In der Februar-Umfrage des Ökonomenpanels von ifo und FAZ wurden Professoren für Volkswirtschaftslehre an deutschen Universitäten zu den Ergebnissen der Sondierungsgespräche zwischen CDU/CSU und SPD ...befragt. Eine Mehrzahl der Teilnehmer zeigte sich weitgehend enttäuscht von diesen Ergebnissen. Insbesondere die geplanten Steuerentlastungen niedriger und mittlerer Einkommen durch einen Abbau des Solidaritätszuschlags erscheint als zu wenig ambitioniert. Anstelle einer Fortführung der großen Koalition hätte sich eine relative Mehrheit der befragten Ökonomen eine Minderheitsregierung unter Führung der Unionsparteien gewünscht.
Since 2007 the German state governments have been allowed by a constitutional reform to set real estate transfer tax rates. We exploit this reform and investigate whether government ideology predicts ...the levels and increases in the real estate transfer tax rates. The results show that left wing and center governments were more active in increasing the real estate transfer tax rates than right wing governments. Many voters were disenchanted with the policies and platforms of the established German parties. Disenchantment notwithstanding, real estate transfer tax policies show that the established political parties are still prepared to offer polarized policies.
Das 18. Ökonomenpanel von ifo und FAZ hat Professoren für Volkswirtschaftslehre an deutschen Universitäten zu einigen Vorschlägen zur Reform der Eurozone sowie zur finanzpolitischen Ausrichtung der ...geplanten EU- und Bundeshaushalte befragt. Insgesamt zeigt sich, dass die deutschen Volkswirte den Vorschlägen skeptisch gegenüberstehen.
In der jüngsten Umfrage des Ökonomenpanels von ifo und FAZ wurden Professoren für Volkswirtschaftslehre an deutschen Universitäten zu der sich selbstzugeschriebenen Risikofreude sowie zu ihrer ...Einschätzung der Risikofreude einiger Entscheidungsträger in Wirtschaft und Politik befragt.
This paper exploits the devolution of taxing powers in the German federation to study the effects of fiscal equalization on subnational governments’ tax policy. Based on an analysis of the system of ...fiscal equalization transfers, we argue that the redistribution of revenues provides incentives for states to raise rather than to lower their tax rates. The empirical analysis exploits differences in fiscal redistribution among the states and over time. Using a comprehensive simulation model, the paper computes the tax-policy incentives faced by each state over the years and explores their empirical effects on tax policy. The results support a robust and strong incentive effect that works through the tax-base. When facing full equalization, a state is predicted to set the rate of the real estate transfer tax at about 1.3 percentage points higher than without. Our analysis also shows that the incentive to raise tax rates has proliferated because individual states’ decisions to raise their tax rates have intensified fiscal redistribution over time.
In the course of the federalism reform in 2006, relations between the federal government and the states were rearranged in various areas. The primary objective was to reduce the manifold ...interdependencies between local authorities. Among other things, legislative responsibilities were redistributed between the federal government and the federal states. In this context, the right to the federal states was also assigned to determine the tax rates of the real estate transfer tax independently.
From 1998 to 2003, 133 Caucasian women aged 17-40 years (median 29 years) suffering from unexplained recurrent miscarriage (uRM) were consecutively enrolled. In patients and 133 age-matched healthy ...controls prothrombotic risk factors (factor V (FV) G1691A, factor II (FII) G20210A, MTHFR T677T, 4G/5G plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)-1, lipoprotein (Lp) (a), protein C (PC), protein S (PS), antithrombin (AT), antiphospholipid/anticardiolipin (APA/ACA) antibodies) as well as associated environmental conditions (smoking and obesity) were investigated. 70 (52.6%) of the patients had at least one prothrombotic risk factor compared with 26 control women (19.5%; p<0.0001). Body mass index (BMI; p=0.78) and smoking habits (p=0.44) did not differ significantly between the groups investigated. Upon univariate analysis the heterozygous FV mutation, Lp(a) > 30 mg/dL, increased APA/ACA and BMI > 25 kg/m(2) in combination with a prothrombotic risk factor were found to be significantly associated with uRM. In multivariate analysis, increased Lp(a) (odds ratio (OR): 4.7/95% confidence interval (CI): 2.0-10.7), the FV mutation (OR:3.8/CI:1.4-10.7), and increased APA/ACA (OR: 4.5/CI: 1.1-17.7) had independent associations with uRM.
Seit der Föderalismusreform 2006 obliegt es den Ländern, die Besoldung ihrer Beamten zu regeln. Dieser Beitrag untersucht, ob linke Landesregierungen die Gelegenheit genutzt haben, die Ungleichheit ...bei der Besoldung ihrer Beamten zu reduzieren. Die Ergebnisse zeigen nicht, dass linke Regierungen die Ungleichheit stärker reduzierten als rechte Regierungen oder Regierungen der Mitte.
Thrombin converts fibrinogen to fibrin and activates blood and vascular cells in thrombo‐inflammatory diseases. Platelets are amplifiers of thrombin formation when activated by leukocyte‐ and ...vascular cell‐derived thrombin. CD36 on platelets acts as sensitizer for molecules with damage‐associated molecular patterns, thereby increasing platelet reactivity. Here, we investigated the role of CD36 in thrombin‐generation on human platelets, including selected patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD). Platelets deficient in CD36 or blocked by anti‐CD36 antibody FA6.152 showed impaired thrombin generation triggered by thrombin in calibrated automated thrombography. Using platelets with congenital function defects, blocking antibodies, pharmacological inhibitors, and factor‐depleted plasma, CD36‐sensitive thrombin generation was dependent on FXI, fibrin, and platelet signaling via GPIbα and SFKs. CD36‐deficiency or blocking suppressed thrombin‐induced platelet αIIbβ3 activation, granule exocytosis, binding of adhesion proteins and FV, FVIII, FIX, FX, but not anionic phospholipid exposure determined by flow cytometry. CD36 ligated specifically soluble fibrin, which recruited distinct coagulation factors via thiols. Selected patients with CKD showed elevated soluble fibrin plasma levels and enhanced thrombin‐induced thrombin generation, which was normalized by CD36 blocking. Thus, CD36 is an important amplifier of platelet‐dependent thrombin generation when exposure of anionic phospholipids is limited. This pathway might contribute to hypercoagulability in CKD.
Members of parliament (MPs) often set their own salaries. Voters dislike self-serving politicians, and politicians are keen to please voters. In line with political business cycle theories, ...politicians thus may delay giving themselves a salary increase until after elections. We investigate electoral cycles in the salary increases of German state MPs. Using data for 15 states over the period 1980–2014, we find no evidence that increases in MP salaries are influenced by election cycles. Politicians can increase their salaries at any point during the legislative period without negative consequences. We posit that this may be because even those voters who are most disenchanted with politics likely understand that all politicians benefit from a salary increase and thus do not punish the governing party at the polls.
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