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

Productivity and Costs, Fourth Quarter

If there is anything which can be said about 2024, Biden left it in better shape than what it was when he became the president. Unlike 2008 and with the help of Congress, Biden was able to mitigate much of the impact of the pandemic on the economy, all citizens, and business endeavors. Without which, […]

China’s Global Growth

Managing a supply chain for a small part of a $12 billion corporation in the US sent me to many countries in Asia. This included China. I was able to see the old aspects of it such as The Wall and the Tombs while there. I also saw the rebuild of the nation and the […]

No NIH cuts for mah state, y’all!

As John Kenneth Galbraith famously observed: “The modern conservative is engaged in one of man’s oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.” I suspect that the Must techbros who concocted the recent announcement of immediate cuts to NIH grants imagined that they were just smacking around […]

China taking the lead on nuclear power

When discussions turn to decarbonizing energy, the topics typically concern solar, wind, geothermal and tidal energy. But nuclear energy doesn’t generate CO2 during normal operation, either. “Since Yikpotey had been born, few new reactors had been built on either side of the Atlantic. Competition was fierce for the few opportunities left. “So Yikpotey looked east. […]

Gallup: Americans Offer Upbeat Economic Outlook

Predictions for economic growth, stock market, inflation, interest rates most optimistic in past seven years. Then too, Biden left a better economy than what he inherited from Trump. It was on the verge of a pandemic. Trump still denies today it was serious enough to keep people home. In 2020, Republicans’ top concern was the […]

NIH Grants Slashed

The Trump administration just slashed NIH grants. I think this terrible policy shift is entirely constitutional and legal. I think it is also a severe (entirely deliberate) blow to US Universities and a possibly fatal blow to biomedical research institutions. The new policy limits funds for overhead to 15% of the amount directly granted to […]

New Deal democrats Weekly Indicators February 3-7 2025

 – by New Deal democrat My “Weekly Indicators” post is up at Seeking Alpha. Mainly more of the same ; the majority of short leading and coincident indicators are positive, while the long leading background is ever so slowly improving. As usual, clicking over and reading will reward you with knowing the state of the economy […]

A Warning of Things to Come

The latter part of New Deal’s report on January 2025 Jobs portends of things to come in the economic reporting of Employment and Unemployment statistics. It is thought the accuracy of the reporting “may” change going forward. We hope not. It is a possibility with this administration. If unreported, it is taken as never happening. […]

January jobs report: annual revisions clear up some big discrepancies

January jobs report: annual revisions clear up some big discrepancies, but monthly numbers are close to pre-recessionary  – by New Deal democrat My theme for the past several years as to employment has been “deceleration,” as in a gradual cooldown from white hot to red hot to hot to warm. But at some point past […]

Initial and continuing Jobless claims join the “steady as she goes” parade

– by New Deal democrat Let’s take our typically weekly look at jobless claims. I do this because there are a very good and timely short leading indicator for the labor market.  Initial claims rose 11,000 to 219,000. The four week moving average rose 4,000 to 216,750. With the typical one week delay, continued claims […]