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