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

Jobless claims virtually screaming for lower unemployment rate; is post-pandemic seasonality making a return?

– by New Deal democrat We are – maybe! – finally seeing some of the unresolved post-pandemic seasonality reasserting itself as to initial jobless claims. For the record, initial claims rose 13,000 to 225,000 last week, the highest number since early February. The four week average rose 6,500 to 214,750. With the typical one week delay, […]

$11,200 per Year for the Military or $220 per household for ACA?

Which one would you want to pay? Dean Baker does the comparison of Military expenditures and as compared to ACA subsides. Details in the Dean commentary. Is paying $11,200 a year to soothe the president’s paranoia in his demented state reasonable? Donald Trump says you should. The Republicans in Congress are likely to agree. So, […]

Fast Trains in Japan

My (Samuel Walker) observation is that railroads capable of high speed, that is over 110 mph are passenger services. Where they have been built, they have been built with different goals and purposes. Often there is not enough in fare to cover all costs. The Japanese built the first high speed railroad because of its […]

Trump’s deal with the Depart­ment of Justice raises a level of cor­rup­tion . . .

Simple Recital by two known experts on Law and potential corruption. Both are dismissing the excuses put forth by others of having no way to hinder Trump. He actually calls out what is occurring, ~~~~~~~ Trump’s deal with the DOJ marks new level of unprecedented corruption The Fresno Bee (Sunday) – by Burt Urt Neuborne […]

Kareem Takes on the News

“The Velvet Rope in the Cell Block, The Bare Minimum Is a Dangerous Place, & Back to Reset,” Kareem Takes on the News “‘Disgusting’ Details Leak from Ghislaine Maxwell Emails,” (Daily Beast) Summary:  A former federal prison employee has publicly described what she calls “disgusting” preferential treatment given to convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell at […]

Trump Administration proposes science commissars

The Office of Management and Budget is proposing a set of new rules that would put OMB officials in charge of all federal scientific grants, allowing them to overrule peer review panels. They can also cancel grants at any time for essentially any reason. This would end the current grant review mechanism and turn it […]