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

2017 Tax Cuts made Income Inequality Worse and Hurt Black Americans

The author did not include graphs. I added graphs from the sources the author had included in their piece. A picture sometimes says more than words do. This is a well-documented and sourced commentary. It mostly says one thing . . . the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act did little for Black Americans, minorities, […]

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 […]

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 […]

Misapplied Property Tax Economics

Mistake in Administering Property Taxes Results in a 1200 Percent Increase? This reads like something in a tabloid. However, it is occurring in an Illinois county. Montgomery County Assessor Kendra Niehaus discovered the assessment was being calculated incorrectly. A tract of woodland should have a tax rate applied to 33.33% of its fair market value. […]

A Measure of Poverty in the United States

We often talk about poverty and people living in poverty as measured by the government, Then, we set policy with regards to them. We never quite realize the impact of the programs on the people on the receiving end. A brief recital of facts and figures in charts. I also do not believe we get […]

A Fiscal Policy in a Global Context?

This is a good take on what has been happening with United States Fiscal policies impacting its economy. It does mention former President Trump’s 2017 tax break which targeted the upper 5% of taxpayers with substantial breaks. We should look further to the 2001 and 2003 Bush’s tax breaks which Obama extended for two years […]

Yes, they’re coming for Social Security

During his campaign, Donald Trump “promised” not to touch Social Security and to veto and law that modified the program. That “promise” is about to be tested. “Lee’s attack has four basic components. One is to bemoan the fact that Social Security is funded mostly by a tax, which he asserts the government can use […]

“strong demand, no question . . . “

Strong demand because people had money to spend when they would have had nothing if the ARP was not put into play. By the same token, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was targeting the upper 1% of the taxpayers with the next 4% tagging along. It in itself was ~$2 trillion much of which […]

USMCA used to be “a fair deal for everybody”

Back when Trump rebranded NAFTA as “USMCE,” here’s what he said about it: “We have negotiated this new agreement based on the principle of fairness and reciprocity…. This is a terrific deal for all of us….This new deal will be the most modern, up-to-date, and balanced trade agreement in the history of our country…. With […]