For What It's Worth

It doesn’t sound like an economically viable plan, but it’s the government, so …

Chris Fountain — Wed, 22 May 2013 17:10:08 +0000

About to learn the future of electric cars

Electric car manufacturers discovering they can’t give the things away, but they’ll keep trying, thanks to government subsidies.

If only we could persuade her husband to join her for the next three years

Chris Fountain — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:57:55 +0000

decisions, decisions

Empress Michelle considering taking an extended vacation from Washington. Who will miss her?

I like this snark from White House Dossier’s Keith Koffler:

The Obamas opted out of their annual trip to Martha’s Vineyard in 2012, likely because they were campaigning and because a luxury sojourn there would have conflicted with the campaign image Obama was trying to project as a fighter for the middle class.

Walter Russell Mead: “Feeding the Beast”

Chris Fountain — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:48:13 +0000

From his blog:

The proposals put forward by Obama, House Republicans, and Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) would tie student loans to the market rate (either the 10-year or the 91-day Treasury rate), though each with its own variation. The boldest plan, from new Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), would reduce student loan rates to .75 percent (the rate at which banks borrow from the Federal Reserve) for one year.

These proposals would offer students some relief, but none of them address the core problem that rising college tuition rates are closely linked to the increased availability of government loans. Stafford loans have been around for just over forty years, and over the past thirty, college tuition and fees surged 1,120 percent—four times faster than the consumer price index, more than medical or food prices. And this isn’t all due to a rising cost of teaching: Colleges have used their newfound wealth to bloat their administrative ranks and spend lavishly on construction projects.

These new student loan proposals, particularly Warren’s, will only feed the higher education beast. Perhaps lawmakers should give more thought to policies that would increase price competition among universities and drive down costs.

College administrators are just like politicians: give them a dollar, they’ll spend $1.50 ($2.50, in Connecticut). Starve ‘em.

While we’re waiting for real estate sales activity to report in, here’s a new listing

Chris Fountain — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:35:45 +0000

51 Circle Drive, $1.295 million. The better half of Circle backs up to the Milbrook golf course. This is the I-95 side, so not nearly as attractive, but I remember the house from way back in 2004, when it was listed for $1.595 (and sold for $1.2) and thought it was a pretty good house with the wrong price tag attached. If you take that 2004 purchase price and negotiate down from the current price, you could end up with all the post-purchase improvements put in by the current owner for “free”. It’s not a bad house, in a good neighborhood, and if you’re in this price range, worth considering, I think.

Winthrop Drive price reported

Chris Fountain — Wed, 22 May 2013 14:38:52 +0000

63 Winthrop Drive

63 Winthrop Drive, new construction in Riverside, reports a sale of $4.150 million, $4.395 ask. This was discussed when the property went to contract, but final sales price is always useful for keeping track.

That didn’t last long

Chris Fountain — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:33:15 +0000

12 Wykham Hill, $2.395 million, reported an accepted offer ten days ago but came back on the market today. It happens.

It’s getting warm down there at 1600 Pennsylvania

Chris Fountain — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:00:00 +0000

We should never have left Chicago

White House calls liberal columnists into the West Wing, en masse, to give them talking points and direction.

Getting closer to looking like a deal

Chris Fountain — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:51:23 +0000

25 Selden lane, out west off of Riversville, has cut its price again and is now priced at $3.495 million. That includes a decent house, albeit one built to the 1987 spec home idea of good taste, five acres around it and a separate 2 + acre building lot. When I first saw this (the only time I saw it, come to that) was years ago, and the owners wanted $6 million: $5.250 for the house, $750,000 for the extra land. The problem I saw then was that those extra two acres made this property and, if sold off and built on, would pretty much ruin the beautiful setting.

So $6 million was a no-go, but $3.5, less whatever negotiating you can accomplish, for the 6,800 sq. ft. house and all the land – both parcels – isn’t bad.

Citizen power

Chris Fountain — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:34:47 +0000

Chris R sends along this great video of US citizens standing up to government goons. I’m impressed by these patriots’ cojones.

Uh oh, IRS gal takes the fifth

Chris Fountain — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:38:43 +0000

I can tell you this: Lois Lerner is no more of a crook than I am

Lois Lerner, IRS point man for charitable institutions, will invoke her right against self-incrimination when called to testify before congress. Before Obama promoted her, this lady ran the Federal Election Commission, where she also devoted her time to harrassing conservative groups. And that’s why we have background checks for these positions: the president wants to make sure he’s selecting exactly the right person for the job.