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

It’s Medicare hunting season

Probably the best analogy is duck hunting, where they use decoys to fool the ducks. “If the past is any indication, sellers working for insurance companies, some with household names, others not, will snare new recruits into Medicare Advantage plans, possibly omitting in their sales pitches that they will be locked into an MA plan […]

ISM manufacturing confirms regional Feds’ reports: prices up, production improves slightly, employment contracting

 – by New Deal democrat The ISM manufacturing and services reports assume heightened importance this month in view of the continuing federal government shutdown. These two, along with the regional Feds’ manufacturing and services reports, are our best sketch of the economy until the more thorough federal reports resume (hopefully?) We already have the regional Feds’ […]

U.S. Manufacturing Can Be the Foundation of Economic Strength and Innovation

Brief rundown on how manufacturing has evolved over the past 40 years. Moving from solely Labor to less Labor at a higher value. One worker at a CNC machine can do the manufacturing of multiple workers at separate stations performing one or two functions. Lower Labor cost, faster throughput, and a promise of less inventory […]

Deaf culture

Years ago, I was course director for a first-year medical school course on genetics and molecular biology. I was and am still an enthusiast for problem-based learning (PBL). Together with an MD colleague, I wrote up a case on hereditary deafness. It was through this process that I learned about deaf culture and the conflicts […]

Weighing Regional Fed Services Surveys, the sketch emerges of an economy on the cusp of stagflationary recession

 – by New Deal democrat As I’ve reiterated several times this month, the two items of information I am paying the most attention to in the absence of official federal economic data are the Regional Fed Banks and the ISM, for both of their manufacturing and services reports. I should add that earlier this week […]

Don’t tread on me, tread on them

Ladies and gentlemen, your GOP nanny state: “House Republicans are exploring ways to prevent Zohran Mamdani from ever being sworn in as mayor even if he prevails in Tuesday’s election by using the Constitution’s “insurrection clause,” The Post has learned. “The New York Young Republican Club is pushing to prevent the NYC mayoral frontrunner from […]

October Regional Feds’ summary of the goods producing economy: growth, but with strong inflation and almost nonexistent job growth

 – by New Deal democrat With the shutdown of almost all economic statistics from the federal government, one of the most important remaining sources is the Fed and its regional banks. All 5 of them that publish manufacturing and services reports have now done so. Which means that we have a decent placeholder proxy for […]

In the Last Three Years, Americans Feel Worse Off

Keep in mind much of the issue during the last four years pre-Tru_p was the result of Covid and the stimulus packages put in place to help Americans. Many companies took advantage of government loans which were later forgiven. Others took advantage of a Covid economy by increasing prices in various manner such as packaging. […]

Delays in ACA Healthcare Insurance Pricing

I have been looking around for more information, accurate information on the forthcoming increases in ACA healthcare insurance costs. I have yet to find something accurate. There is a lot of speculation or forecasting. Nothing solid right now. Best place to read (I read him also) is Charles Gaba @ ACA Signups. ~~~~~~~ Republicans blame […]