Conor Clarke

There's been a worthwhile argument between Tyler Cowen, Matt Yglesias, Paul Krugman and Greg Mankiw over the standards we should apply to the debate over the stimulus package. It's a debate I'm going to do my best to avoid.But a related question is whether or not the stimulus package meets the standards of its own architects. And it just so happens that prior to being tapped for the NEC Larry Summers was writing a monthly column for the Financial Times. A year ago,…… More »

James Surowiecki and Felix Salmon (and to some extent Megan) bop Henry Blodget on the head for suggesting that the New York Times make itself more productive by, among other things, getting rid of writers who don't haul in enough traffic. Writes Blodget:Productive writers can be retained and unproductive ones can be released (thanks to the web stats, this can be determined scientifically: look at a several years of click data and it will be crystal clear)… More »

From a Rasmussen poll: Forty-one percent (41%) of U.S. voters say Geithner's failure to pay Social Security and Medicare taxes in 2001, 2002 and 2003 should prevent him from being Treasury secretary, while the identical number (41%) disagree. Eighteen percent (18%) are not sure in a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. … More »

Christina Romer talks about the Obama stimulus package. … More »

OMB Director-designate Peter Orszag promised tough oversight Wednesday of coming economic stimulus spending, but deflected questions on whether the Obama administration will impose specific new requirements congressional Democrats want on the use of Troubled Asset Relief Program funds.Testifying at a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee confirmation hearing, Orszag said he planned greater scrutiny of stimulus spending by requiring contracts…… More »

It didn't have the most auspicious start. When I emailed a couple of weeks to set up an interview, the author of Liar's Poker, Moneyball and The Blind Side said Sure, call me on Tuesday at noon. And so I called at noon -- only to find him still in bed. I was thinking EST. He meant PST. I apologized. We rescheduled. … More »

David Samuels talks about spending time with one of Ultimate Fighting's most vicious, and haunted, practitioners.… More »

Are McCain and Palin right to fear Democratic control of the House, Senate and presidency?… More »

Why Sarah Palin should be less than pleased by the results of the report… More »