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

Trump’s newest attack on rural hospitals

The Trump GOP’s Medicaid cuts will cause many rural hospitals to close. Now, Trump has come up with a way to hasten that process. “NBC News medical analyst Dr. Vin Gupta warned of the consequences that President Donald Trump’s imposed $100,000 annual visa fee for highly skilled foreign workers could have on those seeking health […]

New Deal democrat’s Weekly Indicators for September 15 – 19

 – by New Deal democrat My “Weekly Indicators” post is up at Seeking Alpha. Along with the continuing resilience of consumer spending, which I wrote about yesterday, the other surprise in the data has been the strong rebound in manufacturing indexes in the past 45 days, as evidenced by several of the regional Fed situation reports […]

Increase in the Medicare Part B Premium in 2026

The loose cannon here is healthcare costs which impacts everyone in the nation. In this case, I am talking about Medicare Part B and how an increase in the Medicare Part B will reduce the Social Security increase in 2026. Discovered a new site on Social Security and Medicare offering up information on the programs. […]

Traveling Globally and in the United States

I have traveled globally and also into Mexico as well as other places. Enough so that I burned through one passport in two years. I have met some interesting people while traveling. Also, I have never had much trouble going in and out of countries. The agents were always courteous. And going in and out […]

The AI stock price bubble and consumer spending Ponzi loop?

 – by New Deal democrat One of this things that has puzzled me for the last few months is why consumer spending has remained so strong in the face of so many headwinds in the economy, some from horrible policy coming out of Washington, some embedded in the long leading and short leading sectors.  There is […]

Beachfront property and sunk costs

While we were grad students at UNC-Chapel Hill, we visited my wife’s uncle and his family on the Outer Banks. He built fishing boats, and lhey lived in a modest house in Buxton, near Hatteras lighthouse. Hatteras lighthouse is the tallest lighthouse in the US. In 1999, Hatteras lighthouse was moved from its original location […]

COVID vaccine rules added in contentious meeting

Which is BS. Hmmm. It appears what came rather easily in the past is now going to be made more difficult due to political interests rather than scientific knowledge on the issue of Covid vaccines. This has come rather easily in the past. And now, I need a prescription? Did Covid go away? No. It […]

Jobless claims continue higher YoY trend

– by New Deal democrat We are in the part of the year when, post-Covid, likely residual seasonality has resulted in a declining trend in new jobless claims.  Not this year. On a week over week basis, initial jobless claims did decline -33,000 from last week’s outlier 264,000 to 231,000, and the four week averaged declined […]