Assorted Links (10/23/2009)

Here’s a list of articles that I have been reading today (organized by topic):

The Economy

This webpage features an interactive chart, based upon the 2008 CIA World Factbook, of per capita GDP for the vast majority of countries in the world.  According to this webpage, the average per capita GDP worldwide during 2008 was $15,162; in America, it was $47,000.  Liechtenstein was the highest, clocking in at $118,000, and Zimbabwe was the lowest, at $200.

Financial Crisis

  • Preventing the Next Financial Crisis, by Allan Meltzer

“Don’t be fooled by the bond market. Banks are holding prices down because they can buy Treasurys with free money from the Fed.”

Health Care Reform

  • Obama’s Doctor Shortage, by Allysia Finley

 “All of the president’s “fixes” will just create new problems.”

“In the Wrangle Over Health Care, a Low Rating for the U.S. System Keeps Emerging Despite Evident Shortcomings in Study”. Also see Mr. Bialik’s blog posting entitled “The Trouble With Ranking National Health-Care Systems” for a more technical version of this article.

Highly Recommended

I completely agree with Mr. Frakt’s enthusiastic endorsement of EconTalk, Econtalk podcasts follow a “talk show” format; here is a very accurate self-description of Econtalk:

“The talk show features one-on-one discussions with an eclectic mix of authors, professors, Nobel Laureates, entrepreneurs, leaders of charities and businesses, and people on the street. The emphases are on using topical books and the news to illustrate economic principles. Exploring how economics emerges in practice is a primary theme.”

Politics

  • The Chicago Way, by Kim Strassel

“The Chamber of Commerce is only the latest target of the Chicago Gang in the White House.”

“And the American people want him to fix it.”

  • White House vs. Fox News, by Charles Krauthammer

“Rahm Emanuel once sent a dead fish to a live pollster. Now he’s put a horse’s head in Roger Ailes’s bed.”

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