Tag Archives: politics

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Timothy Snyder invites us to read; “Decapitation Strike (December)“ (Note to readers: I wrote this two weeks ago, on 15 November. This update accounts for things I have learned since, and for Trump’s further appointments, who confirm the thesis.) Each of Trump’s proposed appointments is a surprise. It is comforting to think that he is […] The post “some of them did vote to burn it all down. But if it all burns down, we...

from Dean Baker New York Times columnist Christopher Caldwell devoted his Thanksgiving piece to describing the German sociologist Wolfgang Streeck’s views on capitalism and democracy.  I have not read much of Streeck’s work, but as recounted by Caldwell, he gets many of the basic facts about the U.S. economy badly wrong. According to Caldwell’s account, capitalists were willing to sacrifice profits in the decades after World War II for stability. This meant less dynamism but allowed...

[unable to retrieve full-text content]The Vera Institutes report on Jails and Prisons is accurate. I am basing this comment on what I know about them in the past. Obviously, things have changed over time. It is good to see a decrease. Perhaps they have found better ways to handle minor issues other than the county jail or state prisons. […] The post Jail and Prison Populations Decreased Since 2019 appeared first on Angry Bear.

[unable to retrieve full-text content]So many flaws, so many mistakes made; does America even deserve to exist? Does any country that would elect such a person president? Now twelve score and eight, this nation so boldly brought forth on this continent has, in the main, gotten better and better; until it didn’t.  That nation so many have loved so […] The post The Fall appeared first on Angry Bear.

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Since Trump and Republicans are interested in cutting spending. I was interested in seeing what Musk and his side kick Ramaswamy might be looking at to reduce. What you are looking at is a Pie Chart showing all items in the budget. The breakout of the Payroll Tax Chart from the Pie Chart (further down) […] The post Where Do Federal Tax Dollars Go? appeared first on Angry Bear.

[unable to retrieve full-text content]I’ve read where Musk and Ramaswami are proposing a 75% cut in the federal workforce. That’s absurd. • National security-related agencies account for roughly 70% of the civilian workforce. The largest employers were the Department of Veterans Affairs, with 487,000 workers, followed by the armed services, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Justice Department. […] The post Federal worker cuts are mostly not gonna happen...

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Mexico buys about $300 billion worth of goods from us every year, mostly machinery, oil, autos, food and office equipment. If Trump imposes a 25% tariff on Mexican imports, you can be sure that Mexico will retaliate, at the expense of American jobs. Meanwhile, Mexico will certainly be looking to source these goods from China […] The post The Trump tariffs won’t actually happen appeared first on Angry Bear.

from Lars Syll Sixty years ago Milton Friedman wrote an (in)famous article arguing that (1) the natural rate of unemployment was independent of monetary policy and that (2) trying to keep the unemployment rate below the natural rate would only give rise to higher and higher inflation. The hypothesis has always been controversial, and much theoretical and empirical work has questioned the real-world relevance of the idea that unemployment really is independent of monetary policy and that...

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Back when Trump rebranded NAFTA as “USMCE,” here’s what he said about it: “We have negotiated this new agreement based on the principle of fairness and reciprocity…. This is a terrific deal for all of us….This new deal will be the most modern, up-to-date, and balanced trade agreement in the history of our country…. With […] The post USMCA used to be “a fair deal for everybody” appeared first...

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Brief commentary by Dr. Kahn who is in the thick of the discussion on Medicare Advantage Costs. Health Justice Monitor, Medicare Advantage Overpayment >$100 Billion, Jim (James G.) Kahn, MD, MPH Summary: Physicians for a National Health Program released a valuable summary of Medicare Advantage overpayments. The scope and scale is breathtaking: $100 billion annual payoff […] The post Payments to Medicare Advantage Plans is More Than What is...