Our Manifesto

Guerrilla Economics
To all of our clients and friends, best wishes for a wonderful and prosperous New Year. With the coming year, we are certain to see more state level tax increases......read more.

From our Friends at the Public Affairs Council
Public Affairs Council President, Doug Pinkham had an excellent post in his blog last week (see http://pac.org/blog). In it he set out a top ten list of public affairs trends for 2010.

I thought that this was an excellent set of points to keep in mind.....read more.

InSights: Rainy Day People
Government actions are best when they are based on data, sound methods, and a thorough examination of alternatives.

These factors do not appear to apply to current government responses to what has been labeled “climate change.”....read more.

On The Economy
Leave it to The Monkees to describe the current situation in the US housing market –

Another Pleasant Valley Sunday, Charcoal Burning Everywhere, Rows of Houses That Are All The Same, And No One Seems to Care....read more.

John Dunham and Associates

For the last 25 years, JDA has been articulating the economic impact of legislation on both sides of the agenda. Clients work with us because of the actionable insights we provide for them. The wins they enjoy from our unique economic impact studies and approach to related research has helped our clients reduce their tax burdens, eliminate marketing restrictions and negotiate complex settlements.

We concentrate on unique issues and objectives in order to provide effective economic analyses that help advance policy objectives while mitigating risks and threats. We are experts at translating complex economic concepts into easily understandable messages for any audience. We provide cover and materials to sway legislative votes.

We are the winning side of economics.

Current Economic News

Reuters: U.S.

Reuters.com is your source for breaking news, business, financial and investing news, including personal finance and stocks. Reuters is the leading global provider of news, financial information and technology solutions to the world's media, financial institutions, businesses and individuals.

Walmart returns items to shelves after lost sales
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc has put roughly 300 items back on its U.S. store shelves after the retailer said it "disappointed" customers by not stocking certain products.
Corey Haim dies of overdose
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Corey Haim, a Hollywood teen star of the 1980s who became as famous for his struggles with substance abuse as his acting, died in Los Angeles of an apparent drug overdose, police said on Wednesday. He was 38.
NYC wins fight over "Tavern on the Green" name
NEW YORK (Reuters) - A federal judge ruled on Wednesday that New York City has the right to use the name "Tavern on the Green" for its landmark Central Park restaurant, rejecting arguments by the restaurant's outgoing operators that they owned the name.
...

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis

Personal Income and Outlays, January 2010
Personal income increased $11.4 billion, or 0.1 percent, and disposable personal income (DPI) decreased $47.6 billion, or 0.4 percent, in January, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The decrease in DPI reflected an increase in federal nonwithheld income taxes. Personal consumption expenditures (PCE) increased $52.4 billion, or 0.5 percent. In...
Gross Domestic Product, 4th quarter 2009 (second estimate)
Real gross domestic product -- the output of goods and services produced by labor and property located in the United States -- increased at an annual rate of 5.9 percent in the fourth quarter of 2009 (that is, from the third quarter to the fourth quarter) according to the "second" estimate released...
U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, December 2009
The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, through the Department of Commerce, announced today that total December exports of $142.7 billion and imports of $182.9 billion resulted in a goods and services deficit of $40.2 billion, up from $36.4 billion in November, revised. December exports...

FRB: Press Release - All Releases

All recent press releases from the Federal Reserve Board

Consumer Advisory Council will meet on March 25, 2010
Consumer Advisory Council will meet on March 25, 2010
Written agreement with Idaho Bancorp and Idaho Banking Company
Written agreement with Idaho Bancorp and Idaho Banking Company
Written agreement with Olmsted Holding Corporation
Written agreement with Olmsted Holding Corporation

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Office of Communication Media Relations

CDC to Co–Host Fifth Decennial International Conference on Healthcare-Associated Infections
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Society of Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. (APIC) and the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) are bringing together multidisciplinary experts from around the world for the Fifth Decennial International Conference on Healthcare-Associated Infections.
CDC Releases First Ever County Level Report on Heart Disease Hospitalizations
Heart disease hospitalization rates among Americans aged 65 years and older.
Weekly CDC 2009 H1N1 Flu Update
CDC will host a press conference to provide an update on 2009 H1N1 flu and vaccine distribution.

Power Cut

The liberal think tank, Center for Budget and Policy Priorities just issued a report entitled, An Update on State Budget Cuts where they suggest that reductions in the growth of state budgets will have a dire effect on communities and the economy.

But as Paul McCartney says in the song Power Cut, “And the candles burn down low, but something inside of me says the bad news isn't so.”

Busted

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its projections for Federal spending, revenues and the deficit for fiscal years 2010 through 2019.

Over this period, the Federal debt is projected to increase by an additional $6.7 trillion; from an already staggering $12,302,465,487,917 (Yes the Federal Reserve tracks it to the penny.)

Under Pressure

Pressure pressing down on me...Splits a family in two, puts people on streets..."

As the recession eases across that United States and the Swine Flu fizzles out, the pundits and press have pushed their next big scare story – the growing army of long-term unemployed.

The media call these people unemployed and underemployed workers, a term which basically includes those who are working, but whose skill levels are higher than those demanded by their jobs, and those working in part-time jobs who might prefer full time employment.