Tag Archives: politics

Coronavirus dashboard for October 21: the autumn lull continues, despite new subvariants  – by New Deal democrat No economic data today, so let’s update the status of COVID-19. We are currently in a relative lull, with confirmed cases, hospitalizations, and deaths all near or at low levels only matched or exceeded at mid-year 2021 and early spring of this year. Here is the 6 month view of confirmed cases and deaths: At the moment...

“They can only “win” by cheating …,” Homeless on the High Desert, Ten Bears. October 7, 2022 in g’da said Your Daily Chaos, Morning Digest: Elections ~ Here’s something you don’t see often—or ever: Republican Mike Erickson released an internal poll showing him leading his Democratic opponent, Andrea Salinas, the very same day that he filed a lawsuit demanding Salinas take down an attack ad by citing a law that he recently threatened to use to...

If GOP Wins Either House Of Congress, Dems Must Kill Debt Ceiling  If it comes to pass and especially if the GOP takes both houses, presumably Democrats will be able to kill the debt ceiling in the lame duck session. This assumes Manchin and Sinema stick with them on it, which one of them might not. As a budget matter, it can pass by reconciliation, which avoids a filibuster. It can also be passed with only 50 votes plus VP Harris in the Senate....

With regard to the Albertson – Kroger merger.   CEPR’s Eileen Appelman discusses a private equity profit scheme involving the Kroger/Albertsons grocery megamerger. Albertsons will pay out about a third of its market value to its former private equity owners and investors in November as part of the merger with Kroger. The large payment sets up Albertsons for bankruptcy which Kroger can use to defend the merger. Appelbaum” “‘Albertson’s...

If one were to look in the U.S. Constitution for the meaning of ‘Originalism’, they wouldn’t find it. It’s not there. It wasn’t anywhere until the U.S. Supreme Court’s Brown vs Board of Education (1954). ‘Originalism’ originated with segregationists opposed to the decision. Since, it has been heard a lot from white supremacists, white southern politicians, racists, and bigots. Been heard a lot from the Federalists Society and the Republican Party...

I haven’t paid a lot of attention to the controversy surrounding Congressional stock trading, but 1) I assume it’s a real problem and 2) it’s obviously going to be very difficult to get a strong reform bill through Congress.  So here’s a proposal:  why not craft a strong bill – bright line rules, no exceptions – that will take effect in 10 years?  Of course, it would be best to enact a strong bill today, but given the difficulties involved, why...

Great insight: Putin continues to demonstrate just how easy it is to manipulate narcissists. https://t.co/ngaird6ugK— Julia Ioffe (@juliaioffe) October 19, 2022Who else can we add to the list?  Trump, Musk.  Anyone else?

Two of the most knowledgeable economists discussing events leading up to this year’s high inflation and the resulting interest rates. Of course, the Fed is reacting to the high inflation rates. If we look out into the future, probably early next year for a recession. OER should not be used by the Fed in setting policy. The Fed is currently chasing a phantom lagging menace. “Actual* rents and house prices lead the CPI measures by about a year.”...

This just popped up (October 19, 2022) at Scotus Blog. Just as expected the right filed to block student loan relief. Initially filing at the 7th District COA and another filing to SCOTUS just in case they lose at the 7th District. Apparently, they feel it is unfair students get any relief to loans which if they were car loans, etc., they could receive bankruptcy relief. In effect, denial of bankruptcy for these types of loans discriminates against...

People who quarrel with those with whom they mostly agree and focus on the “to be sure” paragraph of a column with which they mostly agree are a nuisance. I am such a nuisance. Jon Chait wrote an article noting that the GOP accepts antisemitism and the Democrats don’t. He makes his case. However, he has to deal with the case of Ilhan Omar and (among others) Jonathan Chait. I am going to quote at some length “A couple of years ago, Democratic...