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

The attack on the U.S. Capitol to prevent the counting of the electoral ballots 

Probably getting tired of reading this. I can not think of any good reason to quell commentary on the attempt by a president, senators, and representatives to overthrow the US government. That they still walk free is repugnant. January 6, 2024, Letters from an American, Prof. Heather Cox Richardson Today, three years to the day […]

Remembering the Participants of January 6, 2020

Those who were trying to overthrow the United States Government for personal gain. “When the Senate reconvened at 8 p.m. and the House of Representatives an hour later on January 6, 2020, the proceedings including the objection debates were continued. Some lawmakers who had previously planned to vote with the objectors stood down following the occupation of […]

This Time It’s Different ?

I guess this is the latest installment in my soft landing series. However, it might also be a warning of terrible trouble in the fairly near future (next 5 years). It is certainly proof (if more were needed) that I am clueless. The topic is the US housing market. This is highly related to the […]

The Supreme Court on trial

The Supreme Court needs to decide whether the 14th Amendment bars Trump from running for or serving as President again, and whether the President – and therefore Trump – enjoys broad criminal immunity for acts taken while in office.  These cases highlight the intrinsically political nature of the Court itself.  Many legal and political commentators […]

Government is Not the Problem. Bad Government is the Problem

Having gone from trump to Biden. a person who I thought would never make a good president makes Steve’s argument on Bad Government being the problem when trump was the president. Asymptosis » Government is Not the Problem. Bad Government is the Problem, Steve Roth. And the solution to bad government is … good government. […]

American society was not always so car-centric.

Introduction: Nice piece on how Americans are so tied to their gasoline powered cars, pickup trucks, etc. and the impact on cities and environment. What is key to this article and the author’s thought is this statement: “The obvious solution … lies only in a radical revision of our conception of what a city street […]

AbbVie Exploits Offshore Subsidiaries to Avoid US Taxes

Strictly a copy and paste of the Senate Finance Committee Chair Senator Ron Wyden Committee Report. I can not add to this other than say, repeal the 2017 Tax Act. Interim Report: Big Pharma Tax Avoidance Senate Finance Committee Investigation Reveals Extent to Which Pharma Giant AbbVie Exploits Offshore Subsidiaries to Avoid Paying Taxes on […]

TPM: What If We’d Been Mean to Robert E Lee?

This casting was up December 29 at Talking Points Memo (TPM). It is about 50 minutes long and a very interesting conversation between John, Kate, and Prof. Heather. Covering the state of democracy in America is the topic and well worth the listen. Belaboring the Point: What If We’d Been Mean to Robert E Lee? […]