U.S. economy
The next meltdown: credit-card debt, BusinessWeek
Crisis? Not if we take a long view, by Michael Clemens (via Chris Blattman)
Three trends and a train wreck, by Tyler Cowen
Two big intellectual victories for Ben Bernanke, by Brad DeLong
Everything you need to know about the financial crisis, by Doug Diamond and Anil Kashyap
The stimulus plan we need now, by Martin Feldstein
Complex finance contemplates a more fettered future, Financial Times
Buy now: why Uncle Sam must put everything on sale, by Laurence Kotlikoff and Ed Leamer
Gordon does good, by Paul Krugman
Let’s get fiscal, by Paul Krugman
To do, not to do, by Paul Krugman
The cost of resolving financial crises, by Luc Laeven
Lesson from a crisis: when trust vanishes, worry, by David Leonhardt
How did it all happen?, by Megan McArdle
Full of doubts, U.S. shoppers cut spending, New York Times
Measuring regulatory swings, by Catherine Rampell
Spending stalls and businesses slash U.S. jobs, by Louis Uchitelle
U.S. politics
Working for the working-class vote, by Matt Bai
The irrational electorate, by Larry Bartels
Why the economy fares much better under Democrats, by Larry Bartels
The class war before Palin, by David Brooks
Why is it likely that McCain will lose?, by Brad DeLong
Presidential polls in the final weeks of the campaign, by Robert Erikson
An authentic coalition, by Ezra Klein
Can a president tame the business cycle?, New York Times
One-party control, New York Times
Campaign events vs. the fundamentals, by Brendan Nyhan
The hardest vote, by George Packer
Senate Democrats don’t need 60 seats to reach their magic number, by Bruce Reed
Party loyalty is alive and well, by John Sides
Democracy’s myopia problem, by Matthew Yglesias
Here we go again — maybe, by Julian Zelizer
Living standards, poverty, inequality, well-being
Poverty reduction strategies for the next decade, Brookings Institution
The national minimum wage: evidence of its impact on jobs and inequality, Centre for Economic Performance (via Shawn Fremstad)
A safety net for the least fortunate, by Peter Edelman, Mark Greenberg, and Harry Holzer (via Mark Thoma)
The good life, by Claude Fischer
Wealth gap is focus even as it shrinks, by Robert Frank
Measuring misery, by Phil Izzo
Reinventing the American dream, by Christopher Jencks (via Matt Lewis)
Reforming unemployment benefits, by Alan Krueger
Next victim of turmoil may be your salary, by David Leonhardt
Banks’ bailout unlikely to crimp executive pay, New York Times
Infant deaths drop in U.S., but rate is still high, New York Times
Keeping wary eye on crime as the economy sinks, New York Times
Growing unequal? Income distribution and poverty in OECD countries, by the OECD
Do Americans still hate welfare?, by R.M. Schneiderman
Taxes
Putting U.S. corporate taxes in perspective, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
FAQ on taxes, by Economists for Obama
Share the wealth, by Howard Gleckman
For incomes below $100,000, a better tax break in Obama’s plan, by Steven Greenhouse
New life for the death tax, by Floyd Norris
Tax-cut follies, by Uwe Reinhardt
The public rejects conservative approach to taxes, by Ruy Teixeira
Housing
Bailing out homeowners: what does it mean?, by Dean Baker
The trouble with a homeowner bailout, by David Leonhardt
The goal of increasing home ownership, by Mark Thoma
Abroad
Think the U.S. housing bust is bad?, by Catherine Rampbell
Urgent need for IMF action, by Dani Rodrik
A shift from bumbling to sensible policy (UK), by Gillian Tett
Miscellaneous
Observations on the Milton Friedman Institute at the University of Chicago, by Gary Becker
Exploding heads deathmatch, by Henry Farrell
Incidents from my career, by Paul Krugman
