Category Archives: Finance and Economics

Catching a Falling Knife: The Hazards of California Real Estate

Posted on Tuesday, February 7, 2012 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

When I returned to the San Francisco Bay Area in July 2006, real estate prices were absurd. At the time, I had also saddled myself with a massive amount of school loans. That said, no-doc loans were all the rage, … Continue reading →

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Posted in Business, California, Finance and Economics, Investing, Mathematics, Policy, Politics | Tagged California, Housing, Housing prices, real estate | 2 Comments

Bush vs. Obama: Unemployment (January 2012 Jobs Data)

Posted on Friday, February 3, 2012 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

Update: Click here for the most recent jobs statistics. 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 rate under President Obama at that … Continue reading →

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Posted in Business, Finance and Economics, Media, Policy, Politics | Tagged Bush vs. Obama, President Bush, President Obama, Unemployment | 130 Comments

Congress Finally Does Something Right

Posted on Thursday, February 2, 2012 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

Last November, I alerted readers to the hypocrisy that “members of Congress are not subject to insider trading laws, despite having access to far more material, non-public information than the average American, or, for that matter, the typical hedge fund manager.” … Continue reading →

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Posted in Finance and Economics, Investing, Leadership, Politics | Tagged Congress, Insider Trading, Senate | 3 Comments

The Disadvantages of Growing up Wealthy

Posted on Wednesday, February 1, 2012 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

Now that I have your attention, I think it is fair to state up front that there really are few disadvantages to growing up wealthy. You never have to worry about finding a job or joining the military to pay … Continue reading →

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Posted in Business, Finance and Economics, Leadership, Politics | Tagged Class Tone-Deafness, Democrats, Karen Hughes, Mitt Romney, Republicans | 17 Comments

Marginal Tax Rates And Recessions

Posted on Sunday, January 29, 2012 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

A Reflections of a Rational Republican reader suggested that I attempt to debunk or challenge the notion from two posts (see “Rich Peoples Taxes Have Little to Do with Job Creation” and “The Myth of the Lower Marginal Tax Rates“) … Continue reading →

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Posted in Business, Finance and Economics, Policy, Politics, Taxes | Tagged Center for American Progress, Democrats, Recessions, Republicans, Tax Policy, Tax rates, Taxes | 32 Comments

Are You Better Off Now Than You Were Three Years Ago?

Posted on Wednesday, January 25, 2012 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

President Obama has been in office for about three years and six days, which begs the question: Do you feel better off now than you were three years ago? A cursory review of the statistics suggests that the country is … Continue reading →

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Posted in Finance and Economics, Policy, Politics | Tagged Food stamps, National debt, President Obama, Unemployment | 6 Comments

Why I Will Not Vote for Newt Gingrich

Posted on Sunday, January 22, 2012 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

Earlier this year I was spellbound by Newt Gingrich’s gift for debating. I was also fascinated by his skills as a brilliant political wonk. Nevertheless, when he attacked the very foundations of capitalism by levying charges of class warfare against … Continue reading →

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Posted in Business, Finance and Economics, Leadership, Policy, Politics | Tagged Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Politics of Personal Destruction, Quisling | 30 Comments

Why Business Leaders Think America’s Economy Is Ailing

Posted on Sunday, January 22, 2012 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

Last October I was among nearly 10,000 Harvard Business School alumni who completed an in-depth survey on American competitiveness. Harvard Business School released the results of this survey last week, and they are fascinating.

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Posted in Business, Education, Finance and Economics, Healthcare, Leadership, Policy, Politics, Taxes | Tagged Harvard Business School, Jan W. Rivkin, Jobs, Jobs Policy, Michael E. Porter, Prosperity at Risk, Prosperity at Risk: Findings of Harvard Business School's Survey on U.S. Competitiveness, Regulations, Regulatory Uncertainty | 16 Comments

America’s Energy and Economic Policies Go Hand in Hand

Posted on Tuesday, January 17, 2012 by mbsbvu

Using History as a Portal to Our Future Over two centuries of America’s formal existence provides much perspective from which to view today’s world. The picture below just hints at a few of these. Looking at the left portion of … Continue reading →

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Posted in Clean Energy, Clean Tech, Energy Security, Finance and Economics, Nuclear Power, Policy, Politics, Solar, Technology, Wind | Tagged ANWR, Energy security, Keystone XL, NASA, oil shale, renewable energy | 22 Comments

Private Equity: A Force for Good, or Evil?

Posted on Sunday, January 15, 2012 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

Republican frontrunner Mitt Romney has been under a lot of pressure recently because of his private equity experience. Much of this negative media attention stems from certain assumptions about the nature of the private equity industry — assumptions that reflect … Continue reading →