Mike Norman Economics

As you can see many countries around the world won't allow people to endanger public safety. [embedded content]

Trump finally signed the Covid relief bill. The fiscal boost to the markets is about to get a lot bigger. Here's what you need to know. Trade and invest using the concepts of MMT. Get a 30-day free trial to MMT Trader. https://www.pitbulleconomics.com/mmt-trader/?s2-ssl=yes/ Download my podcasts! New one every week. https://www.buzzsprout.com/1105286 Mike Norman Twitter https://twitter.com/mikenorman

 According to Moon of Alabama the Chinese authorities were right to imprison Zhang Zhan as she had endangered the lives of many people; and potentially millions as she could have spread the virus to other parts of the country. The Chinese authorities had behaved within the guidelines of WHO for pandemics, where fake news which endangers public safety needs to be fully countered. Shortly before the man asked Zhang Zhan what she was doing she had knocked over the traffic barrier.Holding...

The single interest rate lever is supposed to be Pavlovian in its stimulus/response. When the rate goes down that means “spend”. When it goes up it means “don’t spend”. That’s the belief, which fiscal policy is supposed to follow along behind like a faithful hound.What’s amusing is that this response process doesn’t appear to take into account expectations....New WaylandThe Perpetual Problem With Interest RatesNeilW

 This Michael Hudson interview is excellent! The covid conspiracists blame the Lockdowns for harming the economy, but Michael Hudson says it's the financial sector that is stopping us from coping with the pandemic effectively because it is syphoning off too much money. Even before the pandemic, people were made to think that it was their fault that they are not doing well financially, because they have been made to feel that if they were more clever and worked harder, then they would do well...

Agreement ‘could be reached’ this week following movement on major sticking pointNo country had raised ‘stop sign’ clearing way for political endorsement, diplomat saysThe deal would give Beijing much-needed diplomatic breathing space as US president-elect Joe Biden prepares to forge stronger ties with European partners to confront growing Chinese assertiveness. Under the deal, European businesses would enjoy a more privileged investment environment in China than their American counterparts,...

 Backgrounder on Turkey and Central Asia.The Vineyard of the SakerTurkey pivots to the center of The New Great GamePepe Escobar via Asia Times (paywall)

I don't know much about WOKE, except that at its extremes it seems crazy. I think it's mainly a few young people with problems, who will eventually grow out of it, but the Right has turned it into a conspiracy theory. Anyway, it's the Anti-Woke crowd who get me more into a rage, when they set straw-dolls by finding a few rare extreme examples. Anti-woke outrage is now a brand and the new anti-woke justice warriors, with their large platforms, used mob intimidation to court likes and...

 Philippine leader pressures Washington after procurement delaysPresident Rodrigo Duterte has threatened the U.S. that the Philippines will end a key military agreement if millions of vaccines against COVID-19 are not delivered.Duterte threatens to end US military pact if no vaccines

 Larry Wilkerson says the Military-Industrial Complex needs China and Russia as enemies to justify its massive budget. He says they are running a racket and that Russia-gate is a lie. But he's moderately optimistic for the future of the Republican Party as the new younger members have had enough of Trumpism and want the older more moderate party back. They are not racist, he says, and are far more open to progressive values.[embedded content]'The emergence of a third party is among us' -...