GDP Growth Numbers for the Third Quarter? Meh.
GDP grew at a 2 percent annualized rate in the third quarter, which confirms two things: the economy is still in the dumps, and it won’t be getting much better any time soon. The numbers were in line with estimates, and they’re good news in that they’re higher than the second quarter’s 1.7 percent rate. But it’s still far too slow to offer much hope to the unemployed. READ MORE >>
The Messy Mortgage Market Just Got Messier (UPDATED)
A Patch of Economic Sunshine
Economic conditions remain quite bad, and I don’t want to oversell the importance of a few data points, but it’s worth noting some positive news. Here are three positive developments, as reported by CNN Money: 1. READ MORE >>
A Small Victory For People With Mental Disabilities
Recently, people with mental disabilities won a small but important victory—Congress finally passed Rosa’s Law. When President Obama signs the bill into law, as he is expected to do soon, references to “mentally retarded individuals” and “mental retardation” will disappear from U.S. law. In their place will be “individuals with intellectual disabilities” and “intellectual disability.” READ MORE >>
News Flash: Women Still Make Less Than Men
Everybody knows that women make less money than men. But is that because of discrimination? The lifestyle choices they’re making? Some other factors? A new GAO report offers some new, intriguing answers. The study focuses strictly on people who occupy managerial positions. While the pay gap has narrowed slightly over the years, the GAO finds, women in these positions still make approximately 20 percent less than men do: READ MORE >>
The House Turns Into Busytown
The House of Representatives has an extra-long agenda for today—85 bills. They’re largely non-controversial measures, and they’re all being considered under a fast-track procedure called a suspension of the rules. As David Waldman writes: READ MORE >>
A Possible Summers Successor and Her (Potential) Citigroup Problem (UPDATED)
Lying With Graphs, Republican Style (Now Featuring 50% More Graphs)
The Republican "Pledge to America" is out, and I'll give them some credit: there are more concrete policies in there than I've seen Republicans suggest in a long while. Sure, their ideas are largely terrible, overly simplistic, or some combination of the two. But, hey, it's a start. Maybe the Republicans are finally serious about policy. Or maybe not. Consider this graph, which purports to show government spending as a fraction of GDP under recent administrations: READ MORE >>
