The national average for a gallon of regular is almost exactly the same as it was for Memorial Day 2012. And yet, for the past two years, the periods leading up to Memorial Day couldn’t be more different.
Economy & Policy
Bernanke’s Dilemma: No Good Moves Left
It could be risky for the Fed to continue its easy-money policy – and dangerous to stop.
The Unspeakably Wonky Idea That Can Solve the Corporate Tax Debate
Kentucky Senator Rand Paul isn’t happy that Apple executives are being questioned by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations today regarding their tax avoidance strategies. Apple is completely justified, Paul argued, in paying as little in taxes as is legally acceptable. “Instead of Apple executives we should have brought in …
It’s Official: Tech Has Replaced Banking as the New Corporate Bad Guy
U.S. senators have accused Apple, the world’s most valuable company, of also being the world’s biggest tax avoider, as congressional investigators yesterday laid out how the technology giant has jumped through tax loophole …
Republicans Seem to Be Out of Economic Ideas — Here Are Two Suggestions
If you think about thrift as a moral quality, it’s easy to understand why Republicans have gotten things so wrong in terms of macroeconomic policy over the past few years
How Much Will a Legal Marijuana Habit Cost You?
If you’re an average pot smoker in Colorado — paying average prices for average-quality marijuana — you can expect to spend around $650 on weed next year
Unemployment Falls in 40 U.S. States, Rises in 3
(WASHINGTON) — Solid hiring helped lower unemployment rates in 40 U.S. states last month, the most since November. The declines show the job market is improving throughout most of the country.
Car? House? Sorry: Graduates of 2013 Are Each $35,200 in Debt
Student debt is creating the most debt-ridden twentysomethings in modern history, and we’re all going to pay a price. Here’s the best advice from new grads.
U.S. Weekly Jobless Claims Jump to Highest Level in 6 Weeks
(WASHINGTON) — The number of Americans seeking unemployment aid rose 32,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 360,000, the most since late March. The jump comes after applications fell to a five-year low.
The Mystery of the Incredible Shrinking Budget Deficit
The Obama Administration is having pretty much the worst week ever, but somewhere amidst the fog of scandal lies some pretty good news about the budget deficit, namely that the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is predicting it will be much smaller in 2013 than was projected just a few months ago.
That’s right, the federal budget …
Peak Traffic Ticket Season Is Here: Police Pushed to Give More Seat Belt Violation Citations
For the two weeks around Memorial Day, there’s more reason than normal to buckle up: Police around the country are stepping up enforcement of seat belt laws and plan on giving out double the usual number of tickets.
US Wholesale Prices Fall 0.7 Pct., Most in 3 Years
WASHINGTON — Sharp drops in fuel and food costs reduced a measure of U.S. wholesale prices in April by the most in three years. Outside those volatile categories, inflation stayed low.
The producer price index, which measures price changes before they reach the consumer, fell a seasonally adjusted 0.7 percent in April from …
