An Imperfect Demand Stimulus
While the Great Depression of the 1930s saw a massive contraction in demand, the current crisis entails a massive shock to the economy’s supply side, writes our guest columnist,...
Politics
Why Bernie is So Demanding
Sen. Sanders is the atavistic avatar of demand-side economics, which dominated public policy from 1932 to 1971. Supply-side economics has held sway since the Reagan years. The 2020 election...
Mike Bloomberg’s Retirement Security Plans
Bloomberg favors a public-option national workplace savings program, modeled on the federal Thrift Savings Plan. Its government match would be paid for with 'a reduction in the tax break...
The SECURE Act Set To Pass (Finally)
'This is an early Christmas present,' said Melissa Kahn, managing director of the Defined Contribution team at State Street Global Advisors (SSgA), in an interview yesterday.
The Seeds of Inflation are Beginning to Sprout
'Trump’s inconsistent trade policies and persistent badgering of Fed Chair Powell and his colleagues has undermined business confidence,' writes our guest columnist, an economist.
Mr. President, Please Stop Tweeting!
'If, as appears, Fed policy is truly being influenced by pressure from Trump, then we will have reckless monetary policy combined with fiscal policy that is out of control,'...
Modern Monetary Inevitabilities
'Debt resulting from tax cuts that are spent on mega-yachts would almost certainly be excessive; debt incurred to improve educational outcomes, maintain essential infrastructure, or address climate change would...
Concord Coalition blasts Trump budget proposal
'Non-defense appropriations, which make up roughly 16% of the budget, would be reduced by more than $1 trillion over 10 years. Nothing in recent experience would suggest that cuts of this...
New York proposes public-option IRA by 2021
Fewer than half of working New Yorkers have access to a retirement savings plan at work and 40% of New Yorkers ages 50 to 64 have saved less than...
New Bedfellows: Richard Neal and the 401(k) Industry
As the next Ways & Means chairman, the liberal Massachusetts congressman won't just be the gatekeeper of retirement legislation. He’s also the only legislator who can ask for President...
Expect a Rocky Return to ‘Normal Valuations’
The Fed's ability to fight the next economic downturn with monetary policy and the federal government's ability to fight it with fiscal policy will both be limited, writes our...
RIJ and others urge Senators to take action on retirement
A non-partisan group of eleven academics, researchers and journalists, including RIJ's Kerry Pechter, promised to help Sen. Cory Booker and Sen. Todd Young convene a Retirement Security Commission.
‘Rothification is a Stupid Idea’
During a panel discussion at the IRI conference, former Treasury official Seth Harris, Voya's Sean Cassidy and former Oklahoma congressman J.C. Watts shared strong opinions about tax reform, the...
Treasury solicits opinions about ultra-long bonds
The Trump administration and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin has been asking primary bond dealers if they would like the government to issue bonds with terms of 40, 50 or...
President Trump to require ‘two-for-one’ regulations
'To the extent allowed by law, any new incremental costs associated with new regulations must be offset by the elimination of existing costs associated with at least two prior...
Goodbye “Obamania.” Hello, er, “Trumpelstiltskin”?
Puns, portmanteau words and neologisms--especially those incorporating the name Trump--dominated Investopedia's annual list of financial terms whose meanings were sought most often on the information site.
Trump’s Tax Plan and the Dollar
'Trump’s proposed tax plan—particularly the border-adjustment tax—would most likely not have a positive impact on the US trade balance,' write these Ivy League economists. 'Worse, it could be very...
Policy Forecast: Gloom with a Chance of Doom
At the Employee Benefit Research Institute's policy forum in D.C. last week, retirement policy experts were not cheerful about the coming inauguration, and some feared that retirement security will...
Will pensions become subject to state income tax in Illinois?
AARP is leading an effort to prevent fiscally-challenged Illinois from taxing pension income again after a holiday of 32 years. Reinstating the tax would bring in an estimated $2...
