Category Archives: Finance and Economics

Bush vs. Obama: Food Stamps

Posted on Tuesday, August 9, 2011 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

“I’m sort of a foodie, and I’m not going to do the ‘living off ramen’ thing,” — University of Chicago graduate receiving food stamps Since President Obama became President in January 2009, nearly 14 million additional Americans were receiving food stamps as of … Continue reading →

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Posted in Business, Finance and Economics, Food Security, Media, Policy, Politics, Social Security, Taxes | Tagged , , | 63 Comments

Bush vs. Obama: Federal Debt

Posted on Monday, August 8, 2011 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

Nearly three years after Barack Obama became president, many liberals still insist that Bush is primarily responsible for running up the national debt. While the federal debt did increase by $4.9 trillion on President George W. Bush’s watch, it did not increase at … Continue reading →

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Posted in Business, Finance and Economics, Media, Policy, Politics, Taxes | Tagged , , | 22 Comments

Sic Transit Gloria Mundi: S&P Lowers America’s Credit Rating

Posted on Saturday, August 6, 2011 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

Sic transit gloria mundi How doth the busy bee Dum vivimus vivamus I stay my enemy! — Emily Dickinson opening to a poem she published in the Springfield Daily Republican in 1852, a newspaper associated with the founding of the Republican … Continue reading →

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Posted in Business, Finance and Economics, Media, Policy, Politics, Predictions, Taxes | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Bush vs. Obama: Unemployment (July 2011 Jobs Data)

Posted on Friday, August 5, 2011 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

Update: Click here for the most recent jobs statistics. As is customary on this site, on the first Friday of every month, I update the unemployment numbers so that I can compare the unemployment rate under President George W. Bush with the unemployment … Continue reading →

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Posted in Business, Finance and Economics, Media, Policy, Politics | Tagged , , | 45 Comments

Obama’s Fiftieth Birthday: Plenty of Celebration, No Results

Posted on Friday, August 5, 2011 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

Last Wednesday, President Obama attended a gala celebration in Chicago to celebrate his fiftieth birthday one day early. Attendees paid $35,800 a ticket to bask in the light of their Messiah, and to mingle with musical stars Herbie Hancock and OK … Continue reading →

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Posted in Business, Energy Security, Finance and Economics, International Security, Media, Policy, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Medicaid and the Irish Republican Army

Posted on Tuesday, August 2, 2011 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

About two weeks ago, I posted a video I discovered via Breitbart TV, that was both hilarious and disturbing. In that video, James O’Keefe and another member of Project Veritas posed as two Russian drug smugglers applying for Medicaid in Ohio. … Continue reading →

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Posted in Crime, Finance and Economics, Healthcare, Humor, Media, Policy, Politics, Taxes | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Debt Deal: Pros and Cons

Posted on Monday, August 1, 2011 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

Now that the House “approved a budget agreement intended to head off a potential government default” 269 to 161, and that the Senate will likely pass the bill tomorrow, the crisis has ended exactly how the bond market predicted it would: … Continue reading →

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Posted in Business, Defense, Finance and Economics, Healthcare, Media, Policy, Politics, Social Security, Taxes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

The Beatings Will Continue Until Morale Improves

Posted on Sunday, July 31, 2011 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

Below is an interesting chart from The Economist that compares America’s current anemic economic recovery from the 2007-09 recession with those of the 1973-75, 1981-82, and the 1990-91 recessions. The bottom line is that the current recovery is lagging both in … Continue reading →

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Posted in Business, Finance and Economics, Media, Policy, Politics | Tagged , , , , | 11 Comments

New Fuel Economy Standards a Good Thing

Posted on Sunday, July 31, 2011 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

This past Friday, President Obama announced new corporate average fuel economy or CAFE standards that would require the average vehicle sold in the United States to provide 54.5 miles per gallon. The White House estimates the program will save consumers … Continue reading →

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Posted in Business, California, Clean Energy, Clean Tech, Climate Change, Energy Security, Finance and Economics, International Security, Media, Middle East, Peak Oil, Policy, Politics, Taxes, Technology, Unions | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Not Paying Military If There Is No Debt Deal Is a Bad Idea

Posted on Saturday, July 30, 2011 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

I’m getting a sense of deja vu reading Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen’s comments on whether or not military servicemembers will receive their paychecks in the event that Congress cannot reach a deal to raise the country’s debt … Continue reading →

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Posted in Defense, Finance and Economics, International Security, Media, Policy, Politics, Taxes | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment