MarketMinder's View: While Washington’s hemming and hawing no doubt makes some business planning trickier, the likelihood such a widely known and anticipated expiration of tax cuts and other spending measures derails the US economy is exceedingly slim. For more, see our recent commentary on Real Clear Markets.

MarketMinder's View: More than anything, this betrays a fundamental lack of understanding about how capital markets work. Sure, maybe investors have felt timid in the wake of what was a historically deep recession. But that doesn’t mean by any stretch they’re never returning. Far from it, actually. And to presume this time is different than any time in the past is likely to investors’ ultimate detriment.

MarketMinder's View: Throughout history, there have always been risks and seemingly overwhelming fears for investors to contend with. However, those listed here have been widely known for some time—removing most of their potential surprise power to move markets in the long run, though they could certainly cause some short-term choppiness.

MarketMinder's View: We quibble with many claims here—like citing free trade, free migration and tax competition as principal drivers of the eurozone’s woes. As we’ve written before, the assumption government austerity measures prevent growth overall and indefinitely is a one-sided (demand) point of view. Moreover, we’d suggest the major notion underpinning this piece—that markets need the stability brought by governments—is a bit backwards, which Greece and the eurozone seemingly illustrate rather well.

MarketMinder's View: Another example of the misperception there’s a strict dichotomy in the division of wealth: rich versus poor. This emotional rhetoric overlooks the fact capitalism works for both corporations and individuals—demonstrated by now commonplace luxury items like smartphones. Additionally, focusing on success of the whole allows corporations to create myriad jobs and widely spread wealth, benefitting people of all categories. As the author even writes, “It’s neither party’s goal (workers or entrepreneurs) to benefit the other, but that’s what happens nonetheless.” Labels and moralistic judgment aside, that’s capitalism at work.

MarketMinder's View: We agree with a couple points here—if you tax something, you get less of it, and lower taxes are likely an incremental economic positive. However, we doubt “taxmageddon” plays out as suggested here—politicking, extensions and foot-dragging wouldn’t surprise, but politicians likely ultimately understand substantially higher taxes make voters unhappy.

MarketMinder's View: While we largely agree today’s unemployment situation isn’t very structural at all, using the term “depression” to describe today is beyond bizarre considering the economy is growing, unemployment is falling and other economic data overall continue to be positive.

MarketMinder's View: The evidence included in this piece is nearly all anecdotal. But in actuality, much of US manufacturing is doing just fine—and without subsidies at that. In fact, manufacturing has largely led the way during the current economic expansion.

MarketMinder's View: We already largely have global accounting standards, so adding to them could entail some negative, unintended consequences. Plus, global accounting implies a global accounting enforcement body—who exactly would that be?

MarketMinder's View: Economies sometimes grow faster, sometimes slower—and that’s normal. Fact is, China’s still growing, the Chinese government recently announced one trillion yuan in new loans and leaders there typically slow growth right before an election (which is likely what’s happening now). For more, see our 04/13/2012 cover story, “China Check-Up.”

MarketMinder's View: We’ve discussed many times the problems the eurozone overall and Greece specifically still have and need to address—but this reaches overly hyperbolic conclusions at this point. The reality is a disorderly euro breakup and a Greek return to the drachma likely do more harm than good in the short run. Ultimately, politicians seem to grasp this, too. For more, see today’s cover story, “German(e) Data.”

MarketMinder's View: Let’s be clear: Greece’s problem isn’t really the euro, whether it stays on it or not. A credible currency is one of relatively few things it has going for it at the moment. And leaving it at this point could hurt everyone, perhaps Greece worst of all. And even if it went back in time and didn’t join the euro, Greece could easily be more of a mess than it currently is, not less.

MarketMinder's View: One beauty of markets in which goods and funds flow freely is regardless of “imbalances,” globally, all accounts balance. So to be concerned about shifts between current account surpluses and deficits and trade surpluses and deficits is largely fretting over something that isn’t really much of a problem. After all, countries won’t participate in such transactions if they don’t overall benefit in some way.

MarketMinder's View: Yes, a wider trade deficit could ding the US’s Q1 GDP number some—but that’s more an anomaly of GDP’s calculation than it is a serious comment about the economy’s overall health. Fact is a wider trade gap (with imports and exports increasing nicely) can indicate a higher level of global economic activity. And those dollars “exported” to pay for our increased imports must be used somehow. That’s what’s typically referred to as our current account surplus—and it’s not a bad thing. For more, see our 09/09/2011 cover story, “Trade Deficit Trifles.”