Monthly Archives: August 2009

Rolfe Winkler writes: Banks argue that loans should not be marked down if they’re still “performing.” As long as borrowers are meeting their contractual obligations, there’s no reason to take a writedown…This is how we become Japan. Emergency bailout facilities … Continue reading →

Rest in Peace Ted Kennedy. I have little to add other than I really like these two pieces by Harold Meyerson and Sean Wilentz. From Meyerson: He was, as he lay dying, new again. Ted Kennedy outlived the Reagan-Thatcher conservative … Continue reading →

I did a bloggingheads.tv with Reihan Salam, where we discussed a bunch of stuff, including things I wrote at The Basline Scenario last week like Unemployed, Consumer Protection, Right To Rent, etc. Here’s the Paul Starr article that influenced my … Continue reading →

Two more points about foreclosures. MBA Economists estimates are that the foreclosure crisis will (a) spread to the much larger and much more previously secure prime market (so not just subprime) and (b) foreclosure rates will peak sometime in late … Continue reading →

If this interests you, I was on NPR’s Planet Money podcast on financial innovation with Tyler Cowen and Felix Salmon. This was my first media appearance discussing finance with other people. I want to thank the Planet Money crew for … Continue reading →

Via Megan Mcardle, Clive Crook writes: The gap between the right of the Republican party, which is providing the angriest critics of the reforms, and the left of the Democratic party, which thinks the proposals too timid, is unbridgeable. These … Continue reading →

Hello everyone. I’ll be guest-blogging at The Baseline Scenario this week. I just put up my first entry, and I hope you head over, check it out, and stay for the rest of the week.

From The New York Times: The noxious penalty imposed on American Express and Discover consumers who exceeded their spending limit has finally died, quashed by legislation signed in May by President Obama to ease onerous fees for cardholders. In recent … Continue reading →

Did you see this interesting article in the New York Times last week? Another Hurdle for the Jobless: Credit Inquiries: …Once reserved for government jobs or payroll positions that could involve significant sums of money, credit checks are now fast, … Continue reading →

Piece up at The Atlantic: Robots and the Future of Unemployment, reacting to Gregory Clark’s Op-Ed. That Op-Ed has been taking it on the chin, rightfully in part because of it’s bizarre animus towards the poor/working class and hard determinism … Continue reading →