Wednesday items.

On NRO, Larry Kudlow suggests the negative yield on inflation-adjusted securities is signaling inflation.

Cato’s Dan Griswold rebuts myths about free trade.

On Carpe Diem, Mark J. Perry explains that current account deficits are balanced by capital account surpluses:


At Café Hayek, Don Boudreaux defends free trade.

On Forbes, Brian Wesbury and Robert Stein argue bullish investments have been more profitable than bearish.

On The Kudlow Report, Don Luskin debates the Fed’s feint towards lighter than expected monetary stimulus:



The WSJ notes that low-tax states have better economies than high-tax states.

On Townhall, Thomas Sowell recalls past tax cutting successes.

On NRO, Michael Tanner urges Republicans to focus on deep, painful spending cuts.

Tuesday updates.

At The WSJ, Art Laffer counters calls to create a high income tax in Washington state.

On Foxnews.com, Ralph Benko argues a 21st-century gold standard is vital to fixing the economy.

Also at The Journal, editor Paul Gigot discusses last week’s anti-trade vote against China in the House:



On RCM, John Tamny doubts congressional Republicans understand how to repair the economy.

At NRO’s Corner, Stephen Spruiell critiques Paul Krugman’s claim that Keynesians are vindicated and classical economists repudiated by continued low inflation and interest rates.

On The Kudlow Report, Don Luskin suggests U.S. stock market trends are eerily similar to those during the Great Depression:



At Café Hayek, GMU’s Don Boudreaux challenges U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (OH) to a public debate on trade.

In The Washington Times, Richard Rahn warns Republicans not to raise taxes as part of a deficit reduction compromise.

Larry Kudlow highlights Dan Mitchell’s recent video on how to balance the budget based on spending cuts rather than tax increases.

Weekend round up.

The WSJ's Stephen Moore reports on the House Republican budget plan.

David Goldman is bearish on financial stocks.

At Seeking Alpha, Dian L. Chu rebuts Paul Kruman's Keyneisan success story in Iceland.

Don Luskin is holding onto his gold.

Paul Craig Roberts suggests libertarians should appreciate supply-side economics more.

The Atlas Economic Research Foundation defends free trade.

Ezra Klein suggests Democrats may extend some Bush tax cuts.

NRO's Reihan Salam validates deficit worries.

The NY Post debunks claims of stimulus success.

Friday items.

The WSJ has a must-read editorial warning congressional Republicans to focus on restoring growth rather than fighting deficits.

What CBO's latest apocalyptic report doesn't stress is what we'd call the more important deficit in its forecast: the growth deficit. CBO predicts an annual rate of GDP growth of 2.2%. Yet since 1959 the U.S. economy has grown at an average rate of 3%, and during the 1980s and 1990s it was closer to 3.5%. The compounding effect of restoring this faster pace of growth would mean far more net national wealth and would certainly make debt repayment easier.

Even Mr. Obama's current spending level of 25% of GDP would be more manageable if the slow economic recovery weren't keeping tax revenue at unusual lows. In 2007, the economy threw off revenue of 18.5% of GDP. That fell to 14.8% in 2009 and may not be too much higher this year. The point is that there is no hope of balancing the federal budget without a return to higher levels of economic growth.

On The Kudlow Report, Art Laffer discusses gold, the dollar, and the economy.

The WSJ’s Kimberley A. Strassell doubts free trade is making a come back.

On MSNBC, The Washington Examiner’s Tim Carney suggests that Republicans blocking unemployment benefits is bad politics.

Paul Krugman continues to worry about reduced spending.

At NRO's Corner, Samuel R. Staley sees a lost decade coming.

My view is, with the Dow stuck at 10,000 and gold having quintupled since 2001, we've already lost this decade.

Thursday round up.

On The Kudlow Report, David Stockman wants full-fledged fiscal austerity (spending cuts + tax cuts).

Kudlow comments further on the discussion.

John Tamny analyzes Paul Krugman's solutions to the recession.

From last week, Alan Reynolds responds to Ezra Klein on stimulus.

In The WSJ, Seth Lipsky explains how much salaries have declined in terms of gold.

In an April interview, George Gilder hopes Tea Parties will stress tax cuts not spending cuts.

David Wessell reports free trade's comeback.

CEO Ziad K. Abelnour argues we need the rich.

National Review's Kevin D. Williamson regrets extension of the homebuyer's tax credit.

U.S. Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ) suggests Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is the root cause of the subprime crisis.

Liberal economist Josh Bivens makes the case for growth over deficit phobia.

Former Treasury official John B. Taylor opposes the financial reform bill.