Category Archives: Economics

More Random Thoughts on Unemployment

Monday I saw that my local McDonald’s was still trying to get someone to fill their manager position. They have had their help wanted sign up for 26+ days. Yesterday I stopped to get lunch for the wifey and saw this:

At some point we have to call this what it really is.  Something besides “I can’t find a job”.

The simple fact is that when the government is willing to pay you virtually the same amount of money to stay home rather than work, the reasonable person is going to stay home rather than work.

Add to FacebookAdd to DiggAdd to Del.icio.usAdd to StumbleuponAdd to RedditAdd to BlinklistAdd to TwitterAdd to TechnoratiAdd to Yahoo BuzzAdd to Newsvine

In Good Company

Just as I uploaded my most recent post to Twitter, I saw that Cato referenced a post by Jeffrey Miron, an Economics Professor at Harvard.

He basically says the same thing I do:

On several occassions over the past few weeks, I have expressed the view on TV/radio that unemployment insurance is one factor that keeps unemployment elevated.

Not that a Sr. Fellow at the Cato Institute needs any backup, he brings it with an article from the NY Times:

Struggling to keep its budget under control after the financial crisis, the government in June cut into its benefits system, the world’s most generous, by limiting unemployment payments to two years instead of four. Having found that recipients either get work right away or take any job as their checks run out, officials are also redoubling longstanding efforts to move Danes more quickly out of the safety net.

It would appear that this long hair isn’t stewing alone in his own juices.

Add to FacebookAdd to DiggAdd to Del.icio.usAdd to StumbleuponAdd to RedditAdd to BlinklistAdd to TwitterAdd to TechnoratiAdd to Yahoo BuzzAdd to Newsvine

Random Thoughts on Unemployment

So, grabbin lunch yesterday.  Stopped into the local McDonald’s for a quick [and icky] lunch.

They have a really cool series of Happy Meal toys for boys right now; Marvel Super Heros.  So, I picked one up for Tyler:

Cool huh?  Guess what else I saw?

Continue reading

The End of Free Market: Minimum Wage?

Recent analysis of changes to Hong Kong are getting press in the Economist.   A new law is going to be passed setting a wage floor in Hong Kong.  For years, the city has managed to grow, thrive even, without the common law known as Minimum Wage.

The legislation is set to impose a minimum wage between $3.00 and $4.00 American.  Not much by our standards, but then again, perhaps our standards are a bit exaggerated.

Continue reading

August 11, 2010: Chance of Recession in the Next 12 Months — 00.313%

We are now running at 23 months* of consecutive sub 1% Chance of Recession as predicted by the New York Fed.

And, like last month, I have kept up my new expanded metrics.  For 35 consecutive months, my four leading indicators of Recession risk have been zero.  Not one of ’em has signaled a recession.  For the first time in just under 3 years, I have hit a signal; 2 out of 4 running months with a rising chance of recession.

Continue reading

Trade Debt: Is It Bad

I am a new comer to politics.  And economics.  While it’s true that I’ve always resonated with Republicans and Conservatives, I’ve never really been all that serious about it.

This has been true all the way through Bush vs. Gore; I just really didn’t care.

I guess marriage, home ownership and parenthood will do that to ya huh?

With that said, I’ve never really understood the trade deficit.  Am guessing many others don’t either.

Continue reading

How to Positively Affect Health Care Costs

Just this afternoon I experienced a classic fundamental of economics:  Consumption.

I had lunch at a pizza buffet.  All the pizza and soda I could consume for the low low price of eight dollars American.  of course I had to render to Caesar, so it REALLY was about $8.50, but I digress.

At some point I pushed away from the table satisfied; I was fat dumb and happy.  Full.

Continue reading

Tragedy of the Commons

Some time ago {okay OKAY!  It was this morning!} I was arguing with Liberals.  We were talking about what a government can do, should do and then, what they WILL do.  In our examples, we specifically were speaking about the “common good” as it relates to non-National Defense.*

For example, can/should/will the government regulate medical doctors?  How about florists?

Another example, can/should/will the government regulate the workplace safety?

And even another.  Can/should/will the government regulate food quality in our grocery stores?  How about stereo component quality?

As you can imagine, a very clear divergence of opinions evolved.

Continue reading

Payday Loans. Rip Off or Last Resort?

Heave you ever heard of Clark HowardMr. Howard is a nationally syndicated radio show host talking about consumer finances and protection.  His show is full of advice on how to save money, invest money get out of debt and find great deals.  I love it.

But once in awhile, he gets on a topic and stays there.  Time after time he comes back and just continues to hammer it.

And one of my pet peeves is his take on Payday Loans.

Continue reading

Unemployment?

Wanna know what happens when Congress passes a law that gives away free money to people who don’t have jobs?  And haven’t had jobs for better than 99 weeks?

This; THIS is what you get:

They are willing to hire managers.  Not line employees, but managers.  Experience?  They only PREFER it, not require it.

Government is creating this unemployment mess.  Stop paying benefits, reduce the tax on jobs and remove the minimum wage.

Add to FacebookAdd to DiggAdd to Del.icio.usAdd to StumbleuponAdd to RedditAdd to BlinklistAdd to TwitterAdd to TechnoratiAdd to Yahoo BuzzAdd to Newsvine