Search, personalize, or simply browse. Follow the world around you from gist and context to insights.
Who we are | Our Credo | Ways of using Lyrarc | FAQ | Send Feedback | First Letter From the Editor
Sign up. It's free and easy to use
Create an account
to personalize your feed of articles and topics.
Browse Articles or use Lyrarc's US patented "Groups" and "Links" for new insights. A Lyrarc Group of Articles on a topic gives insights into particular angles shown in the Group Title. A Lyrarc Link shows more specific insights for 2 articles.
Jared Berstein of the Economic Policy Institute, Peter Orszag, former director of the Congressional Budget Office, and Mayor Bloomberg of New York, say eliminating all Bush tax cuts would provide the revenue base needed to support middle class programs for future years. Orszag says making the tax code more progressive is desirable especially considering the inequality but this does not do much good if the revenue base to support middle class programs down the road is insufficient.
Linked Articles
Middle Class Malaise Complicates Democratsâ Fiscal Stance
New York Times 12/12/2012
Federal Budgets and Class WarfareWall Street Journal 03/29/2012
The need for stimulus to keep jobs for migrant workers and maintain social stability does not exist in 2012 the way it appeared in 2008, when about 20% of migrant workers lost their jobs and wages for migrant workers fell by 10%, according to estimates by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Stanford University. In 2012 there is excess demand for labor and reports show the efforts to reduce the 60 hour work week in some factories is running into problems with a shortage of labor. This means less need for stimulus that would aggravate problems in the housing bubble and inflation.
Linked Articles
China's Workers in No Need of Stimulation
Wall Street Journal 06/04/2012
China's Wage Hikes Ripple Across AsiaWall Street Journal 03/14/2012
China's premier Wen Biao told the National People's Congress, China's parliament, in March 2012, that it was urgent to tackel the "problem of uncoordinated, unbalanced, and unsustainable development." He called for "an acceleration of the transformation" of the economic model towards consumption and away from exports and infrastructure spending. The accelerated approval of 254 investment projects in May 2012 puts off this task of rebalancing development for China and the world economy. With slowing growth in China and the last Stimulus of 2008 having propelled the housing bubble, the options were limited. A decrease in the reserve requirement by 0.5% in 2012 for China's banks was not expected to spur growth because lending was not expected to increase, as the demand for loans is low. A sharp falloff in growth below 7% was feared leading to the acceleration in investment.
Linked Articles
China’s stimulus policy means trouble down the road - The Washington Post
Washington Post 05/31/2012
China Speeds Economic 'Transformation'Wall Street Journal 03/06/2012
The effort to reduce unprofitable assets and improve profit margins at Ford Motor Company.
Linked Articles
Wall Street Journal 10/29/2012
Mark Fields Is Fordâs Mr. Inside, and Its Heir ApparentNew York Times 02/18/2012
WIth lower margins than competitors General Motors (GM) is increasing the margin of safety by reducing risk levels from its underfunded pension plan.
Linked Articles
GM Acts to Pare Pension Liability
Wall Street Journal 06/02/2012
GM Cuts Benefits for Salaried StaffWall Street Journal 02/16/2012
Rice points out that diversification of the economy away from oil utilizing Russian technological capabilities will help Russia move away from the corruption of a resource based economy and build a healthy democratic setup. Putin says he recognizes the need for democratic processes to keep pace with the development of civil society and the growing middle class, but emphasizes that democracy cannot be built overnight, and places a higher priority on what he calls the "sovereignty of the people," the right to work, the right to education and free medical care.
Linked Articles
How Russia’s urban middle class can bring an end to Putinism - The Washington Post
Washington Post 03/09/2012
Vladimir Putin: My vision for a better Russia - The Washington PostWashington Post 02/09/2012
The culture at Goldman Sachs and on Wall Street and the growing feeling that a shift to growth in other fields is a healthy development for New York and the U.S.
