Larry Lindsey, with his profound knowledge of Washington ways, has absolutely nailed the principal guiding motto of all regulatory bureaucracies: "Cross us and we will make you pay."

The Paycheck Fairness Act looks like common sense, but instead of helping women it will hurt all workers. The legislation, built on 30 years of spurious advocacy research, will impose unnecessary and onerous requirements on employers.

The Dodd-Frank Act in general, and in particular its favorite child, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, represent sharp political disputes, as now with bypassing the Senate by the "recess" appointment of its director. But more fundamentally, they represent clashing political philosophies.

For Barack Obama’s supporters on the left, to say his policy choices have been a disappointment would be an understatement. Explaining how this came about is Jack Goldsmith’s provocative new book.

Despite predictions, both the broad trade-weighted dollar and the dollar exchange rate against other major currencies such as the yen and the euro have been remarkably stable.

Corporations built up an extraordinary level of cash reserves during the current expansion. Firms have only recently started to draw down their substantial cash holdings through accelerated shareholder payouts, cash-financed mergers and acquisitions, and increased investment. These developments highlight the strong interest that economists and policymakers have in the interaction...

The Bush approach to presidential power is simple, straightforward and clear: "L"etat, c"est moi."