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A row about fiscal policy has far more than just numbers at stake E VEN THE hardiest of EU veterans find the gatherings of its finance ministers tough-going. 'Soul-crushing' is [...]

Amusement gave way to bemusement as we witnessed a strange idea gain currency, as it were, among a class of pundits and Twitterers who found the standoff over the debt [...]

Byline: Charlie Cook Just about anyone who follows baseball has seen a game where all the close calls seem to go one way, benefiting one team at the expense of [...]

Byline: Taylor West and Peter Bell Do you think that Rep. Paul Ryan's budget blueprint will help or hurt your party politically? Democrats (25 votes) Help a lot: 64% Help [...]

Byline: Source: BEEF Washington, D.C., is deadlocked on the question of whether to raise the federal debt ceiling*aabove $14.3 trillion by the Aug. 2 deadline set by the Obama administration. [...]

Even as American voters have entertained the prospect of electing a 'compassionate conservative' as president, there is little evidence the public is in a conservative mood. In fact, an unusual [...]

This statement to the House Subcommittee on Domestic Monetary Policy suggests government policies that would contribute to economic stabilization and lower interest rates. Congress should remove constraints on interest payments on deposits is one suggestion. Also, a uniform, low-level reserve requirement on all liabilities of financial institutions should be imposed. These policy measures, along with others, would help stabilize the relationship between actions of the Federal Reserve Board and response in monetary growth, leading to continuing real economic growth.

The GOP leadership has been bolder in cutting taxes, and better at the politics of selling the idea to America, than any such venture since the '94 Contract With America. Polls show that the public supports them.

A Gallup survey performed Dec. 8-15, 1997, showed that more Canadians expect the country's economy to improve over the next six months. Of those polled, 29% expect improvement, while just 14% anticipate a downturn. Economic optimism is highest in Ontario and Quebec, both at 31%, and lowest in British Columbia, at 18%. More than one-third, 34% believe the nation's finances have improved over the last six months.

Over 100 economists sent President Bush an open letter on the economy, suggesting an increase in deficit spending for economic recovery. The letter contained proposals for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates, increases in federal aid to state governments and fiscal policies encouraging investment such as a tax credit. A tax cut was opposed in the letter because it would increase consumption rather than investment.

The entire Treasury market got a boost yesterday when the Federal Reserve let the market know it was easing short-term rate as dealers prepared to bid on the first leg [...]