Politics and Government

In Businesweek, Henry Meyer reports Russia’s growth was already slowing down- then came Crimea.

From Bloomberg, Annie Linskey and Kathleen Hunter say the chance of a minimum wage rise are so remote that lobbyists are ignoring it.

Monetary Reform

In the Pittsburgh Tribune- Review, John Browne slams the Fed’s overemphasis on consumption and growing balance sheet.

“Clearly, the Fed is bent on encouraging consumption. But America has been consuming more than it has produced for decades, financed largely by investment from foreign nations and encouraged by the dollar’s status as the world’s International Reserve. Under increasingly serious challenge, any loss of reserve status would present Americans with acute economic and financial hardship not seen since World War II.”

In The WSJ, Jon Hilsenrath says the jobs report keeps Fed policy on its current path.

Bloomberg publishes Yellen’s labor market dashboard, believes a rate rise is far on the horizon.

At TGSN, Ralph Benko writes a grotesque caricature of the gold standard caused the great depression.

Tax

ATR praises New York lawmakers for passing tax cuts.

At National Review, Larry Kudlow defends Charles Koch, says we need more liberty and freedom to restore economic prosperity.