Author Archives: Michael Froomkin

Thought for the Day: August 3, 2011

Posted on August 3, 2011 by Michael Froomkin

Even if 92% of Newt Gingrich’s Twitter Followers Are Fake that still means that more than 100,000 putatively real people actually follow him on Twitter.

Posted in 2012 Election | 2 Comments

Judge Jordan Nominated for 11th Circuit

Posted on August 2, 2011 by Michael Froomkin

President Obama announced today that he will nominate Judge Adalberto José Jordán, one of the leading lights of the local federal bench, to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. Among his other virtues, Judge Jordan graduated from UM Law in 1987, and clerked for Judge Thomas A. Clark of the 11th Circuit and then for Supreme Court Sandra Day O’Connor of the Supreme Court of the United States. Judge Jordan has been on the Southern District of Florida since 1999, and regularly teaches Federal Courts at UM.

This is a great appointment and I cannot imagine that it will be controversial. Judge Jordan is a real star. I hope the Senate actually gets around to confirming him — they’re pretty slow up there.

Posted in Law: Everything Else | 1 Comment

Here We Go Again

Posted on August 2, 2011 by Michael Froomkin

Actually, so far Tropical Storm Emily doesn’t seem like a big deal for South Florida:

DATA FROM A RECONNAISSANCE PLANE INDICATE THAT EMILY REMAINS POORLY ORGANIZED. THE MINIMUM PRESSURE IS AROUND 1007 MB… AND WINDS ARE LIGHT OR VARIABLE ON THE SOUTH SIDE. THE INITIAL INTENSITY IS KEPT AT 35 KNOTS. THE ENVIRONMENT IS NOT IDEAL FOR STRENGTHENING SINCE THERE IS SOME DRY AIR TO THE NORTH AND WEST OF THE STORM…BUT THE OFFICIAL FORECAST CALLS FOR A SLIGHT INTENSIFICATION AS SUGGESTED BY THE SHIPS…GFDL AND HWRF MODELS. IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT THE RELIABLE GFS AND ECMWF GLOBAL MODELS NO LONGER DEVELOP EMILY…AND IN FACT…BOTH MODELS BASICALLY DISSIPATE THE CYCLONE NEAR HISPANIOLA.

In any case, around here Tropical Storm force winds tend not do much more than rough up the vegetation a bit, although it’s not something you want to be out driving in. But I do think we’re in for a busy season of weather-with-a-name — there wasn’t any report of African dust in the air this summer, and I’m coming to think that it’s the dust that has kept hurricane activity tame the last few years.

Posted in Miami | 1 Comment

Thought for the Day: August 2, 2011

Posted on August 2, 2011 by Michael Froomkin

If you include the people who have gotten so discouraged that they have temporarily stopped looking for work, and those forced to work part-time because they cannot find full-time work (i.e. the “U6” unemployment measure) and others without jobs who want them, then the current unemployment rate is not the 9.2% reported in the news, but actually 16.2%.

Posted in Econ & Money | 1 Comment

Thought for the Day: August 1, 2011

Posted on August 1, 2011 by Michael Froomkin

Cutting spending in a time of a major economic contraction worked so well in the ’30s that we just have to do it again.

Posted in Econ & Money | 2 Comments

Is Obama’s Promise on June 2, 2011 Still Valid?

Posted on July 31, 2011 by Michael Froomkin

Less than 60 days ago, President Obama gave a firm, line-in-the-sand promise about letting the Bush tax cuts expire:

President Obama stressed that his administration would draw a firm line on taxes and revenues both in the deficit- and debt-reduction debates and in the buildup to the 2012 elections.

According to multiple meeting attendees, the president reiterated on several occasions that a deal to raise the country’s debt ceiling would include revenue increases, even as Republican lawmakers insist that such a deal should be restricted to spending cuts and entitlement reforms.

"I’ve been very clear about revenues as a part of a balanced package, and I will continue to be," said Obama.

Underscoring his commitment, Obama noted taxes would be a defining area of contrast with Republicans on the campaign trail. He insisted that he would not compromise again on his position that the tax rates for the top earners be raised to pre-Bush levels.

"’Whatever we agree on, we are still going to have plenty to argue about in 2012,’" a senior administration official said, paraphrasing the president. "’I’ve said I’m not going to renew the tax cuts for the top two percent. We might agree on tax reform or simplification, but on the upper-income tax cuts we are just going to have to agree to disagree.’"

I think this is a fair standard against which to measure how great a capitulation whatever debt-ceiling deal emerges in the next day or so is. We already know it’s a substantial capitulation. If the deal puts the extension of those grossly unfair tax cuts back on the table — that’s total capitulation. And we know where it will lead.

PS. Candidate Obama promised in no uncertain terms to close Guantanamo when elected (see the video), then didn’t.

Posted in Econ & Money | 2 Comments