Relevant and even prescient commentary on news, politics and the economy.

Who gets paid sick days?

From the Economic Policy Institute comes this piece on who gets benefits: The pandemic highlighted vast inequalities in the United States, especially in the U.S. labor market. Striking disparities were magnified in who could work from home and who had to go into work in person, who was able to keep their job and who […]

Wages, prices, "profit", and productivity…and Black Friday too

Black Friday around here in New England begins to night in stores about 8 P.M. On the internet Black Friday’s discounts began last week as the competition heats up between companies with stores and internet based sales. Stores have responded with aggressive discounts, especially visible is Walmart. This post is relevant to the issue of […]

Ezra Klein’s straw man argument. Rep Shuler’s 500 jobs and only 3 apply. Coburn on Washington Journal

by Daniel Beckerupdated: Tom Coburn, not John.I was not sure how to title this but, today on Washington Journal, Tom Coburn was on to talk about the economy and unemployment. At 2 minutes into the interview, Greta Brawner presents Ezra Klein’s take from this article: “And we’re just going to leave them without incomes and without […]

Bruce Webb, Dale Coberly, Arne Larson and the National Academy of Social Insurance

Rdan The National Academy of Social Insurance report on options for Social Security is public and now available in pdf form. “The purpose of this report is to help analysts and policymakers consider options to bring Social Security into long-term balance in ways that also address concerns about benefit adequacy.” One cannot simply glance through […]