I was watching C span Washington Journal this morning. Rep Marsha Blackburn was the guest. I got to listen to her explanation of how the Social Security funds flow and just had to post the clip. Copied from the transcript of the clip: THEIRS MONEY THAT GOES TO MEDICARE AND SOCIAL SECURITY AND I THINK […]
This was another tepid employment report not much different than the reports in 2012. Payroll employment rose 168,000 and the household survey showed a gain of only 17,000 Private payrolls expanded 168,000 while government employment fell 9,000. Perhaps more importantly the year over year change in employment is showing significant signs of weakness, Both […]
I’m actually agnostic on this choice. The always excellent Charles Pierce makes a good case for Hagel, but why should Obama go for any Republican? This just continues to promote the canard that Republicans are somehow stronger or more capable on defense issues than Democrats. The irony here is that the greatest opposition is coming […]
At first glance the December employment report shows that the trends throughout 2012 were unchanged in December. But within the report there were some greater signs of strength. Private payroll employment showed a gain of 155,000 and the household survey reported a much smaller gain of only 28,000. These changes are about the same as […]
I have just learned of a new book that I believe every AB reader could relate to. DON’T BUY IT: The Trouble with Talking Nonsense about the Economy by: ANAT SHENKER-OSORIO An excerpt from the book summary: This concise, entertaining book shows us how wrong-headed metaphors and deceptive language have muddled our economic thinking, and […]
by Linda Beale Links Worth Noting: Stealth (Class) Warfare(Op-ed) Paul Krugman, Class Wars of 2012, New York Times (Nov. 30, 2012). When Mitt Romney disparaged ordinary Americans, it was visible, obvious, and clearly an indication of the lack of esteem he held for ordinary Americans. The same arrogance is at work in the class warfare […]
by Robert Waldmann I think this is the best post I have read so far on the topic by Kathleen Geier. Just go read it before reading my comment below. Of course I have my usual comments: Thank you Kathleen Geier for your excellent post based on good shoe leather (OK leather ear to the phone) reporting. I […]
We are a country not just divided, but fragmented along axes of race, age, religion, economic status and geography. There are now 15 States where citizens have filed petitions to secede from the Union. “These include Louisiana (which led the charge), the Republic of Texas, Kentucky, Colorado, New Jersey, Montana, North Dakota, Indiana, Mississippi, North […]
Last month one hundred and fourteen thousand unemployed moochers…suddenly yank the government teat out of their mouths, get off the couch for forty hours a week? Why? I say follow the money; cause I found out, that right around the time those people got those jobs…they started getting paid! And just […]
If you listen to Randi Rhodes, you know she is still livid over Romney being declared the “winner” in last week’s – we’ll call it a “debate” for the nonce. Alas, though, the reason he won is that poll numbers have moved in his favor. Whether that bounce is robust remains to be seen. But […]