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

April Trade Deficit Decreases on Lower Imports

RJS: MarketWatch 666 ~~~~~~~~ Summary: April Trade Deficit Decreased by a record 19.1%, Led by Lower Imports of Consumer Goods and Industrial Supplies and Materials ~~~~~~~~ Our trade deficit was 19.1% lower in April, as our exports increased while our imports decreased. The  Commerce Dept report on our international trade in goods and services for […]

Commonwealth Citizen loses Federal Benefit Available in Other Countries

Was thinking about this one and Dale Coberly asked if I would write on this. For “Arne,” this post is about Supplemental Security Income. 🙂 How can that be? “The Supreme Court’s Callous Blow to Puerto Ricans” | Washington Monthly The majority opinion relies on precedent, Puerto Rico is part of the U.S., Congress. Congress […]

Coronavirus dashboard for November 2: the winter wave has begun

Coronavirus dashboard for November 2: the winter wave has begun The Delta decline is probably over. Nationwide US cases are up 4000/day from one week ago. The Northeast and South census regions still show a decline, but West and Midwest regions show increases:  One week ago only 3 States were in the “increasing” category. Now […]

The Case of The Creeping Crud

In her 2020 book ‘Waste’, Catherine Flowers speaks to the practice in Alabama – throughout the South – of keeping the poor and ignorant poor and ignorant so that there would always be a cheap source of labor on hand. In a September 2021 House Budget Committee hearing, a member from neighboring Georgia patiently explained […]

We’ve been over this before . . .

I have found Ten Bears in our comments section from time to time. I also followed the link to his blog “Homeless on the High Desert” and read a few of his posts. In “We’ve been over this before . . . ,” Ten Bears makes the point of migrants, people leaving their homeland to […]

What a Difference Three Days Makes?

March 27: TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) – The United States said on Wednesday it had reached an agreement with three Central American countries to carry out joint police operations in the region, as the Trump administration seeks to stem the flow of migrants across its southern border. The governments of Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and the United […]

Immigration Politics In Europe Versus Immigration Politics In The US

Immigration Politics In Europe Versus Immigration Politics In The US Immigration politics in both places has gotten very ugly, but it strikes me that in Europe it may be worse than in the US.  We may be about to see the fall from power this weekend of Angela Merkel as Chancellor of Germany over the […]

Goebbels or Gompers?: A Closer Look at Stephen Miller’s Immigration Manifesto

Stephen Miller, architect of the Trump administration’s immigration policy is getting a lot of bad press these days. Some wags (and even relatives?) juxtapose Miller’s photo to one of Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels, insinuating likeness of facial expression is a predictor of ideological leaning and propaganda technique. The comparison is as unhelpful as it is […]