Keith Hennessey

CBO’s new deficit estimate

15 May 2013 by Keith Hennessey 8 Comments

If like me, you hate tax rate increases on anyone and detest having the government own two massive mortgage finance companies, then you should feel no comfort from today’s deficit news, which is almost entirely the result of those policies.

budget, economy

Eight problems with the Heritage immigration cost estimate

9 May 2013 by Keith Hennessey 28 Comments

There are so many problems with the Heritage study that this $6.3 trillion number is useless for making policy decisions. It might as well be plucked out of thin air.

budget

Opposing the President’s FHFA nomination

1 May 2013 by Keith Hennessey 7 Comments

By nominating Mr. Watt the President signals a return to the pre-crisis philosophy of regulating housing finance risk. That is a huge mistake. Mr. Watt should not be confirmed to head the FHFA.

economy, financial

George W. Bush is smarter than you

24 April 2013 by Keith Hennessey 61 Comments

The new George W. Bush Presidential Center is being dedicated this week. This seems like a good time to bust a longstanding myth about our former President, my former boss.

west wing

How filibusters work and why they are so rare

7 March 2013 by Keith Hennessey 4 Comments

Last night Senator Rand Paul from Kentucky led a 13-hour filibuster of the nomination of John Brennan to head the CIA.

Uncategorized

What if the sequester was a true across-the-board spending cut?

6 March 2013 by Keith Hennessey 3 Comments

While the sequester is advertised as an across-the-board spending cut, it’s not.

budget

A flawed attempt to assign blame

5 March 2013 by Keith Hennessey 2 Comments

The President’s initial attempt to blame Republicans in Congress for current and future economic weakness is flawed because House Republicans passed a bill that would have the same macroeconomic effect as the President’s proposal, at least for this year.

budget, economy