Costly,Regressive, and Ineffective: How Sensitive Is Public Support for the Mortgage Interest Deduction in the United States?

ABSTRACT

Although the mortgage interest deduction enjoys broad public support, critics argue that the policy disproportionately benefits wealthy households, fails to expand homeownership opportunities to households on the margins, and costs the federal government an extraordinary amount of money in foregone tax revenue. Drawing on data collected through an online experiment, this analysis tests the sensitivity of public support to these critiques. The findings reveal that support for the mortgage interest deduction declines when respondents are presented with information about the cost, effectiveness, or distribution of benefits associated with the deduction. Support among renters is more sensitive to framing effects than that among homeowners. Republicans are less sensitive to framing effects than Democrats when the deduction is framed as distributing benefits unequally, but more sensitive to these effects when the issue is framed as costly. However, all groups register their lowest level of support when told that the mortgage interest deduction is not an effective tool for expanding ownership opportunities.     

Investing in Crisis: The Methods,Strategies, and Expectations of Investors in Single-Family Foreclosed Homes in Distressed Neighborhoods

In the wake of the U.S. foreclosure crisis, the magnitude of homes flowing into investor ownership since 2007 has been unprecedented. Based on interviews with investors and other key informants active on the south and southwest sides of Atlanta, we describe the key aspects of the business models of such investors, including their methods of identifying properties, determining acquisition prices and renovation costs, and managing properties for rent. We also examine their expectations for financial return, including the sensitivity of returns to market and property uncertainties. We conclude with key findings and some recommendations for policymakers.     

"五族共和"思想的内涵与实质探析

"五族共和"思想包括共和政体下"国家之统一"、"民族之统一"和民族(种族)平等三重含义.孙中山代表南京临时政府对"五族共和"思想及其政策主张的表述来自此前"共和统一会"对"统一"的解释.由于辛亥革命胜利后,资产阶级认为国内的种族不平等和政治不平等问题均已解决,因此,"五族共和"思想表现在民族问题上的实质属于资产阶级性质的民族同化,通过民族同化从而实现民族的统一.     

建造中船舶抵押面临的法律问题及对策

总结建造中船舶抵押在目前仍较为少见的原因,指出在造船业整体不景气的现阶段,建造中船舶抵押融资将会变得越来越常见。结合实践,分析建造中船舶抵押所面临的主要法律问题,并在此基础上提出相关措施及建议。     

船舶留置权法律制度的特殊性

对船舶留置权、以船舶为客体的留置权和一般留置权的法律定义进行比较,分析船舶留置权所担保的债权合同、被占有船舶的权属、受偿顺序以及实现方式等特殊内容,指出完全以一般留置权的法律规定适用于船舶留置权,无法公平有效地解决船舶留置权在实践中遇到的各种问题,《中华人民共和国海商法》有必要另行规定船舶留置权法律制度,以维护相关各方的合法权益。     

《中华人民共和国物权法》背景下在建船舶抵押权的实现

《中华人民共和国物权法》给在建船舶抵押权的担保范围、变更、物上代位、行使条件和方式、顺位、行使期限等抵押权实现问题带来一定影响,弥补了《中华人民共和国海商法》关于实现在建船舶抵押权的许多空白,修订了在建船舶抵押权的实现原来适用《中华人民共和国担保法》相关规定时的不合理之处。但关于在建船舶抵押权对抗第三人的范围、在建船舶浮动抵押制度、在建船舶的接管转让等方面仍存在不足,应对上述内容进行特别法上的修改,使在建船舶抵押权的实现更符合法理,更适应造船业发展的需要。     

论公共政策目标的确定：事遂人愿——以我国房地产政策为例

公共政策目标体现的是整个公共行为的根本价值,是决定政策效果的根本所在。政策目标的确定主要取决于决策者在规划政策时对事实前提和价值前提,即事与愿的关系的拿捏。文章以1998年以来我国政府制定的有关政策对房地产业的影响为例,运用引证法、比较法、归纳法等,阐述公共政策目标确定过程中事实前提与价值前提的关系,并论证在政策的制定过程中,坚持以社会总体利益优先考虑的价值前提应先位于事实前提,即事遂人愿原则。     

论船舶抵押权制度的立法完善——以国内法律冲突为视角

由于《物权法》实施所带来的影响,以及《物权法》与《海商法》调整对象的一致性,导致其在船舶物权制度领域存在着些许法律冲突,这些冲突在船舶抵押权领域的表现尤为突出。在相关法律适用中应充分利用现有的国内冲突规则,尤为重要的是在立法领域,应通过修改《海商法》和《船舶登记条例》的有关规定以进一步完善我国现有的船舶抵押权制度。     

论业主团体法律地位的确立

作为一种组织或者机构,业主团体在我国是一个实质存在而形式缺失的概念。只有承认业主团体的法律地位,才能解决业主委员会目前存在的没有实体可以依托的问题,并理顺业主团体与业主大会和业主委员会之间的关系。我们应当在立法上承认符合条件的业主团体的法人地位和民事主体资格,同时,明确业主团体内部组织的性质和法律地位,明确业主团体内部组织的相互关系和治理结构,以进一步完善我国物业法律制度。     

Effect of Choice of Measure on the Size of a Racial Disparity

In criminological studies of racial disparities the effect of race on outcomes is assessed after statistical controls for other variables. There is no universally accepted measure of size of disparity after controls in the most common type of disparity study: the study of binary outcomes. Some such studies use a measure that lends itself to interpretation in terms of the proportional reduction in error (PRE). Most use a non-PRE measure of association. This study investigates the effect of choice of measure on conclusions about the size of a disparity after controls. For illustrative purposes the study analyzes data on the awarding of sentence reductions to drug traffickers. After controls, blacks are found to be substantially less likely than whites to receive a reduction according to a type of non-PRE measure: an odds ratio derived from a logit model. But using the same data and model, PRE measures obtained from an ROC analysis indicate that, after controls, there is hardly any difference between the races in their likelihood of sentence reduction. Results illustrate the study's thesis: that the choice of measure can powerfully affect conclusions. The findings' implications—for policymakers and for researchers who conduct racial disparity studies—are discussed.