard KeynesKarl MarxKeynesKeynesianMilton Friedmanmixed capitalismmonetarismNew DealPresident Rooseveltpump primingU.S. economyU.s.EconomyWed, 29 Oct 2008 15:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Martin Wolf: Wall Street and Main Street are streets that meet]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/10/02/martin-wolf-wall-street-and-main-street-are-streets-that-meet/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/10/02/martin-wolf-wall-street-and-main-street-are-streets-that-meet/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/10/02/martin-wolf-wall-street-and-main-street-are-streets-that-meet/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Financial Times columnist Martin Wolf inquires, do Americans understand their financial and economic system?

Anger at Wall Street's - - and regulators' - - lapses is justified, but at the end of the day to oppose the rescue package is at once self-defeating, contradictory, self-punitive, and borders on nihilism, Wolf states. Take your pick regarding which is the most damaging.

Congressional representatives, particularly conservative Republicans, but also others, opposed the flawed rescue plan as a bailout for the rich, and as a statement against 'socialism.' Socialism? Yes, the plan is flawed, Wolf states, but the ruin that will result from rejecting the plan will destroy the legitimacy not of socialism, but of the market economy. Exactly what are the packages' opponents fighting?

The Congressmen/women also say that they are 'taking a stand for Main Street and against Wall Street.' A contradiction, Wolf writes. Wolf: Wall Street and Main Street are streets that meet. That is what streets do.

Then there is the future. What is the opponents' alternative? The loudest voice here appears to be 'let the market sort things out by itself,' under the assumption that the damage, costs, and negative consequences really won't be that bad. Wolf: This is not prudent, if the early 20th century's experiences are a guide.

Continue reading Martin Wolf: Wall Street and Main Street are streets that meet

Martin Wolf: Wall Street and Main Street are streets that meet originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 02 Oct 2008 14:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bailout billbanking sectorbond marketcapitalismcorporate capitalismcredit marketsDemocratsEuropean Unionfeaturedfiscal policyforeclosuresgdpglobalizationinterest ratesMain Streetmain street u.s.a.MainStreetMainStreetU.s.a.Martin Wolfmixed capitalismmonetary policymortgage backed securitiesRepublicansrescue billsocialismU.S. CongressU.S. economyU.S. TreasuryThu, 02 Oct 2008 14:16:00 EST