Tag Archives: US/Global Economics

I spent much time over my 50 years working in foreign countries. I needed something to do so I would sight see on weekends and in the early evenings. The Germans gave me a car so I would take off to visit castles, etc. Ended up in Czech Republic, off to Prague on a Sunday. The Germans paid for my gasoline and meals as they sent me to those countries. Cut over to Strausberg France, Zurich. The same in China, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia. I...

The U.S. economy has been growing faster than military spending, so defense spending as a share of GDP has been decreasing. While the $dollars spent are increasing, the percentage of GDP Defense Spending takes up has been decreasing since 1952. Perhaps a better question is do we really need to spend this much on Defense? Perhaps wiser and defined expenditures may be in order? U.S. Defense Spending in Historical and International Context...

by Tara Watson Williams College EconoFact “Relative to the late Bush and early Obama eras, the Trump administration removed a modest number of immigrants from the nation’s interior.” One would not think such was true. Apparently and as in other instances, the numbers say differently. Keep in mind this report is from 2021. It does give detail on the differences between Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Immigrant...

When you read this, pay attention to who is funding who for the presidency. It is surprising and it is not surprising. We have heard this person who longs to be a president again and people still support this person? The energy companies backing are profit and control mongers. They see an opportunity and they are preparing for when and if Trump becomes President. Under a President Kamala Harris, they would still be profitable. They would also...

An update on what is happening here is Arizona. There is more than just TSMC building in the Phoenix area. Intel has a couple of plants under construction also. TSMC has good news as it looks to make chips in the U.S. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company’s production trials in Arizona are yielding results similar to its factories in Taiwan. Trial production yields at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company’s factory in Arizona are...

I think the imp is my most noticed contribution to the economic discussion. Brad DeLong mentioned the fact that I mentioned him, but called him the inflation expectations imp . Then Paul Krugman mentioned him shortening the name to “the expectations imp”. Alot of time has passed since then during the slow recovery from the great recession. The Federal Reserve OPen Market Committe (FOMC) cut the Federal Funds Rate to the lower limit of 0 – 0.25% but...

Suppose that you wake up tomorrow and discover that a sadistic alien has turned you into an economist.  You are just getting over your shock at your new predicament (“How will I make friends?  Will anyone ever trust me again?  At least I’m not a lawyer.”) when Kamala Harris, responding to voter concerns about inflation, makes a vague statement in favor of government restrictions on the price of groceries.  It just so happens that you have a...

Interesting and brief piece by Dean Baker of CEPR in relation to price gouging. There continues to be a debate about the extent to which “price-gouging” or “greedflation” has been responsible for the rise in prices since the pandemic. We can debate the extent to which companies were able to take advantage of monopoly power during the pandemic. Whatever the cause, it is clear the profit share of corporate income has risen from before the pandemic...

Just like American companies, Volkswagen made the jump to EVs the technology of which is still being developed and just before the pandemic. Of course, the pandemic created an economic desert where people cut buying anything other than essentials. Fewer vehicles sold leads to an abundance of uncovered costs and debt. Can’t reduce the costs of a fixed asset such as a plant producing the vehicles. The next place to look for cost reduction is Labor. And...

A brief introduction by an Econofact News Letter exploring the impact of income on voting turnout. I did not include the explanation link information in this commentary as it would be too lengthy. However, the links are there if you wish to read further into this explanation. This is short enough to provoke a discussion as to why percentages of poorer voters do not turnout for elections. They have much to win in economic progress if the vote for the...