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

The future of higher education in America looks bleak.

I got my BA from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville in 1977. At the time, the university charged no tuition, but “fees” were about $165/quarter for a full load. Of course, as a state university, it was heavily subsidized by state tax dollars. Quite a feat for a state that has no income tax. The business […]

NPR Nails It: Highlights Two Programs That Make a Difference to Millions

NPR Nails It: Highlights Two Programs That Make a Difference to Millions, Center for Economic and Policy Research, Dean Baker. Dean Baker: I’ve complained a lot about how the major media outlets seem to highlight every piece of bad news about the economy, while downplaying or ignoring altogether the positives. Given my complaints, I want […]

December 29, 1890 Wounded Knee Creek, South Dakota

A bit of history for Angry Bear readers which should be remembered. December 28, 2023, Letters from an American, Prof. Heather Cox Richardson On the clear, cold morning of December 29, 1890, on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, three U.S. soldiers tried to wrench a valuable Winchester away from a young Lakota man. […]

Largest ACO Program is Saving Piddling Amounts for Medicare

Introduction: “new analysis finds that that MSSP, the oldest and largest Medicare accountable care organization (ACO) program, has lost money for individuals it covers and overall for Medicare it saves just 75¢ per $1000.” AB: Not much of gain there. What does it do for other programs? “Largest ACO Program Saves Piddling Amounts for Medicare,” […]

Trying Hard Not to be an Ugly American while Working in Thailand

Either in the beginning of our trip or at the end of the trip, we would end up in Bangkok, Thailand. Our stay was at The Landmark Hotel which to my knowledge was a Thai hotel and our plant(s) put us up there and on the Executive floor. Centrally located, it was easy to get […]

Soft Landing II

I promised a second entry in the series, Soft Landing this time it’s monetary. The question is why didn’t the FED’s monetary tightening cause a recession. There certainly was tightening, the Federal Funds rate rose from 0.07% to 5.33% There certainly were people who predicted a recession in 2023 (hey they still have 4 days […]

ACA Open Enrollment Period (OEP) is STILL ongoing

Charles Gaba was to become known to me because of Maggie Mahar who was featured at Angry Bear in the past. Another resident of Michigan like I was, one county and a few communities away from my own home. Thoroughly ACA knowledgeable and ACA competent. You can trust his words. I featured this commentary by […]

One of the tallest trees in the economic forest has fallen:  Bob Solow has died at the age of 99.

Kevin Quin at Econospeak brought this to our attention. In Memoriam: Robert Solow      One of the tallest trees in the economic forest has fallen:  Bob Solow has died at the age of 99. The modern study of economic growth could not have happened without his work, of course.  He was also one of the […]