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

Use Good Rx or Cost Plus Drugs Instead

Maybe it was because people did not like Hillary Clinton. But the comparison between the two candidates’ hands down favored Clinton in ability, judgement, and understanding Americas’ needs. Time and time again, our president has shown he does not care for the nation or its people or the needs facing each. It is all about […]

Annals of euphemism

How many euphemisms are there for TACO? “Carve-out.” “Step-backs.” “Exclusions.” “Price relief.” “Rollback.” How about “advancing to the rear?” Trump’s tariffs are turning out to be fairy tales told to children. Trump wrote that his tariffs are unleashing “an American economic miracle, and we are quickly building the greatest economy in the history of the […]

Disinflating shelter prices and deflating gas prices work wonders for January CPI

No, it is not a mistake by putting the title at the head of this post (above) and a second time below. I did not want the AB readers to think I was writing this commentary about January CPI results. This report belongs solely to New Deal democrat. Oh, I did write or report on […]

Trump as King Cnut

King Cnut (Canute) famously ordered the incoming tide to stop. It was an exercise in futility (to be fair, Cnut knew this and staged the event to prove that his royal power was worthless compared to the power of God). Donald Trump is the modern King Cnut, pretending to order away climate change. Trump, however, […]

Just the Facts Consumer Price (CPI) Report

CPI Report with just the facts being reported. Another report after the CPI Report. Gap in spending growth between higher-income households and all others was at its largest since mid-2022 . . . And many people will lose healthcare due to drop in the ACA subsidies and Medicaid. ACA Subsidies will go from 600 FPL […]

Trump administration says scientists are wrong about the dangers of ‘climate change'”

Back to the future past: “Since Trump took office in January 2025, U.S. emissions have increased 1.9% largely because of the renewed use of coal, the dirtiest of the fossil fuels. The Environmental Protection Agency revoked the scientific finding that has been the basis for regulating emissions from cars and power plants since 2009.”  Climate […]

130K new jobs

Taken from a site named Cheapism. I suspect New Deal democrat will have more to say on the topic. “yesterday’s jobs gain of 131,000 for January and whether it means employment is on the upswing, completely neglecting a one month does not a trend make. “130K new jobs were added in January. So where are […]

Leading sector benchmark job revisions were almost all seriously negative

– by New Deal democrat Before I get to the main point at hand, let me make a quick note about this morning’s existing home sales report for January: it was more of the same. Sales remained within the sideways range they have been in for nearly the past three years; prices were nearly flat YoY, […]

Super-rich are rewriting the rules

“the French public has signaled strong support for a 2% tax on the ultra-wealthy; and a proposed California ballot initiative would enact a one-time 5% tax on billionaires’ net worth.” What I I would suggest for the United States is a reversal of all of Trump’s polices impacting the wealthy. “Average tax cuts are generally […]

Oh Canada

Over the past year, Trump has been undermining the US tourism business. “Inbound travel from all countries to the United States was down 5.4 percent from January through November of 2025, according to the US Commerce Department’s National Travel and Tourism Office. But it’s Canadians who have been staying away in the largest numbers. In […]