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

The Trump Administration and semaglutides

Semaglutides are turning out to be transformative for obesity in the way that statins have been transformative for hypercholesterolemia and anti-hypertensives have been transformative for high blood pressure: they’re not only highly effective but have minimal side effects. From a public health standpoint, there’s every reason to allow Medicare and Medicaid coverage for semaglutides. But […]

It pretends to be something other than what it really is

As typical, some will judge by the way they see things and not on the reality of the person. We did stop Repubs from filling some openings only because the sitting judges change their decisions. That was an in your face for Republicans. The politics of the era and one senator who does things to […]

Planned Tariffs, An Economy Argument with Political Implications

Former Sen. Pat Toomey (R), represented the key state of Pennsylvania for 12 years in the Senate. He said he would not vote for former President Trump or Vice President Harris in the November 2024 election. (Psst, pre-November 2024 election commentary). I do not know if this person actually did not vote for either Trump or Kamala Harris. He […]

Will DOGE be an exercise in futility?

The smirking faces of Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy have joined the smirking face of Donald Trump in threatening to burn down government in order to save it. What they’re announcing sure sounds bad to me (eliminate a third of federal spending, including cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid). Over at eatingpolicy.com, Jennifer Pahlka […]

The spider’s web called Healthcare Insurance

UnitedHealthcare posted profits of $22 billion in 2023, as many Americans struggle to afford the medical care they need. Witty reportedly took home $23.5 million that same year, while Thompson got over $10 million. Yes, United Healthcare is profitable. At whose expense? Delay, Deny, and Defend is a violation of consumer reliance on their insurance companies as written by […]

Funding Public Goods Problematic??? Blame the Tax-Dodging Billionaire

So, what are nepo babies or nepotism babies? The second name gives the meaning away. A person who gains success or opportunities through familial connections. Especially a child of a famous parent (such as an actor, musician, entrepreneur, or politician), Merriam Webster. Some Examples. There are tax implications benefiting them as explained by Common Dreams author Julia […]

From the Middle Out and Bottom Up

Over my 40 something years, I spent much of my time in career in Supply Chain or certain aspects of manufacturing in different industries. The discipline I knew, learned, and was certified in could and was used by me to streamline what companies were doing at the time to their benefit of lowering costs or […]

Public vs Private Wealth – Breaking Free

A More Democratic Economy A 1787 newly minted United States of America wasn’t far removed from an old Europe where not so long before all property belonged to the crown or state; where only a hundred years or so earlier John Locke had first defended the idea of private property at a time when most […]

USPS RIP

Looks like Trump wants to kill the US Postal Service. Postmaster General DeJoy has been bent on killing the USPS in a death by a thousand cuts. The Trump administration will try to kill it outright, and hand over its responsibility to the private sector. Ironic, because the big losers will be rural residents that […]