Daily Policy Digest
Economic Issues
| The Federal Housing Administration's Poor Loan Making The Federal Housing Administration's (FHA) share of loans in serious delinquency has risen by 6 percent since 2011 and 12 percent of all FHA-insured mortgages in serious delinquency in 2012 were originated after 2010... |
| Trade Protectionism Is Bad Policy Technical barriers affect 30 percent of international trade and more than 60 percent of international trade in agriculture products... |
| Proposals Could Foster Job Creation and Innovation within States State lawmakers should review the compliance costs of regulations before they are implemented and provide businesses with flexibility... |
| Entrepreneurs and Young Firms Drive Economy Politicians frequently claim that small businesses drive a majority of job growth but based upon econometric analysis, the more accurate expression is that young businesses drive growth... |
| Low Interest Rates Could Create New Housing Bubble What seems like a housing recovery is actually the result of the government's recent efforts to guarantee almost 90 percent of new mortgage debt... |
| Why Saving Less Is Costly The savings rate fell to roughly 6 percent in the late 1980s (from 8 percent in the early 1980s), to 4 percent in the 1990s and to almost 2 percent in 2007 before the housing collapse... |
| Licensing Requirements Are Biggest Barrier for Small Businesses Forty percent of small businesses surveyed reported being subject to licensing requirements at more than one level of government... |
| Risky Loans Could Create Second Bubble Loosening loan qualifications will help more first-time home buyers into a house, but if the homeowners begin to default, the economic recovery from the last housing crisis might falter... |
| Farmland: Yet Another Bubble? With prices rising by double-digits in six of the last seven years, farmers are witnessing the value of their farms skyrocket -- Iowa land selling for $2,275 per acre in 2003 is now selling for $8,700 per acre... |
| Republicans Must Provide Clear Economic Outlook Republicans need to provide a fresh outlook on the benefits of conservative economics while explaining the Great Recession in terms of the free market... |
