Berkley economist Brad Delong has repeatedly said that "It is a fact that if congress simply goes home--doesn't do anything for the next 10 years except keep the federal government on autopilot--that we do not have a long run deficit problem." While this may sound counter-intuitive, especially given the recent media hype sorrounding raising the…
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In the New York Times this weekend there was an interesting article about the Gallup Economic Confidence Index, which measure's people's confidence about the economy. The index is created through two poll questions, one which asks respondents if the current economic conditions are excellent, good, fair, or poor, and whether the economy is getting better or worse.…
If you've read a newspaper, visited an airport, or driven on the highway lately, you've probably noticed a billboard or advertisement or two blaming the EPA for destroying coal jobs or creating a no job zone through environmental regulations. The supposed effects of the "war on coal" are not limited to Appalachia either, as U.S.…
Over at Coal Tattoo, Ken Ward started an informative discussion about economic development and the mining industry in West Virginia. Ken asked, "If coal is so good, then why it W. Va. so poor?" A great question, and one that has been around (at least) since John Alexander Williams asked it several decades ago. As…
As we have noted before, West Virginia has weathered the recession better than most states. The state is one of only eight that did not project a budget shortfall for FY2012. In fact, we ended this year with an astonishing surplus of $330 million (although this has more to do with setting overly pessimistic revenue…
Economic View The Rock and the Hard Place on the Deficit By CHRISTINA D. ROMER Published: July 2, 2011 DEALING with our nation's gaping budget deficit is going to hurt. So here is a question for policy makers: What would hurt more, raising taxes or reducing spending? Mike Austin The Republicans who walked out of…
According to a new study conducted by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, life expectancy of U.S. women slipped in some regions, declining in 737 U.S. counties (out of more than 3,000) between 1997 and 2007. Even though life expectancy nationwide has risen over the last two decades, there is a widening gap between…
Despite a slight decrease in the unemployment rate to 8.6 percent, West Virginia lost approximately 5,000 jobs in May 2011, the largest one-month drop since July 2009. The strong growth seen in April 2011 has been negated, and West Virginia currently has 11,700 fewer jobs than at the beginning of the recession. The state has only gained 900 jobs in…
West Virginia's unemployment rate in April 2011 was 8.8 percent, down from a high of 9.7 in December 2010, but still more than double its pre-recession levels. So while the state is doing slightly better, it still has plenty of room for improvement. But did the recession affect all areas of West Virginia's economy the…