A brief introduction by an Econofact News Letter exploring the impact of income on voting turnout. I did not include the explanation link information in this commentary as it would be too lengthy. However, the links are there if you wish to read further into this explanation. This is short enough to provoke a discussion as to why percentages of poorer voters do not turnout for elections. They have much to win in economic progress if the vote for the right candidate. If they do not vote, then they take whatever the other candidate offers. A bit of a rewrite also.

See if this makes sense. I think it may . . .

Election Day is less than two months away

Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2022

Table 7. Reported Voting and

CNBC

The plight of hotel workers in cleaning up after residents who stay for a few days and leave the room in a wreck. The pay id the minimum that can be made. The hazards are such a worker can become readily sick. from exposure. I am sure the pandemic caused issues.

Plus, people do not tip the housekeeping staff. A couple of $dollars left on a night stand goes a long way. Another story on the plight of housekeepers which are mostly women.

With up to 17 rooms to clean each shift, Fatima Amahmoud’s job at the Moxy hotel in downtown Boston sometimes feels impossible.

Daily Cleaning Schedule

There was the time she found three days’ worth of blond dog fur clinging to the curtains, the bedspread and the carpet. She knew she wouldn’t finish

Last week CEO Vivek claimed most of his text messages were automatically deleted. Also and previously investigators were show messages going back and forth between players in this issue. Investigators asked those messages be kept. Apparently, those too have disappeared or portions of them have.

It appears Albertsons has been milked by private entities Cerberus and Apollo who have been taking portions of equity out of Albertsons. In which case Kroger would be the white knight to the rescue.

FTC questions Albertsons CEO on deleted text messages, Boise Dev

PORTLAND, OR — Albertsons CEO Vivek Sankaran testified during a hearing in Portland about an unknown number of text messages he caused to be deleted.

Sankaran was one of several

New Medicaid Rule Adds Fuel to The Fire of Commercial Hospital Price Inflation, Health Affairs Opinion Piece

Hospital services prices grew faster than any other sector of the US economy. To address the underpayment of hospitals by Medicaid, the federal government issued a regulation correcting the underpayment of hospitals. However, the issue of higher prices and Medicaid paying more to correct the underpayment does not fit in the opinion of The National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions. The outcome of doing so under the new regulation could push hospital prices higher for 66 percent of the US population who have commercial health insurance coverage.

Growing evidence of the cause of hospital price variation shows such is the result of

– by Infidel753

Infidel753 Blog

By traditional assessment, in a US election year, early September is when the broad American public starts turning its attention to the choice looming in early November.  To those readers blessed to live in normal countries, where campaigning is limited by law to just three or four weeks before an election, a two-month political season probably seems absurdly long — but I can assure you, the media and parties here have already been barraging us with election stuff for what feels like an eternity.  As far back as late May, we had already been so interminably inundated that 62% of Americans were feeling burned out on politics and sick of hearing about it.

Nevertheless, here we are.  Two more months of this to

Devastating Impact of Proposed Kroger/Albertsons Merger on Good Union Jobs Scrutinized in Day 3 of Merger Hearing, Economic Liberties

Portland, OR — After the third day of the Federal Trade Commission v. Kroger-Albertsons hearing in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon, the American Economic Liberties Project released the following summary. As posted by Research Manager Laurel Kilgour, reporting from Portland of the key arguments made and points discussed.

Union Regrets Believing Albertsons’ Past Promises About Divested Stores
Andrea Zinder, President of UFCW Local 324 in Southern California, which represents over 15,000 workers across a wide range of industries, testified that following Albertsons’ 2015 merger with Safeway, their

Two in five Americans have outstanding health care bills, according to the Kaiser Foundation. Those with payments overdue are more likely to be uninsured, low-income, and either Black or Hispanic. What’s more, the total amount of outstanding medical debt in the United States is much bigger than people think.

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Most states have not yet enacted laws preventing the accrual of medical debt, but many have implemented protections for people who already have accumulated debt. In light of this . . .

Earlier this summer, the Biden administration announced updated guidance on medical debt. In addition to a proposed federal rule to prevent medical bills from being included in credit reports, the administration recommended that states take action

We have shopped at both stores and also Frys which is also a part of Kroger. Of the three, Ftys is less costly. Our Frys always seems to be out of product. We end up at Bashas to fill out the rest of or grocery shopping, or Sprouts which has excellent veggies, or make the trip to WalMart which is on the other side of town. In any case, you will not save much. They all know what the other is charging.

The real issue is, when there is a shortage, do your cost really go up or are you just taking advantage? That is the issue and one which should be hammered home every time as economic problem occurs.

