Politics Roundtable

Politics Roundtable

Political blogs of interest to economists.

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May 18, 2013, 10:19 am, 1095180
(Scott Johnson)

One of the articles of impeachment against Richard Nixon included his alleged misuse of the IRS. Article 2 of the Articles of Impeachment was carefully framed to charge that Nixon “endeavored to obtain from the Internal Revenue Service, in violation of the constitutional rights of citizens, ...


May 18, 2013, 10:18 am, 1095179

Sturmbannfuehrer Gricksch for SS-Col. von Herff and Reichsfuehrer-SS Himmler:

The Auschwitz camp plays a special role in the resolution of the Jewish question. The most advance methods permit the execution of the Fuehrer-order in the shortest possible ...


May 18, 2013, 12:19 am, 1095139
(John Hinderaker)

I was on Hugh Hewitt’s radio show last night, talking about the Benghazi talking point emails. Near the end of the segment, Hugh asked whether I thought the presidential election might have turned out differently if Obama and Clinton had not succeeded in covering up the truth ...


May 18, 2013, 12:18 am, 1095138

May 17, 2013, 8:19 pm, 1095117
In our large and complex societies policymakers are, inevitably, using numerical indicators in an effort to target well-being. But these indicators are often deeply flawed. My previous post pointed out some of the flaws in the use of GDP per capita as a measure of social well-being. But there is ...


May 17, 2013, 6:19 pm, 1095084
(John Hinderaker)

Former acting IRS Commissioner Steve Miller testified before the House Ways and Means Committee today; Paul live-blogged his appearance. My friend Jeff Davis compiled this video of highlights of today’s proceedings. As usual, the highlights consist more of the Congressmen’s questions than Miller’s answers, but the video ...


May 17, 2013, 6:18 pm, 1095083


May 17, 2013, 12:19 pm, 1094864
(Paul Mirengoff)

Steve Miller, former acting Commissioner of the IRS, is testifying before the House Ways and Means Oversight subcommittee. Paul Ryan has just taken him to task for his prior testimony to Congress. Ryan demonstrated that Miller failed to meet his obligation to tell Congress the whole ...


May 17, 2013, 12:19 pm, 1094863
(Steven Hayward)

I had to doublecheck the calendar this morning to make sure I hadn’t woken up back on April 1, for a couple of the front section headines in today’s Wall Street Journal had me wondering.  Such as: “As Hepatitis C Spreads, Scotland Steps In.”  Scotland?  Since when did ...


May 17, 2013, 10:19 am, 1094793
(Scott Johnson)

CBS News reports:

Boston bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev left a note claiming responsibility for the April 15 attack on the Boston Marathon, reports CBS News senior correspondent John Miller.

Sources tell Miller that Tsarnaev wrote the note in the boat he was hiding in as police pursued him, and ...


May 17, 2013, 10:18 am, 1094792

Usually the fact that Gillian Tett is an anthropologist rather than an economist serves her well. It means that she sees things that others do not see, and that she is sensitively attuned the beliefs and expectations of those who make up the economy.

Usually.

Most days.

But ...


May 17, 2013, 8:19 am, 1094722
(Scott Johnson)

Peter Baker reports on President Obama’s frustrations in the New York Times:

In private, [Obama] has talked longingly of “going Bulworth,” a reference to a little-remembered 1998 Warren Beatty movie about a senator who risked it all to say what he really thought. While Mr. Beatty’s character had ...


May 17, 2013, 8:18 am, 1094721

L'Esprit de l'Escalier: May 17, 2013

Gene Grady writes: "I wouldn't rate [even early Gertrude] Himmelfarb too highly. Her essay on Buchan from ca. 1956, while having the merit of paying attention to a then neglected writer, is full of nonsense ...


May 17, 2013, 8:18 am, 1094720

The Memphis Belle flies its 25th bombing mission — History.com:

On this day in 1943, the crew of the Memphis Belle, one of a group of American bombers based in Britain, becomes the first B-17 crew to complete 25 missions over Europe.

...


May 17, 2013, 6:18 am, 1094665

John Holbo on Kevin Williamson:

Minority Outreach Report: It’s the comments that get me, and make me sorry for all the times I’ve said, ‘A-ha! so there are two Confusatrons!’ rather than saving that line for a more special occasion…. The inability of conservatives ...


May 17, 2013, 12:19 am, 1094577
(Paul Mirengoff)

A reader provided me with several useful comments on my post regarding the Republican share of the Hispanic vote in presidential elections since 1980. First, he says that the figure I used for George W. Bush’s share in 2004 — 43 percent — is an ...


May 17, 2013, 12:19 am, 1094576
(Paul Mirengoff)

If this were April 1, I’d bet that the following headline from ABC News is a joke: “IRS Official in Charge During Tea Party Targeting Now Runs Health Care Office.” But the joke is on us. Here’s the story:

Sarah Hall Ingram served as commissioner ...


May 17, 2013, 12:19 am, 1094575
(Steven Hayward)

I already thought National Review‘s Kevin Williamson, author of the fine new book The End Is Near And It’s Going to Be Awesome was a total stud, but after last night’s bravado performance in ...