Payroll taxes and value of the currency

>   
>   (email exchange)
>   
>   On Tue, Feb 16, 2010 at 9:18 AM, wrote:
>   
>   A payroll tax holiday would be tantamount to a currency devaluation, no? As Warren’s
>   rightfully described the current US dollar as being merely a tax credit at the end
>   of the day, a reduction in tax burdens will reduce the demand for dollars, all else
>   equal.
>   

Valuation with a floating fx currency is what it can buy, aka the price level. (different with fixed fx/gold standard, etc.)

Anything that is inflationary is ‘devaluing’

Increased demand may or may not be inflationary or even deflationary as the payroll tax holiday reduces costs for business which, in competitive markets, reduces prices.

EU Daily | German Investor Confidence Falls for a Fifth Month

Yes, ‘incentives’ are running out and will be nearly impossible to reinstate with their fiscal policies now being market constrained, as per what’s happening with Greece and Portugal.

The US, Japan, UK, etc. will never be market constrained. And while their misguided political constraints are capable of doing much the same damage they don’t have the funding risk of the eurozone.


Highlights

ECB Says Loans Harder to Get for Small Firms in Second Half

European bond tensions hurt lending

European exporters see boost from weak euro

European Car-Market Growth Slows as Incentives Are Phased Out

German Investor Confidence Falls for a Fifth Month

German Economic Recovery Remains on Track, Ministry Says

German Companies Plan to Take on More Staff

Eurozone tells Greece to ready new cuts, taxes

Eurostat to Look Into Greece’s Debt Swaps

Spanish government struggles with crisis message

Spanish unions protest austerity