Outside the Beltway

AP does a FACT CHECK: Are rich taxed less than secretaries? The answer: Generally speaking, no. But it’s complicated.

The top marginal rate was radically higher in recent memory.

When someone calls Obama a Marxist, they’re exposing their own ignorance.

The decision to split Netflix into two companies makes no sense. Unless you look behind the scenes.

In a truly bizarre move, Netflix is spinning off the DVD-by-mail business that built them into an international brand and going stream-only. Those wishing to keep getting movies will have to sign on to something called Qwikster.

As more details roll in on President Obama’s millionaire tax hike, it’s looking like it was drawn up by J. Wellington Wimpy: “I’ll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.”

President Obama is proposing a special tax rate for millionaires.

Public disapproval of Congress continues to fall.

College towns and lily white enclaves top the list of best educated cities.

Despite previous denials, the White House did in fact intervene in the approval process for a loan to Solyndra.

A record 46 million Americans are living in poverty.

It’s not a given that we’ll have a massive recovery during the next presidential term but it’s a pretty decent bet. And the party in power will get too much credit for it if it happens.

The “how to pay for it” part of the President’s jobs plan seems destined to be rejected by the GOP. Which may be exactly what the President wants.

With the economy at the forefront of the public’s mind, the GOP needs to be careful in its response to President Obama’s new jobs bill.

Karl Smith does the math and doesn’t see why the Federal government should be collecting ANY taxes right now.

A mustachioed German has once again sent the world into panic. This time, it involves euros not tanks.

Whether it’s a “Ponzi Scheme” or not, Social Security has serious systemic problems that must be addressed.

Not surprisingly, there was very little about the President’s jobs speech to write home about.

America is discovering that throwing money at an industry in the hope it will create jobs doesn’t work.

Democrats are fearing the President’s jobs plan will be underwhelming. Based on initial reports, it looks like their fears are well-placed.

What’s behind the lack of business investment?

The Solyndra case is a classic example of what’s wrong with “government investment.”

Workers account for 80% of the Postal Service budget vs. 53% at UPS and 32% at FedEx.

The Western fetish for turning cheap, efficient food into expensive, inefficient fuel is threatening the food supply–as is the European superstition against genetically modified foods.

Environmentalists are upset by President Obama’s decision to abandon stringent new smog regulations, but he made the right decision.

The last time black unemployment was this high Barack Obama was fresh out of college. Now, he’s in the White House.

The connections between the White House and failed solar energy company Solyndra deepen.

Did World War II teach us anything about spending-as-stimulus? Not really.

Thank goodness, the July PCE numbers look pretty good compared to recent months. Lets hope it is something that will continue.

Obama’s economic policies are failing because he’s listening to conservatives – not small businesses.

Matthew Yglesias resurrects an argument that should have died off when Napster disappeared.

Another bad report from the Labor Department.

The failure of a solar energy firm in California is raising questions about a centerpiece of the Administration’s economic policy.

Tim Cook is succeeding Steve Jobs as head of the world’s biggest technology company. Does it matter that he’s gay?

Details of the President’s jobs plan are starting to leak out, and they’re not looking impressive.

Repeating the “destruction creates wealth” fallacy every time there’s a natural disaster doesn’t make it any less of a fallacy.

Updates to the Gross Domestic Product numbers for quarter two aren’t good, but they could have been worse. Still, the risk of recession is considerable.

Ben Bernanke didn’t offer many clues in his speech today, but one wonders if he really has any tricks left up his sleeve.

Before achieving astounding success, Steve Jobs had to experience disappointment and failure.