South By North Strategies, Ltd.

Keeping It Real

In an interview with Naked Capitalism, Dean Baker points out the huge disconnect between economic policymakers and actual conditions.

Well, the first thing is to be clear on where we are. We are up against an opposition that has almost complete control of the public debate. If you just stand back for a moment: here we are with 26 million people unemployed, underemployed or out of the work force altogether, millions of people facing the loss of their home, a huge cohort of baby boomers on the edge of retirement with nothing to support themselves but their Social Security and the topic that stands at the center of national debate is reducing the deficit. This is close to crazy.

Around The Dial – November 14, 2011

Economic policy reports, blog postings, and media stories of interest:

• Naked Capitalism questions, Dean Baker answers.
• Simon Johnson worries about Europe.
• Credit Slips handicaps the multistate foreclosure settlement talks.
• Matt Taibbi asks if Occupy Wall Street is “a culture strike.”
• Paul Krugman laments the “Eurodebacle.”

Halfway There And a Long Way To Go

Random Samplings notes that 51 percent of all first-time mothers in America received paid leave in 2008. While the share of all first-time mothers receiving paid maternity leave benefits has grown over the years, access to the benefit varies greatly with more educated workers being much more less likely thank other women to receive any paid maternity benefits.

A Market-Based Solution

Economist’s View points out that there is a market-based solution to the “problem” of Americans not wanting to fill certain jobs.

If these jobs remain open, one of two things will happen. Either wages will rise to a level that will attract workers, or if the wage required is too high to make a profit the firm will go out of business. That’s just the free market at work, and cries from business owners that the inability to hire illegal workers is forcing them out of business is no more compelling than a cry that the inability to do something illegal such as pollute is forcing them to close their doors. The question is whether they are profitable when forced to internalize all costs, and pay the above-board market price for the resources they use.

Editor’s Note

Policy Points will not appear today in honor of the Veterans’ Day holiday. Normal posting will resume on Monday, November 14, 2011.

Thank you for your interest in the blog.