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Hillary Clinton's plan to change the way the capital gains tax works to encourage long term investors
07/27/2015
Under Hillary Clinton's plan the lower rates for capital gains tax would be introduced with a sliding scale at the highest tax bracket of 39.6%, with the rate gradually declining in year 4, and the rate not reaching the current rate of 23.6% (20% plus a 3.6% surcharge) till year 6 following the investment. Clinton calls it a way to restrain "quarterly capitalism," disincentivize "cut and run shareholders," and incentivize investors "to build companies." One unintended effect of this could also be the shift away from investments that do not support improving productivity levels, to investments that have a longer horizon and have a material effect on productivity growth. Especially considering the low productivity growth improvements in the last decade, as productivity growth will be needed to break out of a period of stagnant wages.
Linked Articles
Wall Street Journal 07/29/2015
Hillary Clinton Aim Is to Thwart Quick Buck on Wall StreetNew York Times 07/27/2015
Lack of individual accountability for banks in legal settlements with regulators- (2) the old management still in place, " a solution to the problem or part of it?"
05/24/2015
The question put by Mr. Han Martin-Buhlmann of shareholder association VIP at the June shareholder meeting of Deutsche Bank was- "Mr. Jain are a solution to the problem or part of it?" Over a week later a new CEO was appointed.
Linked Articles
Economist 06/13/2015
Shareholders’ Rebuke Pressures Deutsche Bank CEOs to PerformWall Street Journal 05/24/2015
Ban on election advertising on commercial television and radio in Britain and strict limits of $29.5 million for each party in general elections- contrast with the U.S.
05/02/2015
Britain disproves the popular belief that an ever upward trajectory for election spending is inevitable. The 2010 general election in Britain cost half that of the 1880 general election in 2002 prices, say researchers. In the U.S. spending has increased to the point where candidates may be spending more time fund raising than talking about the issues. The 2016 presidential election in the U.S. is estimated to lead to $10 billion in spending. India, Brazil, and other developing countries face a similar situation.
Linked Articles
Britain’s Campaign Finance Laws Leave Parties With Idle Money
New York Times 05/04/2015
F.E.C. Can’t Curb 2016 Election Abuse, Commission Chief SaysNew York Times 05/02/2015
The case for a minimum wage for U.S. workers with families to support- how Australia approaches the issue taking into account the median wage
12/31/2014
Australia's minimum wage is 54% of the median wage, compared to 38% for the U.S., according to the OECD. Australia's wage setting body sets the minimum wage for workers over 20 years of age, and takes into account the median wage in the interest of fairness. Workers with families to support need the Australian minimum wage of 16.87 Australian dollars ($13 U.S.). All of this money goes into consumer spending providing an immediate boost to the economy.
Linked Articles
Australia Weighs Whether Its Minimum Wage Is Too High
Wall Street Journal 01/26/2015
States’ Minimum Wages Rise, Helping Millions of WorkersNew York Times 12/31/2014
Abenomics advisers Yamamoto and Hamada, and Japanese prime minister Abe's decision in Nov. 2014 to challenge the Finance Ministry's views
11/20/2014
Abe calls for a snap election in Dec. 2014 after delaying the second increase in the consumption tax from 8% to 10% in 2015. About 53% of the Japanese public opposed the doubling of the consumption tax by 2015 in 2011 poll as the DPJ party Noda administration pushed for it on the advice of the Finance Ministry. Now after the 3rd quarter showed Japan in a recession over 70% of the Japanese public oppose a second increase in the consumption tax to 10% from 8% in 2015. Abenomics advisors Hamada and Yamamoto now say this increase in the tax (especially when wages are only gradually increasing) was never a part of the Abenomics.
Linked Articles
Japan’s No. 1 Reflationist Does a Victory Dance
Wall Street Journal 11/20/2014
With Bad Economic News for Japan, Abe’s Magic Seems to EvaporateNew York Times 11/20/2014
The failure of Maliki to reduce sectarianism in Iraq, and the failure of the Obama administration's Middle East policy, lead to reversal of years of effort in Iraq
08/15/2014
WSJ reporter Bradley talks to Maliki's aides who say he is only interested in personal power not the future of Iraq. Gen. James Jones, National Security Advisor to U.S. president Obama 2009-2010, says Maliki's corrupt policies and using increased sectarian conflict to further personal power, and president Obama's failure to act in Syria when chemical weapons were used as well as not maintaining a training presence after the withdrawal, are both responsible for the summer 2014 collapse in Iraq.
