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

Declinable medical conditions

Lifted from Alternet: Which ailments are on the list of preexisting conditions that can drive up prices for coverage? The Kaiser Family Foundation catalogs “so-called declinable medical conditions” before the ACA. AIDS/HIV Alcohol or drug abuse with recent treatment Alzheimer’s/dementia Anorexia Arthritis Bulimia Cancer Cerebral palsy Congestive heart failure Coronary artery/heart disease, bypass surgery Crohn’s […]

April jobs report: a blowout — except (sigh) for wages

by New Deal democrat April jobs report: a blowout — except (sigh) for wages HEADLINES: +211,000 jobs added U3 unemployment rate down -0.1% from 4.5% to 4.4% U6 underemployment rate down 0.3% from 8.9% to 8.6% Here are the headlines on wages and the chronic heightened underemployment: Wages and participation rates Not in Labor Force, […]

Holding Trump to account on manufacturing and mining jobs: setting the benchmarks

From Wednesday postings: by New Deal democrat Holding Trump to account on manufacturing and mining jobs: setting the benchmarks Tomorrow is the April employment report, and at this point we can begin to hold Trump and the GOP Congress at least somewhat (but not fully for about 3-6 more months) accountable for the trend. For […]

Totally twitty Chait hate

by Robert Waldmann Totally twitty Chait hate I admire Jonathan Chait. In particular, I admire his denunciation of those (e.g. Barack Obama) who criticize “some in my party” without naming names. His rule is that if one criticizes an argument, position or view, one should name and quote someone. Otherwise the temptation to debate straw […]