Numbers

What Do Banks Do? Arnold Kling 02/26/2013

A closer look at bank leverage.

The Myth of the Limits on Itemized Deductions Alan D. Viard 01/09/2013

Media misinformation is the real threat to charitable giving. For better or worse, the fiscal cliff deal doesn’t actually cap any itemized deductions.

Partisan Polls? Andrew Rugg 10/10/2012

Press coverage of polls gives these imprecise tools much more weight than they deserve. Voters should keep this in mind as they are confronted with the inevitable avalanche of polls between now and Election Day.

The Uses of LIBOR and the Victims of Its Manipulation: A Primer Matthew Jensen 08/23/2012

Little attention has been paid to why LIBOR is important, who might have been harmed by its manipulation, or how to think about the financial ramifications.

How Much Have House Prices Really Fallen? Alex J. Pollock 04/19/2012

If we could stop the government’s constriction of private mortgage credit, recovery could begin sooner rather than later.

Fearful Symmetry: Six Decades of Treasury Yields Alex J. Pollock 04/04/2012

Interest rates in the market for U.S. Treasury debt display surprising behavior—behavior that previous market participants considered simply impossible.

Why Growth Matters More than Debt Steve Conover 01/29/2012

The proper question is not how will America pay foreign creditors back but rather what will maintain China and Japan’s desire to buy low-interest Treasury securities from us?

Just How Dangerous Is Talking and Driving? Thomas A. Hemphill 01/24/2012

The NTSB, cell phones, and regulatory hyperbole.

Cadillac Pay in the Land of Lincoln Andrew G. Biggs 11/04/2011

Illinois public employees likely receive a significant pay premium over similar private sector workers.

Obama’s Weakness in Historical Context Karlyn Bowman and Andrew Rugg 10/13/2011

On a variety of indicators, President Obama has far more in common with incumbent presidents who lost their bid for reelection than with those who won.