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

Leadership and Justice that Looks the Other Way and Ignores Racism

As I explained multiple times. Turn out was less in 2024 that in 2020. 3 million people did not vote, The same numeric of ~ three million who voted for others did similar in 2024 and it had a larger impact. Turn out was less in 2024 by percentage of eligible voters 59.7% as compared […]

Slashing Funding for Passenger Rail Trains is Not a Solution

If you have ridden the passenger trains in China. you know what a difference it is compared to passenger trains in the United States. I have and it is impressive traveling at ~200 mph. It is not that we can not have similar in the United States. We could. People are enamored with their cars […]

Starting off the second half of 2026 (mainly) positive

– by New Deal democrat [Special programming note: Today we begin the second half of the year. On Friday there will be no data due to the federal holiday. Since I haven’t updated my overall nowcast and forecast for the economy, as well as how average Americans are doing economically, I plan to do so then. […]

Increasing Corporate Funding and Spending for Candidates Leading up to the 2026 Elections

Introduction: Nearly one third of all corporate political spending on elections since the 2010 Citizens United decision has occurred in the current election cycle. This is months before the general election, a new report from Public Citizen. I suspect this is more for Republicans then Democrats. “‘A Disaster for Democracy’: Report Shows Surging Corporate Spending in 2026 Elections,” Common Dreams, […]

The Late Rise of Electric Cars

Some introduction and then explanation. A rather brief take on what is going on with the Electric Car in the United States and why it did not succeed. Think Trump . . . President Trump has ordered the elimination of the EV mandate and termination of federal support for EVs. “Quantifying Trump’s impacts on EV […]

Latest TACO?

Trump refused to sign a housing bill passed by bipartisan veto-proof majorities. But if he refuses to sign it and refuses to veto it, it becomes law. “Speaker Mike Johnson says the landmark housing affordability package Congress passed earlier this month will become law — and that Republicans won’t have to take an uncomfortable vote […]