GDP Growth Culprit
smartertimes.com

A front-page New York Times article reports on "disappointing data" showing "surprisingly weak numbers" for GDP growth in the United States for the fourth quarter of 2012.

This is one of those areas where the Times is willing not only to tell you what the news is — but how you are supposed to feel about it, surprised and disappointed. Presumably there are at least a few people out there who were not surprised by the GDP number. And maybe there are people out there who are invested countercyclically who are rooting for slow growth.

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New York Times on Financial Regulation
futureofcapitalism.com

The New York Times lead news article about the passage of the Dodd-Frank financial reform contains a pretty strongly opinionated section of historical context:

Over the last half-century, as traders and lenders increasingly drove the nation's economic growth, politicians of both parties scrambled to get out of the way, passing a series of landmark bills that allowed financial companies to become larger, less transparent and more profitable.

Usury laws were set aside. Banks were allowed to expand across state lines, sell insurance, trade securities. The government watched and did nothing as the bulk of financial activity moved into a parallel universe of private investment funds, unregulated lenders and black markets like derivatives trading.

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One More on the Debt Deal
futureofcapitalism.com

Another example of an article that it would have been nice to read before the vote on the debt deal: Binyamin Appelbaum, in a front-page news article in the New York Times:

There is something you should know about the deal to cut federal spending that President Obama signed into law on Tuesday: It does not actually reduce federal spending.

By the end of the 10-year deal, the federal debt would be much larger than it is today.

Indeed, both the government and its debts will continue to grow faster than the American economy...

Read More...

GDP Growth Culprit
smartertimes.com

A front-page New York Times article reports on "disappointing data" showing "surprisingly weak numbers" for GDP growth in the United States for the fourth quarter of 2012.

This is one of those areas where the Times is willing not only to tell you what the news is — but how you are supposed to feel about it, surprised and disappointed. Presumably there are at least a few people out there who were not surprised by the GDP number. And maybe there are people out there who are invested countercyclically who are rooting for slow growth.

Read More...

One More on the Debt Deal
futureofcapitalism.com

Another example of an article that it would have been nice to read before the vote on the debt deal: Binyamin Appelbaum, in a front-page news article in the New York Times:

There is something you should know about the deal to cut federal spending that President Obama signed into law on Tuesday: It does not actually reduce federal spending.

By the end of the 10-year deal, the federal debt would be much larger than it is today.

Indeed, both the government and its debts will continue to grow faster than the American economy...

Read More...

New York Times on Financial Regulation
futureofcapitalism.com

The New York Times lead news article about the passage of the Dodd-Frank financial reform contains a pretty strongly opinionated section of historical context:

Over the last half-century, as traders and lenders increasingly drove the nation's economic growth, politicians of both parties scrambled to get out of the way, passing a series of landmark bills that allowed financial companies to become larger, less transparent and more profitable.

Usury laws were set aside. Banks were allowed to expand across state lines, sell insurance, trade securities. The government watched and did nothing as the bulk of financial activity moved into a parallel universe of private investment funds, unregulated lenders and black markets like derivatives trading.

Read More...