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

Leading employment sectors from the April jobs report – no definitive signs of peaking

 – by New Deal democrat Let’s take a belated look at some of the more important datapoints that came out of last Friday’s employment report for April. To start with, as I’ve mentioned numerous times, frequently service jobs (blue in the graph below) continue increasing all the way through recessions. It is goods producing jobs (red) […]

Prices and unemployment – Up. The rest of the economy adjusting downward

Some old guy handed over a damaged economy in January. The economy was definitely in a failure mode. The economy is heading into very bad weather. Brace yourselves. “Prices and unemployment are heading up. Everything else is going down,” Robert Reich Today, the Federal Reserve decided to leave interest rates where they are, at 4.25 […]

Measles Still an Issue in the US

Environment, Energy, and Related News from the week ending May 3rd. – by R. J. Sigmund Measles Texas measles total grows to 663 as Arkansas reports local spread, CIDRAP  The Texas Department of State Health Services today reported 17 more measles cases from the West Texas outbreak, bringing the state’s total to 663. Along with more […]

Winning

“A drop in Canada-U.S. travel has led Calgary-based WestJet to cancel more flights south of the border. “The airline says it is suspending flights from Vancouver to Austin until October. “Flights to other destinations, including Orlando, Los Angeles and Chicago will also be halted at different times between June and August. “WestJet says it is […]

The price of Trump’s war on universities

For decades, the United States has been the world leader in scientific research. Even as China has been catching up, the US has managed to remain a magnet for scientists world-wide, and its universities are the most desirable destinations for undergrads and graduate students. Until now. “There are significant economic consequences to spiking medical research […]

Trump just raised taxes

As everyone should know, tariffs are just consumption taxes. Other countries don’t pay them. Importers don’t pay them. The extra cost is just added to the retail price. “As of 12:01 am ET on Saturday, most auto part imports will come with a 25% import tax. “The previous auto tariffs left US-made cars untouched. Not […]

Some Politics and Help on Understanding the Public’s View on Medicaid

An overview of recent KFF polling on the public’s views of and connections to Medicaid, the federal-state government health insurance for certain low-income adults and children and long-term care program for adults 65 and older and younger adults with disabilities. In the end, it appears America is quite happy with Medicaid and are not prepared […]

Confirmation of Bisignano by Senate GOP Greenlights ‘DOGE Dismantling Social Security’

Republicans chose the worse alternative for strengthening Social Security. Instead Bisignano will be implementer of Social Security’s demise. Democrats need t really step back and do whatever is necessary to block this appointment. More recently than the April 14 commentary by Nancy Altman is this later article on Social Security. Although Trump says nothing will […]

Trump: Americans Who Died in War Are ‘Losers’ and ‘Suckers’

Being XMilitary (Sgt. E-5 USMC) does not give me a pulpit from which to demean those who were not involved in the late sixties. I think at times those who fled the country to avoid military service were brave. More than likely, they would never be able to return to the US and they gave […]