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

Trump’s base: not the white working class, but white evangelicals — all men and lesser-educated women — who believe the ends justify the means

Trump’s base: not the white working class, but white evangelicals — all men and lesser-educated women — who believe the ends justify the means Via Digby: __________________ 1. Trump has always been unpopular with college-educated voters [A] Pew Research assessment … [using a] validated voter survey (they matched voter file with the survey respondents) showed white women narrowly preferring […]

Has Trump Gone Over The Edge On Negotiating With Canada?

Has Trump Gone Over The Edge On Negotiating With Canada? He may well have.  Facing the  deadline for submitting his deal with Mexico to Congress on Friday, he did so.  However, he did so without Canada signed on, the apparently intense negotiations in Washington between Canadian Foreign Minister, Chrystia Freeland and US Trade Representative, Robert […]

Oklahoma Teachers Purge Statehouse of Their Enemies

“For nearly a decade, Republican officials have been treating ordinary Oklahomans like the colonial subjects of an extractive empire. On Governor Mary Fallin’s watch, fracking companies have turned the Sooner State into the earthquake capital of the world; dictated policy to her attorney general; and strong-armed legislators into giving them a $470 million tax break […]

Comments on personal consumption expenditures: the September anomaly and the Fed’s 2% inflation ceiliing

Comments on personal consumption expenditures: the September anomaly and the Fed’s 2% inflation ceiliing Let me make a few comments on yesterday’s (Aug. 30) report on personal income and spending. Well, actually, just the spending part for now. First, there is a long-time relationship going back 60 years in the data whereby the YoY% growth […]

Dutch Police React to Knife Attacker

‘A suspect has been shot after a stabbing incident at Amsterdam Central Station,’ Dutch police said on Twitter.” Briefly: – Two people stabbed by an attacker. – Three shots fired by Police. – Two victims stabbed taken to the hospital. – Wounded attacker taken to the hospital. Attacker did not have a bullet-spewing-weapon. No 30 […]

Corporate profits after taxes set a new record. But the Fed is worried about wages

Corporate profits after taxes set a new record. But the Fed is worried about wages Yesterday  (Aug. 29) in the Q2 GDP update corporate profits were reported for the first time. Since corporate profits are one of four long leading indicators identified by Prof. Geoffrey Moore, I have updated my look at them at Seeking Alpha. […]

House prices continue to rise, exacerbating unaffordability

House prices continue to rise, exacerbating unaffordability Now that we have both the Case Shiller and FHFA house price reports for June, let’s take a look at how they fit in to the overall market, and in particular on housing affordability. To begin with, let me repeat the general formula for the housing market: interest […]