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During the Antitrust Trial, a Kroger Exec Admits It Jacked Up Milk and Egg Prices Above Inflation

A top Kroger executive admitted under

Biden-Harris Admin awards $100 Million to navigators to help Americans sign up for healthcare coverage

by Charles Gaba

ACA Signups

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The Biden-Harris Administration today continued its historic investment in health care coverage and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) by awarding a new round of $100 million to organizations vital to helping underserved communities, consumers, and small businesses find and enroll in quality, affordable health coverage through HealthCare.gov, the Health Insurance Marketplace®.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is awarding the grants, in advance of this year’s Marketplace Open Enrollment (which begins November 1, 2024) to 44 Navigator grantees in states using HealthCare.gov. The grants

By Prof. Heather Cox Richardson

Letters from an American

Almost one hundred and forty-two years ago, on September 5, 1882, workers in New York City celebrated the first Labor Day holiday with a parade. The parade almost didn’t happen: there was no band, and no one wanted to start marching without music. Once the Jewelers Union of Newark Two showed up with musicians, the rest of the marchers, eventually numbering between 10,000 and 20,000 men and women, fell in behind them to parade through lower Manhattan. At noon, when they reached the end of the route, the march broke up and the participants listened to speeches, drank beer, and had picnics. Other workers joined them.

Their goal was to emphasize the importance of workers in the

This appears to be similar to what I wrote about recently, An A1 Price Fixing Dream. You Know It’s There. But You Can’t Prove It. – Angry Bear. You have an entity collecting information, categorizing it, and then supplying the information to other entities so they can set pricing. In this case with meat and poultry, it may not be as sophisticated. Agri Stats, the data and consulting company collects competitive information and passes the information to the meat processing industry. They in turn fix their prices to similar levels.

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Meat and Poultry Is Wildly Expensive Now — and It Could Be Due to Price Fixing, Food and Wine

Agri Stats, the data analytics and consulting company, unlawfully collected competitive industry data.  If the

Arizona has plenty of roadside attractions, but these eight are undoubtedly the weirdest.

Arizona is known for its impressive natural wonders. It is also home to a treasure trove of quirky and offbeat roadside attractions that offer a different kind of adventure for those willing to take the road less traveled.

These eight unusual stops range from the downright bizarre and whimsically charming to historical symbols and pop culture references, making them perfect detours for curious travelers looking to add a bit of oddity to their journey. So buckle up and get ready to explore the strange side of the Grand Canyon State.

1. Flintstones Bedrock City, Williams 

“Flintstones, meet the Flintstones” — yes, you can take the lyrics of this

What is the American Car Culture today? You do not need to look closely or even need glasses to examine or see what it is today. It is no longer a car, it is SUVs and pickups, larger pickups two rows of seating, and even larger pickups with dually wheels. Many are vehicles which never haul anything except one driver and maybe a small family once and a while. Now manufacturers are trying to electrify them for longer distances to get similar mileage the same as gasoline vehicles.

Ford didn’t invent the American Car Culture , but it might as well have. The cheap, simple, and small Model T brought the automobile to the masses. By the early 1920s, about half of the world’s cars were made by Ford. But these days, Ford is only nominally in the car

I spent some time today adding to this piece in the hope of making it clear in explanation. What is occurring is many entities are using software which compares its pricing to what the market will bear. No one knows the others adding their data. However, the end result is what is being charged is particular markets for similar products. So, companies adjust their pricing.

We’re Entering an AI Dystopia,

by Rogé Karma

The Atlantic

If you rent your home, there’s a good chance your landlord uses RealPage to set your monthly payment. The company describes itself as merely helping landlords set the most profitable price. However a series of lawsuits claim the use of Real Page results in price-fixing due to A1.

Price-fixing usually

Milwaukee is developing the world’s tallest timber tower . . . again | CNN

Commenter Bob Michaelson recently posted on Joel Eissenberg’s post Getting High on Wood . . . What Bob was pointing to in his comment was Milwaukee, WI build of another Timber Tower skyscraper building type made of wood. Presently, a mass timber hybrid high-rise apartment building also in Milwaukee, Ascent MKE is a 284-foot, 25-story high-rise. It is the world’s tallest mass timber structure, edging out Norway’s Mjøstårnet. It features 259 luxury apartments, retail space, an elevated pool with operable window walls, and a sky-deck.

