I’ve been reading several papers lately that examine the effects of various government policies on various social and economic outcomes. Increasingly, I find myself wondering what these studies actually conclude with “null” results. (By the way, I am sure that this issue has been raised before, but I’ve been thinking a lot about it lately, … Read more
A federal appeals court has ruled invalid the three recess appointments to the National Labor Relations Board President Obama made on Jan. 4, 2012. (My birthday, as it so happens.) The basics of the situation are pretty well known. During this time period, the Senate was holding pro forma sessions during which almost no members were present. The court … Read more
In light of my take on last night’s legislative shenanigans, a few very smart people have asked me, in a sense, “sure, perhaps, but do you REALLY think that’s what happened?” Most of these objections (and the media’s narrative) suggest that Boehner thought he had enough votes for H.J.Res.66 and, upon seeing the too-close-for-comfort on HR 6684, … Read more
Note: a road map is in order. I first describe what happened tonight in the House of Representatives. Then I discuss one game theoretic take on Boehner’s “pulling of `Plan B’…” Tonight, the House of Representatives passed a rule, H.Res.841, that called for the consideration of two measures, HR 6684, and H.J.Res.66. Both of these … Read more
To all you single guys out there, it’s not how you start the date, it’s how you finish it, sir. A lot of people can, you know, start the date with flowers and candy, but if you don’t finish the date – you know what I mean? — Shaquille O’Neal Budget negotiations are kind of like … Read more
Of course, the fiscal cliff is attracting a lot of attention (including by me). This is understandable, as it has been built up for two years, follows directly from the current partisan-cum-policy wrangling of the Democrats and GOP, and — most importantly — stars Barry O. and Johnny B. in a wacky “odd couple-meets-buddy film” … Read more
On the eve of the most universal of American family holidays, I am thinking of the question of names. In particular, the interaction of surnames and marriage. In the interest of both “setting the stage” and providing at least the appearance of a disclaimer, I should acknowledge, that (1) I am married and (2) my … Read more
There has been a resurgence of interest in the question of which groups may or may not explicitly support and endorse candidates for election. In particular, some church groups have begun to provide explicit endorsements of specific political candidates, and a lawsuit was recently filed seeking to force the IRS to enforce the requirement that these … Read more
With the 2012 election firmly in the rearview mirror, the discussion has turned to the impending fiscal cliff. In a nutshell, the looming budget cuts (sequestrations) and tax increases are the result of the 2011 budget deal that increased the debt ceiling and staved off the need for further budget wrangling between the GOP and Democrats … Read more
Somewhere in the midst of this year’s elections, there is a debate about the structure of the federal government’s tax system. A common complaint about the system (and, increasingly, the Affordable Care Act) is dubbed “double taxation.” In this post, I describe the complaint and note its nonsensical nature. In a nutshell (and framed in … Read more