Linked Articles
Public Rebuke of Culture at Goldman Sachs
New York Times 03/14/2012
Wall Street Meets RealityNew York Times 12/27/2011
The acceleration of the 254 investment projects in China in May 2012 will only worsen existing problemsof the housing bubble, glut in steel production, overemphasis on infrastructure spending at the expense of consumption, negligible earnings on savings for ordinary families accompanied with unaffordability of housing, underinvestment in healthcare, creating more imbalances that will need to be addressed in a crisis atmosphere.
Linked Articles
China’s stimulus policy means trouble down the road - The Washington Post
Washington Post 05/31/2012
We all have a stake in China’s real estate bubble - The Washington PostWashington Post 12/24/2011
Harvard labor economist Lawrence Katz says the long term unemployed who are dropping out of the labor market represent one of three job crises facing America. The other two are the effects of manufacturing automation reducing demand for workers in new plants, and the effects of foreclosures and debt.
Linked Articles
Piecing Together the Job-Picture Puzzle
Wall Street Journal 03/12/2012
The Next First (and Only) 100 DaysNew York Times 12/10/2011
Linked Articles
George Shultz: Memo to Romney — Expand the Pie
Wall Street Journal 07/14/2012
The Next First (and Only) 100 DaysNew York Times 12/10/2011
Linked Articles
No Money for a Living Wage? But Fat Abounds
New York Times 11/29/2011
Mexicans in New York City Lag in EducationNew York Times 11/24/2011
In the Wickard-Filburn decision the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled against an Ohio farmer, Mr. Filburn, who questioned a federal law that imposed a penalty for every extra bushel of wheat grown beyond a stipulated amount. The briefs presented by both parties present arguments about what are the limits of federal power under its powers to regulate interstate commerce and in what circumstances- with the Obama administration arguing that it imposes larger costs on people in all states if some people refuse to buy insurance.
Linked Articles
At Center of Health Care Fight, Roscoe Filburn's 1942 Case
New York Times 03/19/2012
Health Insurance and the Broccoli TestNew York Times 11/15/2011
Linked Articles
Wall Street Journal 09/29/2011
For First Time, Largest Group of Poor Children in U.S. Are Latino, Report FindsWall Street Journal 09/29/2011
Linked Articles
Education Slowdown Threatens U.S.
Wall Street Journal 04/26/2012
Student-Loan Debt Tops $1 TrillionWall Street Journal 03/22/2012
Finance Minister Luis de Guindos sees Spain loosing either way with spending cuts that worsen high unemployment and lower economic growth leading to a worsening debt to GDP ratio in 2012, and this situation in turn raising its borrowing costs on $86 billion in debt issuance for 2012. He estimates the debt to GDP ratio will increase under the 2012 budget of 27 billion euros in cuts and an economy shrinking by 1.7% in 2012, by 10% from 2011 to 78%. Markets are focussing on debt in Portugal and Spain in 2012, after focussing on Greece and Italy in 2011.
Linked Articles
Spain Faces Risks in Budget Refit
Wall Street Journal 04/03/2012
Spain Struggles to Unite Regional Leaders on CutsNew York Times 03/06/2012
Cochrane points to regulations and laws that support high prices of medical carein the U.S., by reducing competition and restricting supply of doctors and suppliers of medical care. He says the mandate most likely would not even be necessary under such a system because the costs of healthcare in the U.S. would be so much lower.
Linked Articles
What to Do on the Day After ObamaCare
Wall Street Journal 04/03/2012
Why an MRI costs $1,080 in America and $280 in France - The Washington PostWashington Post 03/05/2012
Detroit automakers profit margins lag behind Hyundai and VW which have 9% margins. The lower margins leaves Detroit automakers more exposed to risks from swings in the market. Detroit automakers are showing improved discipline in reducing inventory overhang and keeping supply in closee relation to demand. Still Ford's small car inventory is much higher than normal and Ford needs to reduce production to balance supply and demand at its higher prices.
