The latest jobs report in the United States shows strengths and weaknesses.
“Quantitative easing” is the name given to when the Federal Reserve buys debt directly–typically debt issued by the US Treasury or mortgage-backed debt that is guaranteed in some way against default by the federal government.
There is a long-standing argument that states should be viewed as “laboratories of democracy,” and thus we should welcome–at least to some extent–variations in policy choices across states. It’s a chance to learn from experimentation.
The 20 countries of the Middle East and North Africa region have a population of 486 million, a combined GDP of $3.7 trillion, and a GDP per capita of about $7,600.
The idea that if society invests in small children, we will see a later social payoff, has a powerful intuitive and humanitarian pull.