Lest readers fall asleep about the idea of proxy access, take note of the Business Roundtable reaction. Business Roundtable voices discontent: Ivan G. Seidenberg, chief executive of Verizon Communications, said that Democrats in Washington are pursuing tax increases, policy changes and regulatory actions that together threaten to dampen economic growth……The final straw, said Roundtable president […]

The NYT has a story on what look to be ‘ruthless’ bankruptcies in store for companies who sought or were forced to take too much leveraged debt: American companies currently have more than $1.7 trillion in S.&P.-rated bonds and loans maturing from 2011 to 2014. The total debt load coming due will climb steadily over […]

Rdan here…The following post is the first of a possible four concerning shareholders, that magic group of owners of publicly traded companies which is invoked as beneficiaries of actions and policies by company officers and Boards. While many readers are well versed in shareholder doings, we also have readers less versed in how this is […]

This idea was lifted from an e-mail exchange with Noni Mausa this morning. The following well seasoned joke reminds me of political communications among the people who write the copy for our leaders: A carpet layer had just finished installing carpet for a lady. He stepped out for a smoke, only to realize he’d lost […]

All the fuss still ignores main driver of popularity says Steve Korniak at Salon: That’s because, for all the talk about whether he gave away too much on healthcare or hasn’t reacted angrily enough to the oil spill, Obama (like every president) is a prisoner to the economy. As long as the unemployment rate remains […]

by Mike Kimel This post appeared in the Presimetrics blog. Presidents, the Tax Burden and Corruption – Explaining Economic Growth One of the topics we cover in Presimetrics is the relationship between the tax burden (i.e., the share of income going to taxes) and economic growth. As shown also in a recent post, Presidents who […]

Tom aka Rusty Rustbelt Medicare Fee Ordeal – Continued As of Friday the Senate has passed a six (6) month patch to counter the Sustained Growth Rate formula cuts directed at most physicians. The average for all physicians was a 21% cut, with changes ranging from primary care (+6%) to cardiology (-42%). The House will […]

by Rusty Rustbelt PEANUT BUTTER REGULATIONS Watching people spread peanut butter is interesting. I am a semi-neurotic peanut butter spreader, I try to cover most of the bread and try to get the thickness close to even, but I am not a perfectionist-neurotic spreader. There are also slap-and-eat messy spreaders. Having dealt with a wide […]

By Maria Scrivan here

by Beverly Mannoriginally posted at The Annarborist A Blueprint for Avoiding the Younger v. Harris ‘Doctrine’ In Some Cases The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit last month enjoined a Pennsylvania county prosecutor’s office from indicting teenage girls who had sued in federal court because their county’s prosecutor was threatening “sexting” indictments unless […]