Articles by David C. John

Is Social Security a Ponzi Scheme?

David C. John | September 14, 2011

While some of the press stories might make one think that Bernie Madoff ran Social Security, the reality is quite different. Although Social Security does… Read More

Economy

FHFA Sues Banks to Recover Housing Bond Losses: Less Than Meets the Eye?

David C. John | September 02, 2011

News reports say that the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) will sue about 12 major banks in order to recover some of the losses that… Read More

Social Security’s Disability Program Faces an Empty Trust Fund

David C. John | August 23, 2011

With continuing unemployment problems driving more and more Americans to seek Social Security disability benefits, that program’s already weakened trust fund faces a bleak future…. Read More

A New Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac? Even Former Obama Advisers Say No!

David C. John | August 16, 2011

The Washington Post reports that President Obama wants the federal government to continue to have a major role in housing finance, perhaps by creating a… Read More

Economy

Social Security’s COLA Needs to Be More Accurate

David C. John | July 11, 2011

Any budget agreement should include an improvement of the accuracy of Social Security’s annual cost-of-living allowance (COLA) payments. Press reports say this is now on… Read More

Economy

Consumers Lose, No One Happy, with Final Fed Swipe Fee Regulations

David C. John | July 05, 2011

Splitting the difference does not improve bad policy. The final regulations adopted this week by the Federal Reserve Board to impose price caps on “swipe… Read More

Economy

Trustees Show Permanent Deficits for Social Security

David C. John | May 13, 2011

How Will This Report Affect the Social Security Debate? The debate about whether Social Security faces a problem and needs to be fixed is over…. Read More

Economy

Two Promising Starts towards Ending Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

David C. John | March 31, 2011

After more than a year of delay, the House Financial Services Committee is finally starting work on legislation that will hopefully end Fannie Mae and… Read More

Economy

Obama’s Plan: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Go, but What Replaces Them?

David C. John | February 11, 2011

Given the task of producing a plan to develop a new housing finance system after the crisis of 2008 and the failure of both Fannie… Read More

Economy

Social Security’s Bleak Future Has Arrived

David C. John | February 03, 2011

For the last couple of decades, Social Security analysts, public trustees, and even both Republican and Democratic Presidents have warned that unless the program is… Read More

David C. John

Contributor

Articles by David C. John