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

Some People Call Me Mau-rice

It’s not that the data is different; it’s the interpretation. For instance, Brad DeLong’s What Obama Needs to Do is three(or four) fine suggestions, one point (2) that hasn’t worked yet but bears repeating, and a moment (5) of hope that really does required Congressional action, as Stan Collender noted today. But the three good […]

House Republicans propose Social Security opt-out

It was bound to happen… House Republicans propose Social Security opt-out by Pete Kasperowicz – House Republicans on Friday introduced legislation that would allow workers to partially opt out of Social Security immediately, and fully opt out after 15 years. Rep. Pete Sessions (R-NY), who chairs the National Republican Congressional Committee, and several other Republicans […]

Predicting Recessions, The Great Stagnation, and Will There Be a Double Dip?

by Mike Kimel Predicting Recessions, The Great Stagnation, and Will There Be a Double Dip? There’s a lot of talk about a double dip recession these days. I don’t think there’s a precise definition of a double dip recession, but I think if there was it would be something like this: “a recession, followed by […]

Simon Johnson has an excellent post

by Mike Kimel An excellent post by Simon Johnson. The managing director of the IMF is the impresario of any bailout. The big decisions must be negotiated with all significant stakeholders but this still leaves enormous scope for discretion. If Ms. Lagarde becomes managing director she can directly influence the terms of IMF involvement – […]

Congressional Progressive Caucus People’s Budget beats Ryan’s corporatist budget by a long shot

by Linda Beale Congressional Progressive Caucus People’s Budget beats Ryan’s corporatist budget by a long shot, but doesn’t get media coverage FAIR has a good point on the way the media have covered the US budget debates. Fact is, the radical right wing budget proposed by radical right Ryan gets lots of coverage. FAIR noted […]

Health Care Thoughts: Non-Compliant Patients

Health Care Thoughts: Non-Compliant Patients Ask physicians and nurses about their biggest clinical problems and non-compliant patients will likely be near the top of the list. And why should we care? Because non-compliant patients are huge cost drivers. Ezekiel Emanuel (MD, PhD, NIH) estimates that one-third of U.S. health care costs are driven by diabetes, […]

Random Notes 3 June 2011

Buce has been on fire recently, so I’ll probably have to do a post about why this post is so off-target, though his conclusion is correct (short version: he’s been misled). If I’m reading this morning’s SIFMA Brief correctly, Moody’s—whose rating skills Robert has discussed at length—(1) may downgrade US debt if we spend too […]

I am not a Libertarian Because I Believe in Freedom and Property Rights, And I’d Like to Minimize Government Coercion, Part 2

by Mike Kimel I am not a Libertarian Because I Believe in Freedom and Property Rights, And I’d Like to Minimize Government Coercion, Part 2 This is a follow-up to my previous post on libertarian philosophy, the aftermath of which was a surprising amount of, well, let’s just call it assorted vigorously uncomplementary communication. (Shows […]

‘unfortunate misunderstanding’…

A post of mine on May 17 titled The Difference Between Defending DOMA and Defending Neo-Nazis and the ACA discussed a post on the Blog of Legal Times that summarized part of a lengthy article published that day on Daily Report Online. These websites and their respective hard-copy publications, Legal Times, based in New Jersey, […]