Mostra i risultati per autore "Robert J. Samuelson"

Call it the Sputnik Syndrome.

"Are We Getting Sputnik Syndrome All over Again?" is from the April 11, 2018 Opinion section of The Washington Post. It was written by Robert J. Samuelson and narrated by Sam Scholl.

History is what we make of it — and sometimes we make a real hash. I take as my text for the sermon that follows an op-ed in the New York Times this week by Times columnist David Leonhardt. The headline tells it all: “Democrats, the Real Fiscal Conservatives.” Are you kidding?

"Deficit Addiction Is a Bipartisan Disease" is from the April 18, 2018 Opinion section of The Washington Post. It was written by Robert J. Samuelson and narrated by Sam Scholl.

To those paying attention, the recent strikes for higher teachers’ pay in West Virginia and Oklahoma are a harbinger of things to come. You can attribute the strikes to the stinginess of the states’ political leaders. After all, average annual teachers’ salaries in these states ranked, respectively, 49th-lowest (Oklahoma at $45,276) and 48th-lowest (West Virginia, $45,622) in 2016, reports the National Education Association. But that’s the superficial explanation. The deeper cause is that teachers — and schools — are competing with the elderly for scarce funds.The struggle will intensify.

"The Deeper Cause Behind the School Strikes: Teachers Are Competing with the Elderly" is from the April 08, 2018 Opinion section of The Washington Post. It was written by Robert J. Samuelson and narrated by Sam Scholl.

The Congressional Budget Office last week released its annual budget and economic outlook report, and although the news was gruesome, the report was greeted in Washington with a giant yawn. The assumption among Republicans and Democrats is that the political rewards for curbing runaway budget deficits are too meager to justify the risks. There’s a consensus to do nothing — and to hope that nothing goes disastrously wrong.

"Both Parties Have a Plan for the Debt Crisis: Do Nothing" is from the April 15, 2018 Opinion section of The Washington Post. It was written by Robert J. Samuelson and narrated by Sam Scholl.

A few years ago — probably four or five — I had an unexpected and terrifying thought: We could have World War III. Until then, I had blissfully believed, along with (I suspect) billions of others, that a nuclear holocaust — the shape of World War III — had been rendered obsolete by MAD (“mutually assured destruction”) and political and military safeguards to prevent accidental attacks.

"The Optimists Are Striking Back. Good." is from the March 11, 2018 Opinion section of The Washington Post. It was written by Robert J. Samuelson and narrated by Sam Scholl.

It is March 2009. The American economy is rapidly collapsing. The previous month, payroll jobs had dropped by a staggering 650,000. The grim outlook stokes gallows humor. Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke receives a call from a top Fed official.

"How Powerful Is the Fed?" is from the March 13, 2018 Opinion section of The Washington Post. It was written by Robert J. Samuelson and narrated by Sam Scholl.

It is far too early to render final judgment on the Obama presidency. All the chatter about his “legacy” overlooks two obvious realities. The significance of President Obama will depend heavily on events that have not yet happened (for starters, the fate of the Iranian nuclear deal) and comparisons, for better or worse, with his successor. Still, it’s possible to make some tentative observations.

"What Obama Deserves Credit for — and Doesn’t" is from the January 15, 2017 Opinion section of The Washington Post. It was written by Robert J. Samuelson and narrated by Sam Scholl.

Growing up isn’t what it used to be. There’s a yawning gap between the end of adolescence and the beginning of adulthood: a period when millions of 20-somethings and 30-somethings have many adult freedoms without all the responsibilities. Social scientists have tried — so far in vain — to name this new life-stage, but no one should question its significance.

"For Young Americans, Growing up Isn't What It Used to Be" is from the April 26, 2017 Opinions section of The Washington Post. It was written by Robert J. Samuelson and narrated by Sam Scholl.

Maybe, says Cowen, an economist at George Mason University. But he doesn’t blame the usual suspects: debt hangover from the 2008-09 financial crisis (consumers and firms repay loans rather than spend on goods and services); huge trade deficits; or the impotency of government policies — rock-bottom interest rates and big budget deficits — to spur growth.

"Have Americans Gone Complacent?" is from the February 28, 2017 Opinions section of The Washington Post. It was written by  Robert J. Samuelson  and narrated by Sam Scholl.

