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

Trump Labor Policy

Trump Labor Policy  by Noam Scheiber via NYT: In June, Labor Secretary R. Alexander Acosta announced the withdrawal of two prominent Obama administration guidances — documents that do not change the law but indicate how a department interprets it and can influence employers. The first had clarified when a worker could be classified as an […]

NAWRU constructive (?) proposals

I have vigorously criticized the European Community DG EcFin approach to estimating the non accelerating wage inflation rate of unemployment (NAWRU). This is a step in their estimation of output gaps, which, in turn, are used to set allowed deficits for member countries under the Stability and Growth Pact. The calculations are critically important. Marco […]

Warranted behaviors

Much of the coverage of this incident at a hospital in Utah write of ‘recent changes’ in the law concerning drawing blood, but that, as far as I can tell, was a year ago. Is that a recent change? Certainly not changed by an obscure agency or executive order. Perhaps this kind of optic will […]

Protecting groundwater and reducing pollution in India

by David Zetland (originally published at Aguanomics) Protecting groundwater and reducing pollution in India KA writes: In developing countries which there is a constant struggle between farmers and utilities over water allocation, most of implemented policies are based on punishment. For example, quotas are assigned to each farmer and if he goes over his quota […]

Let Trump Continue To Fail To Appoint People

Let Trump Continue To Fail To Appoint People There has been much moaning and wailing and gnashing of teeth by many commentators and politicians over the failure of President Donald Trump to appoint people to fill numerous now vacant positions within the executive branch of government, with the State Department often being put forward as […]

Laugh at Sessions and Suddenly You Are in Federal Court?

Fairooz was detained after audibly laughing after Sen. Richard Shelby told senators at Sessions’ confirmation hearing that the then-Alabama senator had a record of “treating all Americans equally under the law.” That is laughable as Sessions is flying under the radar having learned you can not be so overt about racism and prejudice. Mind you, […]

Lead poisoning, gasoline lobbies and crime

by David Zetland (originally published at Aguanomics) Lead poisoning, gasoline lobbies and crime Most of you have probably heard how the residents of Flint, Michigan were exposed to unhealthy levels of lead in their water (actually, any level is considered unhealthy) due to political and managerial incompetence.* Then I read this article on the “lead-poisoned […]