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

About that Venezuelan oil

There’s been a lot of crowing by Trump about how he’s seizing Venezuelan oil to hand it to American oil companies and skim profits for the United States. What oil, and how much? “According to figures widely cited throughout the media and the oil industry itself, Venezuela is sitting on around 300 billion barrels’ worth […]

December ISM manufacturing report: continued contraction, continued stagflation, poor employment

 – by New Deal democrat We are still suffering the data aftereffects of the government shutdown. Normally we begin each month with reports on both construction spending as well as manufacturing. But the construction report even now has only been updated through August, and won’t be updated for September and October until January 21. And […]

The Republicans

While one could name some Republicans (both dead and alive) more responsible than others, it is the party as a whole that is responsible for Donald J Trump, the gutting of democracy, … the tearing down of America. This all goes back to its southern strategy — when it sold its soul — and, includes […]

New Deal democrat’s Weekly Indicators for December 29 2025 – January 2 2026

– by New Deal democrat My “Weekly Indicators” post is up at Seeking Alpha. As 2025 ended, all of the important trends seemed to intensify. The US$ is down 10% YoY by one measure, commodities are higher by the same or more, oil prices continued to fade, and the recent waning in the YoY growth of withholding […]

Perhaps, It is Not a Good Idea to Do Only One Clinical Study?

Typically, it does take more than one clinical study to insure . . . A lower number of Clinical Studies: WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration plans to begin requiring one clinical study, instead of the standard two, for medical products before consideration for approval, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary announced late in 2025.  While historically the […]

Déjà vu all over again

The definition of insanity is making the same mistake over and expecting a different outcome. By that definition, the Trump coup in Venezuela is insane. Maduro was a corrupt and illegitimate ruler. And the same was true of Saddam Hussein in Iraq. Bush deposed Saddam, freeing Iraq from one nightmare but plunging it into another. […]

Wanting more Northern European Immigrants

Partial of a recent immigration article in Newsweek. “Trump said he wants more Nordic immigrants. (A) Norwegian man’s reply goes viral,” (Newsweek): In reply to President Trump’s request for more northern European immigrants coming to the United states? One northern European said in reply to immigrating to the United States . . . Lund: “I […]