The United States may have escaped most digital damage from this month’s unleashing of a global “ransomware” virus, though cyber-experts fear more attacks.

"America's Dangerous Internet Delusion" is from the May 21, 2017 Opinions section of The Washington Post. It was written by Robert J. Samuelson and narrated by Sam Scholl.

Globalization strikes again. The latest target is entrepreneurship.

"The U.S. Has Lost Its Entrepreneurial Advantage" is from the October 24, 2018 Opinion section of The Washington Post. It was written by Robert J. Samuelson and narrated by Sam Scholl.

Who lost Lehman Brothers? Could it have been saved?

"Lehman Brothers Collapsed 10 Years Ago. Whose Fault Was It?" is from the August 26, 2018 Opinion section of The Washington Post. It was written by Robert J. Samuelson and narrated by Sam Scholl.

When the North American Free Trade Agreement took effect in 1994, it was widely regarded — by friend and foe alike — as an ambitious experiment in economic engineering. To advocates, it promised the benefits of stronger economic growth for its three member countries: Canada, Mexico and the United States. To its adversaries, it threatened the loss of well-paid U.S. manufacturing jobs to low-wage countries.

"NAFTA Is Dead. Long Live NAFTA." is from the August 29, 2018 Opinion section of The Washington Post. It was written by Robert J. Samuelson and narrated by Sam Scholl.

Just when it seemed safe not to worry about the next financial crisis, up pops Italy. “In Italy, lavish plans may propel next crisis,” warned the New York Times. Or, “Italy’s budget rattles financial markets on debt crisis fears,” said Sky News.

"Can Italy’s Debt Monster Be Controlled?" is from the October 17, 2018 Opinion section of The Washington Post. It was written by Robert J. Samuelson and narrated by Sam Scholl.

It has long been an accepted axiom in the United States — and also in many other advanced democracies — that the future would be better than the past. People took it for granted that living standards would rise and that life would be more comfortable and stable. Well, kiss that optimism goodbye.

"We’re Kissing Our Optimism Goodbye" is from the September 18, 2018 Opinion section of The Washington Post. It was written by Robert J. Samuelson and narrated by Sam Scholl.

The news is better than you might think.

"Times Are Good, but Don’t Sleep at the Wheel" is from the September 05, 2018 Opinion section of The Washington Post. It was written by Robert J. Samuelson and narrated by Sam Scholl.

Ten years after the onset of the 2008-2009 financial crisis, we’re swamped with studies and reminiscences. What are the legacies of the crisis? How long will they endure? Are they accurate — or just convenient scapegoats? Here are three takeaways.

"Three Big Takeaways from the Financial Crisis" is from the September 12, 2018 Opinion section of The Washington Post. It was written by Robert J. Samuelson and narrated by Sam Scholl.

The Economist magazine is marking its 175th birthday with a special issue that looks back on its history and speculates about the future. It is a sobering exercise, highlighting the present breakdown in the world’s political order, a collapse made worse by President Trump but not caused by him.

"Liberalism 3.0?" is from the September 23, 2018 Opinion section of The Washington Post. It was written by Robert J. Samuelson and narrated by Sam Scholl.

We now have a new paper from economist Robert J. Gordon of Northwestern University that seeks to answer a great puzzle of our time: “Why has economic growth slowed when innovation appears to be accelerating?” In the process, Gordon illuminates a dispute between the Trump administration (which thinks growth can be increased) and its critics (who are dubious).

"Think Innovation Will Save the Economy? That’s Probably an Illusion." is from the May 02, 2018 Opinion section of The Washington Post. It was written by Robert J. Samuelson and narrated by Sam Scholl.

Let’s travel back in time to 1995. Most Americans still remembered the calamitous inflation of the late 1970s (prices rose 13 percent in 1979). Many federal benefits, including Social Security, were (and are) tied to inflation. But was the inflation overstated, as many economists thought? If so, the economy might be doing better than reported. To answer that question, the Senate appointed a commission, headed by Stanford economist Michael Boskin, to weigh the evidence.

"Think There’s Been a Productivity Boom? Think Again." is from the August 01, 2018 Opinion section of The Washington Post. It was written by Robert J. Samuelson and narrated by Sam Scholl.