Linked Articles
How to Save Iraq and Honor American Sacrifice
Wall Street Journal 08/15/2014
Iraq Crisis: Nouri al-Maliki QuitsWall Street Journal 08/15/2014
Khedery and Talabani on getting it right in Iraq- finally- after the Saddam and Maliki years
08/15/2014
Linked Articles
Saving Iraq in the Post-Maliki Era
Wall Street Journal 12/09/2014
Iraq’s Last ChanceNew York Times 08/15/2014
BaFin, German federal financial regulatory authority, and the problems at Deutsche Bank- regulators slow to act on information
03/28/2014
Eyk Henning of the WSJ points out the slow response of regulator BaFin to information about problems at Deutsche Bank that suggest a broken culture in a report on March 28, 2014. This comes 6 years after the WSJ first reported the LIBOR rate manipulation in 2008 leading to British and U.S. regulatory investigations. In April 2015 Deutsche Bank made a legal settlement for LIBOR rate manipulation of $2.5 billion with U.S. and British regulators. As the time when regulatory authority passes to the European Central Bank, and after a period of 7 years since the 2008 WSJ report, BaFin finally sends its report on the broken culture at the bank. A month later the two co-CEO's at the bank resign.
Linked Articles
Germany Blasts Deutsche Bank Executives Over Culture
Wall Street Journal 07/17/2015
German Financial Watchdog Bites BackWall Street Journal 03/28/2014
GE (General Electric) low tax rate of 4.2% in 2013, 10.3% in 2014, and the move to a normal tax rate in 2015
03/05/2014
An aggressive policy of tax reduction using GE Capital at GE leads to an astonishingly low tax rate. Shareholders see the uncertainty from GE Capital's volatile earnings and tax strategies with great skepticism. GE shares dropped to $6 during the 2008 global financial crisis because of GE Capital losses, and GE needed government rescue funds. The day CEO Immelt announced the decision to exit the banking business GE shares went up by 11%. GE's tax rate without the banking business will go up to about 20%.
Linked Articles
Price of Selling GE Capital? Tax Breaks
Wall Street Journal 04/14/2015
How corporate America is losing the debate on taxesWashington Post 03/05/2014
Emilio Lozoya, new CEO of Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex), and one of the toughest jobs in the business world
08/18/2013
The challenges facing Lozoya at Pemex and the execution following the new oil law that could promise a brighter future for Mexico.
Linked Articles
Mexico's Pemex Looks to Tap U.S. Shale
Wall Street Journal 08/18/2013
Pemex CEO: Mexican Energy Overhaul Opens OpportunityWall Street Journal 12/14/2013
The moral value of the U.S. presidency - the Obama years (1)
06/29/2013
Linked Articles
Economist 11/06/2014
Mandela and ObamaNew York Times 06/29/2013
The common challenges facing Pakistan's elected democratic government and its military leaders in modernizing the economy
05/18/2013
A new dynamic is taking hold in South Asia even as Indian officials remain skeptical. China's prime minister Li Keqiang visits India with a trade delegaton and sees trade reaching $100 billion a year between the two countries and growing rapidly. Pakistan's military and civilian leaders also see the urgency for modernizing the economy and building infrastructure as Pakistan begins to catchup with its neighbors in Asia.
Linked Articles
Pakistan army chief meets incoming prime minister in ‘good omen’ - The Washington Post
Washington Post 05/20/2013
In a Journey on a Crumbling Railway, a Picture of a Nationâs TroublesNew York Times 05/18/2013
President Obama's call for "our generation's task" to address a shrinking middle class and most of the questions remaining unanswered
02/13/2013
The economic patterns that are causing the middle class to shrink over two decades remain stubbornly in place, and the factors that have compounded this in recent years also remain unaddressed.
Linked Articles
Obama, in State of the Union, makes case that middle class is job one - The Washington Post
Washington Post 02/13/2013
Growth isn’t enough to help the middle class - The Washington PostWashington Post 02/14/2013
The real story behind the higher growth in the Reagan-Clinton years, the lower growth during the Bush-Obama years and Jeb Bush's 4% target
06/18/2015
Linked Articles
New York Times 06/19/2015
Hillary Got It Right About GrowthWall Street Journal 06/18/2015
Economic changes in the first year of the Modi administration in India- groundwork for 2016-2018
05/23/2015
Linked Articles
Economist 05/23/2015
How to run a continentEconomist 05/23/2015
The challenges facing K-12 education in the U.S. in 2015 with a larger proportion of children from less affluent and poor backgrounds, and two thirds of American children failing math and reading proficiency required levels in 8th grade for 2015
01/17/2015
With a majority of children in California, Texas, and some midwestern states in the U.S. from less affluent or poor backgrounds, and about two thirds of all American students failiing to meet required proficiency in math and reading at 8th grade, the educational challenge of of creating a well qualified work force to build America's future is daunting. Eight years of policy changes in education and private efforts have failed to produce adequate results.
