Today’s Links: September 12, 2011

OPINION

The New Hampshire Union Leader Editorial Board: “Stimulus Jr.: Obama Tries Again.”
“When considering President Obama’s Thursday night jobs speech, forget for a moment that, according to an Associated Press fact check, his plan is not paid for, will increase federal deficits, and will fund some jobs years from now, rather than immediately. All of those things should have been expected anyway. Instead, ask yourself exactly how this plan would work.”

Len Burman: “Why the Tax Code is a Mess, Graphically.”
“It would be nice to think that our legislators are working hard trying to find ways to make our tax code simpler, fairer, and more conducive to economic growth. (One member, Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, has worked tirelessly to try to advance the cause of tax reform, but he has few allies in this quest.)  Maybe some are even pondering how to raise enough revenue to pay for the government. But I doubt that’s the prime driver.  The tax code has now become the tool of choice to give away goodies.”

Mary O’Grady: “Canada’s Oil Sands Are a Job Gusher.”
” Canada has recovered all the jobs it lost in the 2009 recession, and Alberta’s oil sands are no small part of that. The province is on track to become the world’s second-largest oil producer, after Saudi Arabia, within 10 years. Meanwhile Mr. Obama clings to his subsidies for solar panels and his religious faith in green jobs. ”

NEWS

POST OFFICE – The Politics of a USPS Default
“The USPS, which has lost an average of roughly $7.5 billion a year for the past two years, is maxed out on its $12 billion line of credit with the Treasury Department and could default on a $5.5 billion payment it must make to a retiree health benefits fund by month’s end. That’s on top of the estimated $7 billion to $8 billion the USPS is projected to lose this year.”

TELECOMMUNICATIONS – Owning the Stack: The Legal War to Control the Smartphone Platform
“In the last few weeks, the smartphone industry appeared to produce more lawsuits than phones. Apple briefly managed to stop the sale of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 in all of Europe, and is now going after the whole Galaxy line. Back Stateside, Google first complained that Microsoft and Apple were using “bogus patents” to target Android, then spent $12 billion for Motorola and its patent arsenal. “