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

When a post office is not a post office: USPS celebrates 130th anniversary of the Bellville GA post office by closing it

Steve Hutkins USPS celebrates 130th anniversary of the Bellville, GA Post Office by closing it I’ll tell you all a story that I think you’ll understand Traveling through Georgia, rambling across the land I passed the Bellville Depot and something said to me Stop here son, there’s something you should see. — Tom T. Hall, […]

An Increasing Anomaly In The US Balance Of Payments

An Increasing Anomaly In The US Balance Of Payments  On Econbrowser Menzie Chinn has posted about an increase in the scale of US international net indebtedenss. Since the late 1980s the US has been a net debtor internationally, borrowing more from abroad then we are lending and investing there.  The increase in this net indebtedness […]

Watchdog asks postal regulator to seek USPS data on mail delays

Steve Hutkins on Mail Delays. At the end of this post, Steve issues a call to action. Perhaps, You may be able to help? Today I (Steve) filed a motion with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) asking it to ask the Postal Service to provide on-time delivery reports for the past several weeks. These reports […]

Former Deputy PMG Ron Stroman discusses mail delays and threats to the election

H/T: When I woke up.. blog. Everything you don’t know that you don’t know.. Former Deputy Postmaster General Ron Stroman was on MSNBC with Nicolle Wallace. His take on the Senate hearing yesterday, the delays going on at the Postal Service, and the risks for voting by mail is fantastic. Stroman believes that there is […]

Innovation

The customer goes online and chooses a face mask from those listed on the USPS Web Page and places an online order. Their order goes direct to the factory making the mask of choice where it is filled within minutes or less and dropped in the on-site USPS bin that is picked up several times […]

Need proof changes at the USPS are slowing down the mail?

Here you go! Save the Post Office is edited and administered by Steve Hutkins, a literature professor who teaches “place studies” at the Gallatin School of New York University. Prof. Hutkins (Steve) is the author of this commentary. (Angry Bear Blog has had a long relationship with both authors Steve Hutkins and Mark Jamison both of whom […]

Real personal income, spending, and consumer sentiment for July

Real personal income, spending, and consumer sentiment for July July personal income and spending were reported this morning. Since real personal income drives one important election model, I have been waiting to see if July would reflect the end of the emergency Congressional assistance. It didn’t. Real personal income rose less than 0.1% in July. […]

Weekly indicators for August 24 – 28 at Seeking Alpha

by New Deal democrat Weekly indicators for August 24 – 28 at Seeking Alpha  My Weekly Indicators post is up at Seeking Alpha. The economy as a whole is being driven by lower interest rates, unprecedented Fed supply of new money, stock market gains, and – through July – the Congressional emergency stimulus and unemployment benefits. […]

Jobless claims slowly continue to get “less worse,” while longer term deadweight loss builds

Jobless claims slowly continue to get “less worse,” while longer term deadweight loss builds The good news in this morning’s jobless claims report is that the trend of “less worse” news continues. The bad news is that the improvement has slowed to a snail’s pace, at levels worse than the worst levels of the Great […]