Linked Articles
U.S. student performance slips on national test - The Washington Post
Washington Post 10/28/2015
Majority of U.S. public school students are in poverty - The Washington PostWashington Post 01/17/2015
The miscalculations and missteps of Russian president Putin in 2014 leading to a major crisis for the Russian economy in 2015
12/18/2014
A major miscalculation was totally misjudging Merkel and post-war German public opinion about policies that remind people about the period between the two World Wars- this is anathema to Germans who see the European Union as a way to build a new and different Europe. The other miscalculation was on how a foreign adventurous policy in Syria would affect Sunni world opinion, in particular Saudi Arabia. Just as Brezhnev took Russia into Afghanistan where Russia had no vital interest leading to eventual Soviet collapse, Putin risked alienating a key member in OPEC pricing moves and hurting Russia's economic interest. By not listening to Kudrin, the head of Sberbank, and other economic advisers from the first and second terms of the Putin-Medvedev administrations, Putin opened the door to two years of serious missteps, risking the very real accomplishments of the first and second term of creating a stable growing Russian economy with close economic ties to Europe. The only positive outcome of the crisis and low oil prices would be making the shift away from oil dependence, which was talked about but never seriously attempted in the Putin administrations. For this to happen major new investments would have to be made and technology links to the outside strengthened, both hammered by the missteps in 2013-2014. The irony of all this is that Putin gained the support of rural Russians in the countryside in the 2012 presidential elections by promising no return to the economic crisis conditions following earlier ruble collapses. Now by ignoring Kudrin and other wiser counsel from the first and second administrations he does just that.
Linked Articles
Putin’s Year of Defiance and Miscalculation
Wall Street Journal 12/18/2014
Russian President Vladimir Putin Seeks to Reassure on EconomyWall Street Journal 12/18/2014
Bank of Japan's Kuroda adopts the ECB's Draghi's stance on the economy, saying "we will do whatever it takes" in Nov. 2014
10/31/2014
Efforts by Kuroda to reach the 2% inflation target in 2 years.
Linked Articles
Bank of Japan Announces Massive Stimulus Move
Wall Street Journal 11/01/2014
Japan Abruptly Acts to Stimulate EconomyNew York Times 10/31/2014
Haider al-Abadi and Iraq's effort to bring Sunnis and Shiites together to reverse years of sectarian conflict 2014-2015
08/15/2014
Linked Articles
Next Leader May Echo Maliki, but Iraqis Hope for New Results
New York Times 08/19/2014
Iraq’s Last ChanceNew York Times 08/15/2014
The deteriorating situation for the U.S. long term unemployed and workers seeking fulltime but stuck in part time low paying jobs
04/04/2014
By March 2014 about 6 years after the 2008 financial crisis 7.4 million workers could not find full time work.
Linked Articles
It's Still Bad for the Long Term Unemployed
New York Times 04/04/2014
The Decline of WorkWall Street Journal 04/05/2014
Greece's Path Back (1) - A Win for the Samaras government by April 2014 as Greece's 5 year bond yield reaches 4.95% and negotiations with the EU end favorably
03/18/2014
Linked Articles
Greece Gets Strong Demand for Bond
Wall Street Journal 04/10/2014
Greece Reaches Deal to Release Foreign Rescue FundsNew York Times 03/18/2014
An assessment of Germany's Angela Merkel's 10 years in office (2)- from the eurozone crisis to Ukraine and the refugee crisis
08/23/2013
Linked Articles
Germans Respond to Merkel's 'Motherly' Side
Wall Street Journal 08/23/2013
The refugee crisis could actually be a boon for Germany - The Washington PostWashington Post 09/10/2015
Norway parliament's decision to divest holdings in companies 30% dependent on coal opens up the debate on coal- (2) a study showing 5 years less life expectancy in areas north of the Yangste river in China
07/09/2013
Linked Articles
Norway Will Divest From Coal in Push Against Climate Change
New York Times 06/05/2015
Air Pollution From Coal Use Cuts Lifespans in China, Study ShowsWall Street Journal 07/09/2013
Apple CEO Tim Cook's management style
06/12/2013
Linked Articles
Jonathan Ive on Apple's Design Process and Product Philosophy
New York Times 06/16/2014
Apple's Rising Star: Craig FederighiWall Street Journal 06/12/2013
Policy contrast between socialist governments in Venezuela and Bolivia
04/12/2013
Bolivia's socialist government of Evo Morales has taken a different approach by reducing subsidies and increasing gasoline prices to about $2.00 a gallon in 2013. Salaries of governent workers was also increased by 20% in 2013, and additional 10% added to price of locally produced grain and corn, in policy actions. Morales cited as a reason the $150 million in smuggling to neighboring countries of the $660 million in gasoline imports, wasting a significant part of the $380 million annual state gasoline subsidy which could be used for infrastructure. In Venezuela both opposing candidates for president Maduro and Capriles supported the state subsidy for gasoline that is exceptional among developing countries, and at a time when Venezuela is short of foreign currency for other imports.
Linked Articles
Almost-Free Gas Comes at a High Cost
Wall Street Journal 04/12/2013
Turnabout in Bolivia as Economy Rises From InstabilityNew York Times 02/16/2014
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