New Economic Perspectives

NEP’s Bill Black appears on the The Real News with Sarmini Peries discussing Boris Johnson. Johnson’s demonization of the EU and virtually all of its leaders in his role as an alleged journalist makes him the worst conceivable person to put in a top diplomatic post. Video below. Transcript available here. [embedded content] Share this:

By J.D. Alt Recent news reports lament the on-going collapse of America’s coal industry―specifically the spectacular loss of jobs which is devastating not only families but entire local economies and communities. On a PBS news report, a woman who’d worked for a local mining company for thirty years teared up and asked the reporter, “What in the world am I going to do?” At a recent event sponsored by Wyoming Public Radio, attendees were asked to fill out 5X7 cards with suggestions about how...

Michael Hoexter, Ph.D. The Brexit vote is being taken by some commentators as a sign that the basic competence of leadership groups throughout Western countries is in question.  Unfortunately not enough media attention has been paid, public concern raised, and action taken about the most massive and long-standing failure of the political leadership classes, a failure to protect by governments that threatens humanity itself.  Governments and government leaders have failed to lead on climate...

By William K. BlackJuly 5, 2016     Bloomington, MN NYT Editorial Decrying BREXIT – Part 7 The NYT editorialized against the BREXIT vote, just in case the six columns it printed attacking the vote might not make it clear where the editorial board stood.  The editorial explained what it saw as the basis for the vote. It was a cry of anger and frustration from more than half the country against those who wield power, wealth and privilege, both in their own government and in Brussels, and...

By William K. BlackJuly 5, 2016     Bloomington, MN The sixth column that the New York Time published on the same date condemning the vote in favor of BREXIT can be dealt with briefly.  It too attacked the legitimacy of democracy, which it presented as a threat to “representative government.” Steven Erlanger – Part 6 Steven Erlanger quoted with apparent approval this revealing quotation in his column condemning BREXIT. Bronwen Maddox, former editor of Prospect Magazine and the new director...

By William K. BlackJuly 5, 2016     Bloomington, MN Jim Yardley – Part 5 Jim Yardley wrote a column entitled “Populist Anger Upends Politics on Both Sides of the Atlantic.”  Yes, anyone in the UK who supported BREXIT is just like an American supporter of Donald Trump because they are angry.  Indeed, it’s “the same” as every non-establishment politician and political supporter throughout Europe and the U.S. The same yawning gap between the elite and mass opinion is fueling a populist...

By William K. BlackJuly 4, 2016     Bloomington, MN The New York Times published a book review entitled “Thin Blue Lines.”  The two books reviewed were about street crimes.  Based solely on reading the NYT book review, and wearing my criminology hat, neither book adds materially to the useful literature.  The two books, and the book review, however, share a common characteristic that is worth analysis.  All three conflate “street crime” with “crime” and “police” with “law enforcement.”  The...

By William K. BlackJuly 4, 2016     Bloomington, MN This is the fourth column in my seven-part series discussing the seven-barrel shotgun blast of articles that the New York Times published attacking the vote by those who favored BREXIT.  This column addresses Paul Krugman column on BREXIT. Paul Krugman [Part 4] Paul Krugman also wrote an attack on “populist[s].” It seems clear that the European project – the whole effort to promote peace and growing political union through economic...

By William K. BlackJune 28, 2016     Kansas City, MO Andrew Ross Sorkin is back, so unintentional self-parody is again the order of the day.  Wall Street’s sycophant-in-chief, introduces his column with a 98 m.p.h. fastball aimed at the reader’s chin. This isn’t meant to scare you, but let’s consider the absolute worst-case scenarios of “Brexit.” Sorkin’s column then presents his specific example of his absolute worst-case scenario.  See if you can spot what is missing from that scenario....

By William K. BlackJune 24, 2016     Kansas City, MO Tony Blair Tony Blair disgraced his office as Prime Minister and continues to disgrace it as lobbyist for murderous kleptocrats.  Blair’s column claims personal credit for a series of supposed triumph, blames the BREXIT vote on the Tories, and throws Jeremy Corbin, his successor as Labour Party leader, under the bus.  The title of Blair’s article refers to the democratic vote in favor of BREXIT as a “coup,” which helps explain why he...