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

On Distribution

Part II of II Due to automation (The Digital Age) and the offshoring of production (Globalization), since the early 1970s, we have seen less demand for labor lead to fewer production workers with less bargaining power settling for lower wages, leading to significantly less wealth being distributed to fewer of the population.  For this and […]

Updating some high frequency metrics for economic activity

 – by New Deal democrat There’s no new important data again today, so let me update a few high frequency indicators in which I am looking for signs of weakness. First, Redbook’s consumer retail sales weekly report came out this morning, showing a 4.7% YoY increase. This is one of the 8 lowest increases in the […]

A look at the goods producing sector

 – by New Deal democrat As per usual for the week after the employment report, there is no new data until Wednesday’s CPI report. So let’s take a further look at some of the information from Friday’s report, as well as several other reports from last week in the goods-producing and sales sector. In the 40 […]

A Handout to the Wealthy

This report or document is one year old. It still has a foundation for what is being said. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne assumed the office in 2023. Previously he served as State Superintendent of Schools from 2003 to 2011. Obviously, he has the background or does he? Not sure. Universal school vouchers […]

New Deal democrats Weekly Indicators for June 2 – 6

 – by New Deal democrat My “Weekly Indicators” post is up at Seeking Alpha. Very slowly the effects of price increases and supply disruptions from the tariffs are making their way into the data. This week was the first suggestion it may have begun to affect consumer spending. As usual, clicking over and reading will bring you […]

Trump’s voodoo economics

Trump claims his tariffs will bring in $3 trillion, enough to pay for the Big Beautiful Bill and also lower the national debt. This is magical thinking. Tariffs are simply a consumption tax that hits the middle class and working class hardest. It makes goods more expensive, driving inflation. It takes money out of the […]

MedPac Report to Congress on Medicare and Medicare Advantage

Rewrite of important points on Medicare and the over payments to commercial MA plans. This is not the entire Chapter 12 MedPac report to Congress. Although, you may think it is as this a rather long post even after I boiled it down. Why Chapter 12? Simple . . . It talks about the rip-off. […]

Trump has destroyed US science

My chairman predicts that the proposed NIH cuts will be a “nothingburger.’ Even if the budget cuts don’t come to pass (and I’m pretty sure the indirect costs cuts will stick), the damage will already have been done. Creative, energetic American scientists who seek academic positions will move to other countries. Back in 1986, I […]

What waste, fraud and abuse?

These days, it’s fashionable for right-wing Republicans to accuse those who disagree with their extremism as being Marxists, socialists or communists. Of course, they are using these words as epithets, not based on their actual definition. Also, it’s fashionable for right-wing Republicans to claim they’re not cutting the federal budget, they’re only cutting waste, fraud […]

Getting to know the Federal Workforce, part 2 

Brief commentary taking a look at the makeup of the Federal Workforce. As you can see the Department of Defense has the greatest number of employees. The next largest is the Department of Veterans Affairs. I posted this piece so as to allow Angry Bear readers understand the size of government. This is not a […]