The “Buffet Rule” and the politics of taxation

Staff Editorial Isolating the multitude of inequalities that are inherent to our contemporary social structures is a reasonably effortless task. From health care to environmental policy, our notions of justice and liberty for all in a society are counteracted and replaced with

Understanding China’s rare trade deficit, revisited

On March 10, China’s General Administration of Customs reported that its February monthly trade deficit had reached $31.5 billion, its weakest performance in more than two decades. Chinese imports surged by a faster-than-expected rate of 39.6 percent compared to February last year,

Obama’s no budget superman: revealing the kryptonite

Three years ago this month, President Obama announced that he would halve the deficit by the end of his first term. Judging by Obama’s latest attempt at a budget, he has decided to disregard any deficit reduction. On Monday, Obama released his

The importance of resisting the political intelligentsia

Paul Krugman (Nobel Prize in Economics recipient, Princeton professor and Keynesian guru of the New York Times Editorial page) recently opined, “In a better world — specifically, a world with a better policy elite — a good jobs report would be a

The merits and flaws of the World Trade Organization

Russia is likely to join the World Trade Organization (WTO) this week — or even on the day of this column’s publication — after nearly 18 years of talks. Though perhaps the nation would have joined sooner if not for their brief

Deficit reduction committee predictably unsuccessful

Less than two weeks from the deadline for Congress’s Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction to present its deficit reduction plan, there are no signs of a deal. Democrats insist that any deal requires tax increases and Republicans are only willing to

Combating climate change with a carbon tax

I don’t want to be apocalyptic, but perhaps there is no other way to make my point. Many Swatties may be aware of 350.org, an organization aiming to fix the climate crisis through grassroots action. 350.org is named for a target for

Three years later: responses to the financial crisis

Once or twice a century, there is a watershed moment in American politics in which the bankruptcy of the present arrangement is laid naked, and gives way to paradigmatic transition. During the Great Depression, 25% unemployment set the stage for the New