Our Useless Allies - Really. With unfettered access to the skies over Libya and a short hop across the Med, these jokers can't keep a no-fly zone up for a few days before running out of bombs and planes? WTF? There's one reason you aren't all little provinces in the Russian empire, and it ain't brie.
Those Inconsistent Rich - A flurry of stories has all kids of rich and semi-rich people saying "you should tax me more." Two problems. First, well documented, ain't enough rich folks. Second, while a rich guy may make $200k in a bad year and $500k in a good year (or $2M/$20M), they don't earn consistently. California did this, soaking their rich during the best (dot com/real estate boom) years. Take away the booms, and your tax base evaporates. You have to get the guy who is more or less gonna pull in his 50-75k.
Capital Gains Tax - Taxing capital gains at 15% vs. ordinary income is not a question of social justice or giving the rich a break. By taxing capital gains (which means the stock is held for 2 years) at a lower rate, we reward true investment. If we tax all stock gains at ordinary income tax, there would be even more massive churn in the stock market, driven by computers and day traders. Lower capital gains tax rates reward buy-and-hold and lend stability to the stock market. It's not a gift to guys who look like the rich man from Monopoly.
Corporate mobility and labor immobility - read a number of good articles about how companies are begging high-tax governments (such as CAT and Illinois) for a little relief, as low-tax states (Texas!) are rolling out the red carpet for them. Meanwhile, while the US enjoys more labor mobility than the EU (language, citizenship), the fact that many are upside down in their houses make it impossible for many to move.
Poetic Justice for Homeowners - Glad to see that the Robo-signers and Rocket Dockets are getting stopped. Yes, a mortgage is a commitment. But it's also a contract. If the deed was never registered, and the ownership trail doesn't exist, a bank can't just make one up and say "pay up or we get the house." Most actual mortgages were sold as securities; the banks servicing the loans aren't owed anything and don't have a claim to the house. I'm all for securitized debt, but it got very sloppy during the bubble and the chickens are coming home to roost.
Signing statements.
ReplyDeleteThe fresh Hell of Libya.
Trump. Bad hair, but he may gut the Republican Party.
Topics for Monday:
ReplyDeleteOur Useless Allies - Really. With unfettered access to the skies over Libya and a short hop across the Med, these jokers can't keep a no-fly zone up for a few days before running out of bombs and planes? WTF? There's one reason you aren't all little provinces in the Russian empire, and it ain't brie.
Those Inconsistent Rich - A flurry of stories has all kids of rich and semi-rich people saying "you should tax me more." Two problems. First, well documented, ain't enough rich folks. Second, while a rich guy may make $200k in a bad year and $500k in a good year (or $2M/$20M), they don't earn consistently. California did this, soaking their rich during the best (dot com/real estate boom) years. Take away the booms, and your tax base evaporates. You have to get the guy who is more or less gonna pull in his 50-75k.
Capital Gains Tax - Taxing capital gains at 15% vs. ordinary income is not a question of social justice or giving the rich a break. By taxing capital gains (which means the stock is held for 2 years) at a lower rate, we reward true investment. If we tax all stock gains at ordinary income tax, there would be even more massive churn in the stock market, driven by computers and day traders. Lower capital gains tax rates reward buy-and-hold and lend stability to the stock market. It's not a gift to guys who look like the rich man from Monopoly.
Corporate mobility and labor immobility - read a number of good articles about how companies are begging high-tax governments (such as CAT and Illinois) for a little relief, as low-tax states (Texas!) are rolling out the red carpet for them. Meanwhile, while the US enjoys more labor mobility than the EU (language, citizenship), the fact that many are upside down in their houses make it impossible for many to move.
Poetic Justice for Homeowners - Glad to see that the Robo-signers and Rocket Dockets are getting stopped. Yes, a mortgage is a commitment. But it's also a contract. If the deed was never registered, and the ownership trail doesn't exist, a bank can't just make one up and say "pay up or we get the house." Most actual mortgages were sold as securities; the banks servicing the loans aren't owed anything and don't have a claim to the house. I'm all for securitized debt, but it got very sloppy during the bubble and the chickens are coming home to roost.