Michael Green Architects (MGA) released its design for a 55-story tower (shown below in a rendering) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Made

We have been playing brinksmanship the last 30 days as to when it is a good time to reduce the Fed Rate taking your foot off the bake so to speak. If you read New Deal democrat’s latest report . . . “The monthly personal income and spending report is now the most important report of all, except for jobs. That’s because it tells us so much about the state of the consumer economy. In short, this was an excellent report (July personal income and spending), with all of the important leading and coincident metrics increasing to records or near-records. It is indicative of a healthy economy both now and for the immediate future. As indicated above, the only fly in the ointment is that the very low savings rate is leaving consumers vulnerable to any future

“FTC Previews Hard Evidence of Harms While Kroger and Albertsons Dangle Unenforceable Promises in Merger Hearing Opening Arguments,” Economic Liberties

Kroger and Albertsons Dangle Unenforceable Promises in Merger Hearing Opening Arguments.

Noteworthy in Day 1 of the hearing is Kroger uses Albertson’s pricing as the high mark to set its pricing between it and WalMart on the low end. It would seem such a combination of both stores would eliminate the pricing competition. The later adjusts to the former prices. Also in the mix is the percentage of stores make of the market in cities. For example. Santa Fe was one of the locations used to show that such combination would result in ~60% of the stores being either Kroger or Albertsons.

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Abolishing the Super Rich is a research piece, a book, and an opinion commentary by Tom Malleson. Associate professor Tom is at King’s University College at Canada’s Western University. Tom gives us a peek into his book entitled Against Inequality: The Practical and Ethical Case for Abolishing the Superrich (2023).

The commentary/review of content reads nicely and the professor has his points in a row. Since we are an economics blog which touches on other issues also, I thought this would fit nicely at Angry Bear. A bit of controversy for some, I am sure.

“Why We Should Abolish the Super Rich,” Inequality.org

The rationales for accepting vast inequalities of income and wealth simply do not hold up.

In many parts of the world, inequality is

Medicare Advantage Plans are funded by Traditional Medicare which is slowly being depleted. Much of what MA does which proves to be so costly is due to MA up coding of its patients. It is estimated this will cost an ~$88 billion in 2024. This is up from $80 billion in 2023.

Studies have found evidence of upcoding and favorable selection of patients are driving significant overpayments to MA plans. MedPAC also said the program’s quality bonus system isn’t a good measure of plan quality, joining other research groups who say the program needs reform.

Yet, major payers in MA are pushing back against regulatory changes which could upset their golden goose. (MA can be twice as profitable for insurers than other types of plans). Think United

I asked our builder if the water piping was insulated. Nope. Insulation would save on hot water usage and also colder water usage. You can not get cold water in the Summer. And you run the water to get hot water due to no insulation. In AZ, they use PEX tubing for water. PEX is cheaper and just about anyone can install it. Copper takes more skill, is more durable. and can be insulated which saves on costs.

“We voted to create tough water management rules. Arizona ignored us”

Opinion piece by an Arizona citizen who has concerns about water usage and policies.

Last August, following a public hearing, the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) adopted its management goal for the citizen-approved Douglas Active Management Area.

I

What is the issue(s) here is larger hospitals such as “Bon Secours (48 hospitals) has been slashing services” at its facility in a poorer, predominantly Black part of Richmond. At the same time, it is ‘investing in the city’s wealthier, white neighborhoods.’” By maintaining the Richmond hospital, it keeps access to the 340B program, provides drugs to the hospital in the wealthy section, and goes around the 340B rules.

340B hospitals are also gobbling up competitors in a way that consolidates health care providers. From the first quarter of 2016 through the first quarter of this year, 340B facilities were responsible for roughly 75% of hospital acquisitions, according to data collected by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The

I guess if you are X-President D. Trump and a civilian, nothing still applies to him. Even showing respect at Arlington. This is a man who called Vets losers.

Trump: “Why should I go to that cemetery? It’s filled with losers.” On McCain . . . “He’s not a war hero,” Trump said in 2015 while running for the Republican nomination for president. “I like people who weren’t captured.” About McCains funeral, “He’s not a war hero,” Trump said in 2015 while running for the Republican nomination for president. “I like people who weren’t captured.”

According to NPR: Trump changed his mind and turned up at Arlington National Cemetery, where the former president participated in a wreath-laying ceremony.

Two members of Donald Trump’s campaign staff had

QUARTZ The ‘Lock-in Effect’ is Easing. Here is What It means for the Housing Market

Homeowners are beginning to give up on waiting for lower mortgage rates. That could be good news for potential homebuyers.

In the first quarter of this year, six of every seven homeowners, or 86%, have a mortgage rate below 6%, according to a Redfin analysis of the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s National Mortgage Database published Tuesday. That’s down from a record 93% in the second quarter of 2022, a sign that the lock-in effect is easing.

