Mike Norman Economics

One ring to rule them all.East Asia Forum (Australia)China’s state media is going global Zi Yang, RSIS also I wonder how they are going to explain China's rise only after abandoning Mao's strict Marxism-Leninism for Deng's introduction of markets. Socialism with Chinese characteristics, I guess. Defend Democracy Press Meeting Marx: Chinese youth dig Marxism’s appeal Xinhua

The real reason is that they think everyone is like them. A misanthropic view of humanity guides the tech aristocracy — and it’s trickled into their vision of the future But I would argue it goes somewhat deeper than that. They are aware of how tenuous civilization has becomes, being so dependent on fragile systems that are highly efficient but lack resilience and there is inadequate redundancy and backup. Vital resource shortages could develop more quickly than they can be addressed as a...

I would post a link to Martin Wolf's article but it is behind a paywall at the Financial Times. So this will have to do unless you have access. Somewhat embarrassingly, Brad DeLong gets Mariana Mazzacuto's name wrong. Oh, well, I make mistakes like that, too, on occasion.Wolf review poses a very pregnant question, "… she forces us to ask ourselves what adds value to society and how to create an economic and social order that promotes that."WCEGThe extremely intelligent Martin Wolf...

Trump is a disaster for the environment, for wildlife, and for human life. Trump has handed over to polluters oil and mineral rights in US National Monuments. Mining will now deface what was before Trump protected national monuments, and oil drilling will destroy the Arctic National Refuge. He has appointed polluters to run the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and he has waived rules in order to comply with the polluting industries’ wish list. Trump wants to cut EPA funding by 23...

The US is a morally bankrupt society, says Lee Camp, and this is a prefect example of the corporate state beating and arresting those that don't agree with their pillaging and corruption. All Ray McGovern was doing was protesting against the confirmation of the torturer, Gina Haspel, a person who should be put on trail for war crimes. [embedded content]  

For months, a campaign has been aimed at destabilising British Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, accused of anti-Semitism. The right-wing party, Tony Blair’s heir, and pro-Israel circles are targeting both Corbyn’s left-wing line and his support for the Palestinian people. They are rounding up on Jeremy Corbyn, but what about anti-Palestinian-ism in both the main British political parties? KV Britain’s opposition leader should have plenty on his plate at the moment, but Labour leader...

Julian Assange is in immense danger. Remarks made this week by Ecuador’s foreign minister suggest that her government may be preparing to renege on the political asylum it granted to the WikiLeaks editor in 2012 and hand him over to British and then American authorities. On March 28, under immense pressure from the governments in the US, Britain and other powers, Ecuador imposed a complete ban on Assange having any Internet or phone contact with the outside world, and blocked his friends...

Jesse Ventura disturbed me once when he said he was now a libertarian, then he added he was a socialist libertarian which calmed me down a bit but he seemed to be talking to libertarians quite a lot. Anyway, everything is okay now because he says he will run for president in 2020 as a Green Party candidate. Sounds great. By the way, Ray McGovern voted for the Green party too, what a great guy!Jesse Ventura says Trump lied and then filled his party with even more creatures from the swamp. He...

The low down on John Bolton, and it is really low down – as in bottom feeder. Here we go again. Moon of AlabamaCountdown To War On Iran bSee alsoExposé. Bolton again.TruthdigTrump Team May Be Focusing on Odd, Obscure Iran Plan Max Blumenthal

Effect of the Jan. 1 tax changes... The tax regime signed into law in December by President Donald Trump requires American-based companies to pay tax on money they’ve stashed outside the U.S. The new rules set a one-time rate of 15.5 percent on cash and 8 percent on non-cash or illiquid assets. Payments can be made over eight years. Previously, companies had to pay 35 percent, but only if they brought the money back to the U.S. Apple leaves overseas cash out of its latest quarterly...