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

Five Million Jobs?

guest post by Sandwichman Five Million Jobs? “It is remarkable, in view of the virtual unanimity of opinion among economists as to the general shape of the relationship between hours and output, that the effect of hours shortening has received so little attention in published projections. It is often completely ignored even in their description.” […]

Untapped mineral deposits in Afghanistan

The NYT reports a new status for Afghanistan’s future if accurate: The United States has discovered nearly $1 trillion in untapped mineral deposits in Afghanistan, far beyond any previously known reserves and enough to fundamentally alter the Afghan economy and perhaps the Afghan war itself, according to senior American government officials. The previously unknown deposits […]

It’s not hard to understand why Asia’s worried about Europe

On the forefront of the Chinese economic releases this week was the trade data, where headlines shouted +48.5% Y/Y export growth in May. This report didn’t go unnoticed in Washington, as renewed obsessions with the Chinese peg against the US dollar fired up again. But the Chinese release overshadowed the Philippines April trade report, which […]

Oh, But Justice Souter, These Days Judging Is VERY Easy

Rdan here…In a 2007 case, the conservative majority overturned voluntary racial integration programs in Seattle and Louisville, Ky. Earlier this year, in the Citizens United campaign-finance case, the court’s conservatives struck down a federal law that prohibited corporations from spending on federal elections. Both relied on interpretation of vaguely worded constitutional guarantee. by Beverly Manncrossposted […]

The Four Pillars of Conservatism: it is not as Incoherent as it seems

by Bruce Webb Family values/patriarchy; Property rights/inheritance; Public order/tradition; External defense/xenophobia. Taken individually and in combination I think they serve to explain the essential unity of the various divides of modern conservatism into paleo-Cons, neo-cons, social values Cons, religious Cons, and perhaps most for my purposes the alignment of top level economic strata: bankers and […]

Neal Bill: US companies use of affiliated reinsurers to avoid taxes

by Linda BealeNeal Bill: US companies use of affiliated reinsurers to avoid taxes US insurers are complaining about the Neal Bill, HR 3424, introduced Jul 30, 2009, which would disallow a deduction to a US company for “excess non-taxed reinsurance premiums” with respect to US risks that are “paid to affiliates” (quoted language is from […]

green links

You may have noted that there are green links appearing in posts. This is a mistake on someone’s part and is not a feature Angry Bear endorses nor tolerates. I am in the process of finding out and correcting. It is being done separately from the normal editing function. Please be patient……. Update: Ah hah. […]