And that’s true at every mortgage rate level. The share of homeowners that has held onto their current mortgages has declined in the past two years — even for those enjoying rates below 3%.

The so-called “lock-in

Joyce Vance at Civil Discourse on Jack Smith’s New Approach. Since trump now has certain immunities due to being a former pres, pres, president as declared by SCOTUS. Took a bit to call trump a president.

Jack Smith takes a different approach in indicting trump as citizen trump. He carefully avoids reference to the office of president. This is going to be interesting as this new indictment will be appealed.

In a Tuesday afternoon surprise, Jack Smith went to a grand jury in the District of Columbia to obtain a superseding indictment in the election interference case. Superseding an indictment means amending it. Often that’s done to add new charges or defendants, but that is not the case here.

The same four charges are still in the

By Guest Economist Joseph Joyce

Capital Ebbs and Flows

The disruption of the global economy caused by the COVID pandemic in 2020 had begun to be overcome when the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 led to new fissures. Sanctions were placed by the United States and European nations on trade and capital transactions with Russia. Before the pandemic, tariffs and other trade measures had been imposed by the  United States and China on each other, and these restrictions were continued under the Biden administration. How far has the reversal of the measures designed to promote international trade and finance gone, and has globalization been set back?

 Jesús Fernández-Villaverde, Tomohide Mineyama and Dongho Song in a new NBER working paper, “Are

Americans hate high prices, and Kamala Harris says she plans to combat them by banning price gouging in food and groceries. But, depending on what form it takes, economists could hate her plan.

Vice President Harris, who will formally accept her party’s nomination at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this week, has laid the blame for high food prices at the feet of businesses. Surveys conducted by Harvard University economist Stefanie Stantcheva show many people and Democrats in particular believe that corporate greed is to blame for inflation.

The food industry has pushed back hard on that belief, arguing that the rise in prices has to do with the extraordinary economic reordering caused by the pandemic, which snarled supply chains,

Yes, it is true. That is only part of the story. There is more to it as to why the FTC is interfering. I am surprised there is not more “current” information on Cerberus and Apollo Global involvement in the Kroger-Albertsons merger. I keep reading the same blathering over and over.

$25 billion at play here. And both private equity guys are out to break the bank.

Kroger is already threating to go to SCOTUS because the FTC’s Lina M. Khan is getting in their way of making off with $billion. Hope you read it as this is the reality.

Private Equity Guys Trying to Shoplift a Super-Market Chain Before They Sell It

Earlier this week, four state attorneys general filed two separate lawsuits seeking to stop private equity firms from swiping $4

According to Word Press this article by EPI can be read in 7 minutes. It is not a difficult read and gives quite a bit of information.

Wage growth strongest for low-wage workers between 2019 and 2023

In this analysis, we divide the wage distribution into roughly five groups to uncover recent wage trends at different wage levels. 

Figure A displays wage growth at the 10th percentile (“low-wage”), the average of the 20th–40th percentiles (“lower-middle-wage”), the average of the 40th–60th percentiles (“middle-wage”), the average of the 60th–80th percentiles (“upper-middle-wage”), and the 90th percentile (“high-wage”) using Current Population Survey (CPS) Outgoing Rotation Group microdata (EPI 2024a). Gould and deCourcy (2023) provide a more

That is unless he changes his mind. You have to remember; Justice Clarence Thomas dropped an open hint that Special Council Jack Smith’s appointment may not be legitimate.

AG Merrick Garland has weighed in on this . . .

Attorney General Merrick Garland defended his appointment of special counsel Jack Smith on Tuesday as the department appeals a ruling finding he was wrongly appointed, saying he wouldn’t make such a “basic mistake.”

Garland, in an interview with NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, noted that he chose to sit down with the outlet at the Justice Department’s law library.

“For more than 20 years I was a federal judge. Do I look like somebody who would make that basic mistake about the law? I don’t think so.”

Special

Increasing profits far above actual costs. Think Medicare Advantage as compared to Medicare.

Over the past 20 years, the prices of hospital services have grown faster than any other sector of the US economy. Unfortunately, the federal government recently issued a regulation intending to address underpayment of hospitals by Medicaid. However, the new rule could push hospital prices higher for 66 percent of the US population who have commercial health insurance coverage.

The growing evidence shows wide hospital price variation is driven by hospital market power rather than underlying costs of care or the level of payment by Medicare and Medicaid. In spite of this federal regulators are allowing states to compensate hospitals at “average commercial