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

Open Thread, April 12 2024 Inflation Increases – Look to Gasoline and Shelter

Consumer Price Index – March 2024 (bls.gov) “The BLS index for shelter rose in March, as did the index for gasoline. Combined, these two indexescontributed over half of the monthly increase in the index for all items. The energy index rose 1.1percent over the month. The food index rose 0.1 percent in March. The food […]

2024 Life and Death Game Theory Interlude: Voting is An Affirmative Action

If You Choose Not to Decide, You May be an American Restating the premise of my earlier post: Voting is an affirmative action. The more difficult voting is, the more turnout will be reduced. A voter in Oregon needs only to fill out and mail a ballot at any point over a period of time […]

March CPI: Should We Be Worried?

by Dean Baker Center for Economic and Policy Research The inflation hawks took March’s CPI as cause for celebration, inflation may not be dead yet. There is no doubt that it was a disappointing report for those hoping we could put the pandemic inflation behind us. However, there still is not much basis for thinking […]

TSMC to begin Pilot Production Operations by mid-April 2024

More semiconductor news. Leading off, TSMC plant delays in Arizona are disappearing. In spite of earlier delays, the Arizona TSMC plant is now expected to be operational by end of 2024. Pilot Production to prove the manufacturing process will start mid-April 2024. Three months earlier, TSMC announced further delays at its $40 billion Arizona fab. […]

Building and Expanding semiconductor facilities

Biden is at it again. This time with Intel in AZ. With all the issues with passing a budget since earlier last year, I wonder how Biden and the Dems got this out of Congress. Must be some pretty good pork involved with these programs to get approvals. Companies are kicking in $240 billion in […]

The right-wing scammers who paved the way for Trump

by Zach Beauchamp Vox via RSN.Org. As presented by Dale Coberly . . . A conversation between Vox’s Zach Beauchamp and Joe Conason a veteran New York journalist. The topic? Trump’s grifting. A new book shows how conservative grift started long before branded bibles and $400 sneakers. During his time atop the Republican Party, Trump’s lifetime […]

Other Taxes on the Rich for Social Security? The Wrong Approach

I touched on a commentary at another site where the commentary was about healthcare. The sites author was advocating for the increase of the Social Security cap only on high income earners. There is a ground swell for taxing the rich more, which is acceptable to most. When we look at this closely, there is […]

Scamming People with Phony ACA Healthcare Insurance Plans

I am not surprised scamming like this is occurring. There are always people operating under false names or using corporate entities as a way to scam others. I think trump helped to open the door for much more of this to happen. Here are six different ways scamming has been happening. No funds passed . […]