Wednesday, December 29, 2010

The Effects of Inequality

Tyler Cowen asks:

"Does growing wealth and income inequality in the United States presage the downfall of the American republic? Will we evolve into a new Gilded Age plutocracy, irrevocably split between the competing interests of rich and poor? Or is growing inequality a mere bump in the road, a statistical blip along the path to greater wealth for virtually every American? Or is income inequality partially desirable, reflecting the greater productivity of society’s stars?"

... "We have to find a way to prevent or limit major banks from repeatedly going short on volatility at social expense. No one has figured out how to do that yet."

Read more in his fascinating article, "The Inequality That Matters," in The American Interest.

Friday, December 10, 2010

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Quote for the Day

Sooner or later we all discover that the important moments in life are not the advertised ones, not the birthdays, the graduations, the weddings, not the great goals achieved. The real milestones are less prepossessing. They come to the door of memory unannounced, stray dogs that amble in, sniff around a bit and simply never leave. Our lives are measured by these.   - Susan B. Anthony