A few articles on Jack Lew (Obama’s pick for Treasury Secretary).
From the NY Times: Obama’s Pick for Treasury Is Said to Be His Chief of Staff
President Obama will announce on Thursday that he intends to elevate his chief of staff and former budget director, Jacob J. Lew, to be his next secretary of Treasury …
While Mr. Lew has much less experience than Mr. Geithner in international economics and financial markets, he would come to the job with far more expertise in fiscal policy and in dealing with Congress than Mr. Geithner did when he became secretary at the start of Mr. Obama’s term. That shift in skills reflects the changed demands of the times, as emphasis has shifted from the global recession and financial crisis of the president’s first years to the continuing budget fights with Republicans in Congress …
From the WSJ: Obama Aide Is Treasury Pick
President Barack Obama plans to nominate Jacob Lew to be the 76th U.S. Treasury secretary, putting the White House’s chief budget expert in a top economic post as it enters a grueling year of fiscal battles with Congress.
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Mr. Lew, 57 years old, is a veteran of numerous Washington budget battles, stretching back to his work as a senior congressional aide in the 1980s. He would likely draw on that experience during the looming fights over the debt ceiling, government spending levels and a possible overhaul of the tax code.
From the WSJ: Jacob Lew, in His Own Words
2010 – confirmation hearing before Senate Budget Committee
“Throughout my career, I have tried to work collaboratively across partisan and ideological divides to cut through gridlock and to help solve what seem like intractable problems. If confirmed as OMB Director, I will work in that bipartisan fashion again–with the members of this Committee, the leadership of both chambers, and with all those committed to taking constructive steps to rejuvenating our Nation’s economy and its fiscal standing.”
Thursday economic releases:
• At 8:30 AM ET, the initial weekly unemployment claims report will be released. The consensus is for claims to decrease to 362 thousand from 372 thousand last week.
• At 10:00 AM, the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey for November will be released by the BLS. In general jobs openings have been trending up. Openings were up about 8% year-over-year in October.
• Also at 10:00 AM, the Monthly Wholesale Trade: Sales and Inventories report for November. The consensus is for a 0.3% increase in inventories.