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

Jobless claims, with hurricane effects abating, claims return to normal

 – by New Deal democrat It appears that, as I suspected earlier this month, the big YoY jump in initial jobless claims was largely due to the effects of the hurricanes, and is now abating. First, for the week initial claims declined another -12,000 to 216,000. The four week moving average declined -2,250 to 236,500. […]

U.S. Economic Growth Extends Solid Streak

by Harriet Torry WSJ U.S. GDP rose at a 2.8% annual rate in the third quarter, easing slightly from the previous quarter. The U.S. economy continued its recent strong stretch this summer, bolstered by hefty consumer and government spending. Gross domestic product increased at a 2.8% annual rate in the third quarter, adjusted for seasonality and inflation, […]

Stagnation Gone and US Productivity Growing

A quick and brief review of the economic trends and the third quarter. My only opinion on this recital being Supply Chain returning to a norm should be given more credit. Its manipulation was definitely one of the major influences on inflation. Beyond the standard metrics of industrial investment, it is also worth noting how […]

And It Makes No Difference Whether the Needed Fifth Vote is Missing Because . . .

There is considerable doubt about Richard Glossip’s guilt for a brutal 1997 murder in Oklahoma City, for which he has twice been sentenced to death. It also appears unquestionable that he has never gotten a fair trial.  Glossip’s case is now before the U.S. Supreme Court, where his fate may actually be determined by the incoherence of the court’s recusal […]

A Proposal to Address the Housing Crisis

by Bill McBride Calculated Risk News Letter Economist Adam Ozimek and John Lettieri (CEO, Economic Innovation Group) have a new proposal to address the housing crisis in the United States:  How the next president can solve America’s housing crisis U.S. housing costs are out of control. The median home for sale was rarely more than four times […]

The Administrative state

The plutocrats on the right want to dismantle the administrative state, so they say. Of course, their wealth derives directly from the fiction of private property and an administrative state is required to enforce that fiction. Their wealth is monetized in currency, which is another fiction that the administrative state holds a monopoly on. The […]

Trump vs Harris on homelessness

Trump promises to round up the homeless and put them in government internment camps. Only if they seek treatment and counseling, they might then qualify to be moved to housing. Harris takes a “housing first” approach. Get a roof over their heads and some housing stability, then offer the treatments and counseling that can move […]

Weekly jobless claims return to near normal

– by New Deal democrat After two weeks of being highly elevated YoY, initial claims returned to a more “normal” range this week, as except for Florida, hurricane disruptions largely disappeared. For the week initial claims declined -15,000 to 227,000. The four week moving average increased 2,000 to 238,500. With the typical one week delay, […]

The economics of Trump II

Trump is promising lots of tariffs if he’s elected. Make no mistake: American consumers pay tariffs, not the exporting country. US consumers will be hit by (a) increased cost of imported goods, and (b) increased cost of domestic goods, as domestic producers raise prices to match imports. Econ 101. Trump is promising to lift taxes […]