Linked Articles
Detroit's Welcome Sticker Shock
Wall Street Journal 05/04/2012
GM Cuts Benefits for Salaried StaffWall Street Journal 02/16/2012
In response to the policy of the Reseve Bank of India (RBI), India's central bank, to hold off on interest rate changes till the government takes action in reducing the deficit, the Indian government lays out a plan to bring the deficit down to 3% by 2017, and 5.3% in the fiscal year ending March 2013. The government is under pressure to come up with an economic strategy to deal with the slowing economy with growth forecasts lowered to 5-6.5% for 2012. The risk of India's credit rating being being lowered to junk status and drastic slowdown in foreign investment is creating a crisis atmosphere after a period of indecison.
Linked Articles
India Lays Out Deficit Targets
Wall Street Journal 10/30/2012
Indian Central Banker Hits His Government's SpendingWall Street Journal 02/14/2012
Under Spain's decentralized system of government regions prove education, healthcare and other services. The 2011 deficit target in Spain was exceeded largely because of spending by local governments. The new government of Mariano Rajoy has announced moves to control regional spending.
Linked Articles
Madrid to Curb Spending by Powerful Regions
Wall Street Journal 01/18/2012
Spanish Regional Governments to Get AidNew York Times 01/19/2012
Critics say the Democratic Party of Japan should have invested efforts in its election promises to cut wasteful spending. Polls show a majority of Japanese oppose the doubling of the sales tax to 10%.
Linked Articles
Vote Ensures Japan Will Double Sales Tax to 10%
Wall Street Journal 06/27/2012
Tokyo's Move to Raise Tax Hits SnagWall Street Journal 12/27/2011
Linked Articles
Lego Educationâs Leader, on Career Building Blocks
New York Times 10/06/2012
Lego Is for GirlsBusinessWeek 12/14/2011
It is becoming harder to reduce unemployment with the larger use of automation and robotics in today's new plants creating fewer jobs than in the past.
Linked Articles
Man vs. Machine, a Jobless Recovery
Wall Street Journal 01/17/2012
The Next First (and Only) 100 DaysNew York Times 12/10/2011
As the OECD report shows income inequality is a global trend over the last three decades. This is further exacerabated by austerity policies. Causes of this range from education to favored treatment of economic sectors with greater influence on government.
Linked Articles
Angry about inequality? Don’t blame the rich. - The Washington Post
Washington Post 01/28/2012
OECD report cites rising income inequality - The Washington PostWashington Post 12/06/2011
Limiting tax deductions, loopholes to say $35,000 for high income earners goes further than earlier proposals from Obama advisors to limit tax deductions to 28% in distributing the tax burden more equitably. Obama advisor, Christina Romer, and Romney advisor Feldstein, support limiting tax deductions in this way to help reduce the deficit, creating the basis for an agreement between Republicans and Democrats.
Linked Articles
Budget Showdown Offers an Opportunity for Progress
New York Times 11/10/2012
GOP supercommittee members’ tax plan gives party an identity crisis - The Washington PostWashington Post 11/17/2011
Volcker's letter of comments on the Rule and the interview with Pete Rose. Here he says why this will make financial markets a safer place and why it will lead to healthy financial markets. The financial industry is opposing the Volcker Rule.
Linked Articles
Volcker to Push Back on Banks' Trading
Wall Street Journal 02/13/2012
Charlie Rose Talks to Paul VolckerBusinessWeek 10/27/2011
We took a different way to help millions around the world build educated informed mindsets that affects and shapes their lives. For a future that is open, global and digital, with everyone having access to high quality information. We believe in the renewal of America, renewal of Europe, the renewal of India, the rest of Asia, Latin America and Africa. The renewal of our supply chains, health, education, infrastructure, as we rebuild our countries after the pandemic. Literacy and knowledge we believe cannot thrive and grow in a world of web bots, web crawlers, or AI. This requires human curiosity, human learning, and human imagination. We take as inspiration the saying- “One has to be free, and as broad as sky. One has to have a mind that is crystal clear, only then can truth shine in it.” Every contribution whether big or small is precious- in this crisis and ahead.
Support Lyrarc from as small as $1