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

Struggling to Boost Chile’s Meager Pensions

Gabriel Boric Is Struggling to Boost Chile’s Meager Pensions, Jacobin, Phineas Ruekert. Dale Coberly on Social Security: Not so long ago (2003) the Liars who want to destroy Social Security in America were bragging about the privatized pension system adopted by Chile.  Many of those liars commented on my posts on AB.  Here is an […]

Data shows anti-union ‘right-to-work’ laws damage state economies

I believe Angry Bear has touched upon Right to Work several times now; here, here, and now today. This brief touches upon RTW laws damaging state economies. Data show anti-union ‘right-to-work’ laws damage state economies: As Michigan’s repeal takes effect, New Hampshire should continue to reject ‘right-to-work’ legislation, Economic Policy Institute, Jennifer Sherer and Elise […]

Vaccination works

Other than among Jehovah’s Witnesses, vaccination rightly gained widespread trust and acceptance in America. Inoculation against smallpox was around for hundreds of years before Jenner described the eponymous vaccine. Polio was a scourge in the US through the 1950s until it was virtually eliminated by vaccination. Many deadly diseases like whooping cough and measles were […]

New Deal democrats Weekly Indicators for February 12-16 2024

Weekly Indicators for February 12 – 16 at Seeking Alpha  – by New Deal democrat I am back from my travels, so it’s time to catch up. There’s no significant economic news until tomorrow, but in the meantime I neglected to link to my weekly high frequency indicator wrap-up, which was posted at Seeking Alpha. As usual, […]

Some USPS History and the Latest

Some history While debating the original Post Office Act, Alexander Hamilton and others argued the post should support itself and make money for the rest of the government. Others, including George Washington and James Madison, didn’t seem to care whether it turned a profit. Jonathan Trumbull, the speaker of the House of Representatives in 1792, observed that […]

Just askin’ questions in Utah

In January, the governor of Utah signed the “Utah Constitutional Sovereignty Act.” The law sets up a process for the state to overrule or otherwise ignore federal rules and decisions. For now, the law is just performative right-wing Republican bafflegab. While it appears to set up a challenge to the US Constitution’s “Supremacy Clause,” Governor […]

No Longer Right to Work

We were living in Michigan when Engler and the Republican Legislature passed Right to Work Laws. The effort was meant to undercut Unions and saving costs for the Big Three automakers. Supposedly cars would be lower in costs to with the reductions reflected in prices to consumers. Never happened. Michigan reversed Right to Work Laws […]