Showing archive for: “Financial Regulation”
Capitalism on film
Although I wasn’t doing any blogging the last couple of weeks, one of my theories was out there frolicking on its own. Now that I’m back, it’s time to do a little cleaning up. I was chagrined by the attention I received from Marc Abrahams, identified as “editor of the bimonthly Annals of Improbable Research ... Capitalism on film
Some Links
TOTM guest blogger Steve Salop makes the case for Vertical Merger Guidelines National Supermarkets Association files class action interchange-based antitrust suit against American Express (apparently alleging the relevant market is “American Express payment card services”!) Dell puts aside $100 million reserve fund in case it has to settle the SEC allegations we blogged about here ... Some Links
The Economics and Regulation of Payment Card Interchange Fees: Paper and Conference
Two related items from ICLE: As regular readers know, interchange fees are a frequent topic of conversation around the blog. Taking the conversation from the ether to the real world, ICLE has funded a white paper and is putting on a conference next week on the topic. The conference, in fact, grows out of the ... The Economics and Regulation of Payment Card Interchange Fees: Paper and Conference
Taxing private equity
The venerable debate over carried interest compensation of private equity managers is heating up again. The NYT’s Andrew Sorkin is predicting Congress will vote to tax it as ordinary income rather than capital gains, which Sorkin thinks is a good thing: Under their current partnership structure, however, [private equity] general partners * * * receive ... Taxing private equity
What’s the Best Way to Pop a Bubble?
[NOTE: I was drafting this post when Henry Manne posted his open letter to Fama and French. I’m hesitant to post over Henry’s important letter, particularly since TOTM was down yesterday and lots of folks may not have seen the letter. I’m doing so only because this post is a good follow-up to Henry’s points ... What’s the Best Way to Pop a Bubble?
An open letter on insider trading to Gene Fama and Ken French
Dear Gene and Ken: I must say that I was totally flabbergasted when I read your recent blog posting on insider trading. I know that your usual posts on investments, which I often cite to friends, are well-informed and empirically-supported; your work over the years on these topics is important and influential—and rightly so. Unfortunately, ... An open letter on insider trading to Gene Fama and Ken French
A Follow Up on the Cato Unbound Conversation on New Paternalism
Two weeks ago I highlighted the promising looking Cato Unbound forum on the new paternalism kicked off by Glen Whitman, with follow up posts and responses from the King (or co-King along with Cass Sunstein) of Nudge, Richard Thaler, along with Jonathan Klick and Shane Frederick. I was really excited about the forum, because I ... A Follow Up on the Cato Unbound Conversation on New Paternalism
Some Warnings for Modern Pigovians (from Pigou Himself)
We live in a time of optimism about government’s ability to improve upon the unregulated state of affairs. From health insurance to financial markets to the types of fats we eat, cars we drive, and sources of energy we consume, there is a sense among our political, media, and academic elites that our privately ordered ... Some Warnings for Modern Pigovians (from Pigou Himself)
Antitrust Exam Question: Do the Major Institutional Investors Have an Antitrust Problem?
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that major institutional investors — CalPERS, CalSTRS, the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, etc. — have collectively adopted a set of recommended practices that is “rankling” private equity firms. Had I not discussed the article in my Antitrust class, I’d use it as the basis for an exam question. ... Antitrust Exam Question: Do the Major Institutional Investors Have an Antitrust Problem?
"So when you listen to economists, you're listening to amateurs"
So says David Zaring over at the Conglomerate — at least when it comes to the topic of regulation. I don’t buy it. Anyway, here’s the complete quote for context: Economists love to suggest new regulatory structures (or, more often, why they will not work). But, of course, they have no training in regulation, and ... "So when you listen to economists, you're listening to amateurs"
Politically-Mandated Credit Card Interchange Fees Won’t Create Jobs (But They Will Hurt Consumers and the Economy)
by Geoffrey A. Manne, Joshua D. Wright and Todd J. Zywicki Cross-posted at Business in the Beltway (at Forbes.com) and The Volokh Conspiracy. In a recent commentary at Forbes.com, former Clinton administration economist Robert Shapiro argues that some 250,000 jobs would be created, and consumers would save $27 billion annually, by reducing the interchange fee ... Politically-Mandated Credit Card Interchange Fees Won’t Create Jobs (But They Will Hurt Consumers and the Economy)
Has the Obama Administration Retreated From Behavioral Economics?
The WSJ implies that the answer is yes in an interesting article describing the Obama administration’s changing views on behavioral economics and regulation. The theme of the article is that the Obama administration has eschewed the “soft paternalism” based “nudge” approach endorsed by the behavioral economics crowd and that received so much attention in the ... Has the Obama Administration Retreated From Behavioral Economics?
