Only two weeks late.  I’m catching up.

Economics

• The Long Run cost of the Economic Downturn:  Brad DeLong thinks the prospects for economic growth aren’t looking good
• Slower Growth of Health Costs Eases Budget Deficit:  Medicare and Medicaid costs are unexpectedly down – a positive impact on the deficit but not sure why exactly they’re down or if it’s likely to persist so no parties yet.
• Quantitative Easing Explained:  Everything you wanted to know but didn’t know who to ask about Quantitative Easing, an ‘unconventional’ monetary policy program of the Fed’s  intended to stimulate the economy by buying Treasury securities, corporate bonds, mortgage-backed securities, and other securities.
• Incomes Flat in Recovery, but Not for the 1%: Incomes rose more than 11 percent for the top 1 percent of earners during the economic recovery, but not at all for everybody else, according to new data.
• Dead money:  The Economist on cash piling up on companies’ balance sheets.  (If you work for a living that’s not a good thing.  In terms of stimulating economic growth it would be much better for them to invest it.)
• Corporate Hoarding and the Slow Recovery:  Paul Krugman on corporate profits and hoarding.
• David Einhorn and Apple’s Fear of Failure:  Apple shareholder sues them for not paying out its profits
• Tracing Wingnuttery About John Maynard Keynes:  Brad DeLong looks into the history of hostility towards and misrepresentation of economist John Maynard Keynes

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