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

Individualism vs. Collectivism: Thanks For the Ammunition, Ann

Ann Romney said in an interview airing Wednesday that her husband has no plans to release additional tax returns, saying “it’ll just give them more ammunition” and insisting that “there’s nothing we’re hiding.” “We have been very transparent to what’s legally required of us. But the more we release, the more we get attacked, the more […]

Romryanomics–prosperity for the well-off fueled by austerity for the rest

by Linda Beale Romryanomics–prosperity for the well-off fueled by austerity for the rest I’ve put off writing about stilted robo-Romney’s choice of the perpetual-smily-Ryan as veep about as long as I can, I suppose.  So let me talk about it in broad terms in this post.  In the next posts, I’ll discuss more methodically the […]

Does, or did, Romney own shares in the Bain fund that is an owner of HCA (which appears to be engaging in Medicare fraud)?*

During the Great Recession, when many hospitals across the country were nearly brought to their knees by growing numbers of uninsured patients, one hospital system not only survived — it thrived. In fact, profits at the health care industry giant HCA, which controls 163 hospitals from New Hampshire to California, have soared, far outpacing those of most […]

ID theft as basis of systemic IRS tax refund fraud problems

by Linda Beale ID theft as basis of systemic IRS tax refund fraud problems Early in 2012, the IRS and Justice Department announced a major crackdown on identity theft and enforcement efforts against tax refund fraud.  See IIRS, Identity Theft Crackdown Swweps Across the Nation: More than 200 Actions Taken in Past Week in 23 […]

Lifted from Robert’s stochastic thoughts on media

Lifted from Robert’s stochastic thoughts on media: Wish I’d Typed this Bill Nothstine · Top Commenter · Living Liberally And, to be fair to Romney [brief interlude while Bill clutches frantically, Strangelove-like, at the hand that just typed those words], if he said it on TV that can be considered at least prima facie evidence […]

The fallacy of privatization: anti-government screeds and the Romney agenda

by Linda Beale The fallacy of privatization: anti-government screeds and the Romney agenda As a prominent tax professor points out, Mitt Romney accumulated most of his additional wealth in a business that generally doesn’t do anything to increase national wealth. Mitt Romney accumulated his wealth as managing director of Bain Capital, a leveraged buyout fund […]