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

New Georgia Law Spurs Bogus Challenges to Voter Eligibility

In addition to what you will hopefully read below. Repubs and Dems went to court and presented their reasoning for and against new laws allowing for a “reasonable inquiry” to be conducted before election certification and gives election workers the ability to “to examine all election related documentation created during the conduct of elections.”  You […]

Vance’s big lie on the ACA

by Merrill Goozner GoozNews Obamacare (ACA) coverage fell every year of the Trump presidency and the uninsured rate rose. The truth in one chart. Trump’s vice presidential pick J.D. Vance asserted during tonight’s debate that the former president “strengthened” the Affordable Care Act. In fact, he weakened it in a variety of ways, which I […]

Manufactured Evidence of Voter Fraud

Coming from the Brennan Center of Justice, I can not think there would be a more trustworthy or accurate source to present evidence of this type of misinformation. And it is a childish incident Brennan is revealing to the general public. It raises a remark or the question of who does or stoops to this […]

Manufacturing remains in contraction, with construction on the brink

– by New Deal democrat This month we started the month with not just the usual two important reports on the leading sectors of manufacturing and construction, but the JOLTS report for August as well (which I will summarize separately). In the big picture, I do not see the US economy falling into recession unless either […]

The science of prophecy

The existential threat to humanity in this century is climate change. It is estimated that upwards of half a billion people will be displaced by flooding, fires and desertification due to global warming. But such frightening predictions are based on climate modeling. How reliable are these models? It turns out, remarkably reliable: “Climate change doubters […]

Freddie Mac House Price Index Increased Slightly in August; Up 3.7% Year-over-year

Over the last 6 months, the seasonal adjusted index has increased at a 1.5% annual rate. by Bill McBride @ Calculated Risk Note: The Freddie Mac index is a repeat sales index using only loans purchased by Fannie and Freddie and includes appraisals. See FAQs here. Freddie has data for all states and many cities. For […]

The real nowcast for the economy as of the end of Q3

– by New Deal democrat On Friday I highlighted the sharp positive revision to the personal saving rate.  That was a byproduct of a similar sharply higher revision to real personal income over the past two years. Here is what those revisions, to real personal disposable income, look like: Instead of being up 6.8% since […]

FTC Taking Action Against Rental Property Companies for Deceiving Home, etc. Renters

I did not know this. In Phoenix, etc. The subject of this commentary, “Invitation Homes” has approximately 7300 available homes for rent at prices which would equal a mortgage payment, property taxes, and the required homeowner’s insurance. I am sitting in the middle of all of this in AZ. The only reason I can think […]

Whooping cough and the price of vaccine hesitancy

The widespread use of diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis (DTaP) vaccines, which protect against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis had driven whooping cough (pertussis) to the brink of extinction in the US. “The DTaP vaccine has been a cornerstone of childhood vaccination programs for decades, significantly reducing the incidence of diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis. Pertussis, in particular, is a […]