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

And now for something completely different: portents of DOOOM

And now for something completely different: portents of DOOOM  – by New Deal democrat. February 9, 2024 The lion’s share of the employment news recently has been very good. But not all of it. In particular, several of the annual revisions to the Household jobs Survey, and several other measures of employment and unemployment have […]

What is Causing Increasing Food, etc. Prices

This is a follow-up to two posts on Tuesday and Wednesday. One topic being “Low Income Consumers” and the other being GAO Prices etc. Neither said the Biden Administration is at fault. If you read Thursday’s report by New Deal Democrat, we are avoiding a recession. Briefly, Much of the cost from pricing increases people […]

Medicare for All or Medicare for Wall Street Profits?

Ran across two articles on conservatives, a presidential candidate, and the US Gov. pushing people towards Medicare Advantage plans. I thought I could combine both articles on one post using snippets of information from each. It was too exhausting to do so. I will keep them separate and write each independent of the other. Since […]

Initial jobless claims confirmatory of continued expansion

Initial jobless claims confirmatory of continued expansion  – by New Deal democrat Initial claims continue at their very low level, declining -9,000 to 218,000 last week.  The four-week moving average rose 3,750 to 212,250. With the usual one-week lag, continuing claims declined -23,000 to 1.871 million: For forecasting purposes the YoY% change is more important. […]

Take the Medical Profession and Healthcare Back from Corporate Interests

Shot an email off to Kip Sullivan to see what he was up to with Medicare. He returned my email with a copy of a letter he wrote Much going on in this letter I was not aware of and am assuming many other are not aware of either. Still they persist in corporatizing Medicare […]

Report revisions changes the picture in the January Establishment Survey

Scenes from the January jobs report: revisions changed the picture in the Establishment Survey  – by New Deal democrat Last Friday’s jobs report contained a number of annual revisions which change what the trend line for the last year looks like. Particularly the extent to which there has been continued deceleration, or even a downturn, […]

January Growth in Jobs and Wages

Job and Wage Growth Surge in January Center for Economic and Policy Research, Dean Baker I believe this report by Dean Baker to be a bit premature. If you are keeping up with New Deal democrat, he cites reasons why this still can go either way at this point. One reason is the Fed’s foot […]

Low Income Consumers are Having It Their Way

McDonald’s wants to win back low-income consumers, Laura Bratton @ QUARTZ US customers making less than $45,000 stayed away in 2023. That could continue this year, executive says . . . McDonald’s chief financial officer Ian Borden told investors Monday (Feb. 5) that he’s looking for ways to win back the low-income customers the company lost […]

The Senior Loan Officer Survey makes an important turn

The Senior Loan Officer Survey makes an important turn   – by New Deal democrat The Senior Loan Officer Survey is a long leading indicator, telling us about credit conditions that typically turn worse a year or more before the economy turns down, and improve just at the economy is ready to turn up. The one […]

Open Thread February 6 2024 “hard to find jobs right now even with low unemployment”

Employers’ hiring rate fell sharply in 2023, Zhao said. And workers are quitting less. Fewer people are changing jobs. Business Insider. And Jobs are hard to find even with low Unemployment. Open Thread February 2 2024 federal judge tosses disinformation superspreader Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s lawsuit, Angry Bear