by Tom aka Rusty Rustbelt Consumer Finance: Let Wal-Mart be a Bank One of the side effects of the “great recession” is damage to credit records and banking relationships for many people who get in financial trouble. Many of them will have trouble reestablishing banking relationship (that the banks caused the recession is irrelevant, of […]
by Linda Beale WaPo (inaccurately?) reports consensus forming on deficitcrossposted with Ataxingmatter The buildup in the corporate media supporting the corporatist wishlist on budgeting is growing. First there was the clamor about the Bowles-Simpson road map to conquering the deficit–depicted as a reasonable, middle-of-the-road approach. Bowles-Simpson is a neo-liberal/neo-conservative group of people with little understanding […]
The International Federation of Health Plans released its 2010 report today. (PDF here.) The good news is that the problem is clear: Americans pay too much for the same services. The bad news is (1) we’ve known that for years and (2) the factions who are gaining these excessive rents want to keep their sinecures. […]
by Bruce Webb Strengthen Social Security a coalition of progressive organizations determined to protect and strengthen Social Security, coordinated and hosted by Social Security Works (or maybe by now SSW is hosted by SSSC) produced the above graph. I didn’t see it on their website and so grabbed it from Ezra Klein’s post (which does […]
by Linda Beale Irish Bailout–impact on taxes uncertaincrossposted with Ataxingmatter As plans for the $100 billion bailout of the Irish economy and banking system by the European Commission, International Monetary Fund and European Central Bank continues, Ireland’s downtrodden prime minister (who will call elections after the budget is finalized) has said that it “will not” […]
North and South Korea Exchange Fire Near Border reports the New York Times.
Mark Thoma goes to something called the Business Ethics Blog for an economics thought-experiment: A Montreal accessories company has taken its policy of using no animal products beyond the rack and has forbidden its staff from eating meat and fish at work. A former employee says the policy violated her rights as a non-vegetarian…. It’s […]
Brad DeLong notes an experiment subject (as is the wont of the Obama Administration to date) to regulatory capture: In a surprising move, the Obama administration will extend special bonus payments meant to reward top-performing Medicare Advantage insurers to those that score only average ratings….The law says bonuses, which start in 2012, would go to […]
Beat the Press Dean Baker November 22, 2010 says it well: The Washington Consensus That Excludes the Overwhelming Majority of the Public A front page Washington Post editorial * touted the “accord seen in debate over deficit.” It begins by telling readers that: “the sacrifices necessary to achieve those goals are coming into sharp focus.” […]
by Mike Kimel E Pluribus Unum and Our Finest HourCross posted at the Presimetrics blog. But if we fail, then the whole world, including the United States, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new dark age made more sinister, and perhaps more protracted, by the […]