- Paul Krugman on the apparent decision to delay the October 2015 imposition of a 10% consumption tax rate ((Link). He clarifies that in a deflationary world, an independent monetary authority can be a curse.
- The Diplomat 's interview with Dr. Martin Schulz -- because one should see what the other side is arguing. (Link)
Yes, I too find off-putting Dr. Schulz's characterizations of those who are not with the program as being narrow-minded, short-term fixated and demanding of a large-scale story the media can mediate.
- Tobias Harris on the reality Abe Shinzo does not want to face -- that the greatest menaces to the success of Abenomics are the executives of Japan's corporations (a.k.a. his New Best Friends Forever) and their deflation-honed parsimonious ways (Link). Key here is the understanding that these are not evil individuals (well, some of them are, but for reasons other than parsimony). It is just that their accumulated virtues of thrift become the black hole into which the nation's generate surplus disappears, never to be seen again. The government of Japan has an obligation to yank some of the 300 trillion yen in inert savings back into the economy in the same way the government has an obligation to step in with increased spending when private consumption falters.
The all-important-until-last-week-when-the-Diet-dissolution-story-stomped-over-everything-else preliminary third quarter GDP figures are today. Prime Minister Abe Shinzo is rushing back from the G20 in Brisbane, Australia to meet them.
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