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

Is Mail Delivery Taking Longer?

Is U.S. mail delivery becoming slower for First Class mail? A New York Times analysis of more than 28 million pieces of mail found that on-time delivery declined noticeably in July and August. This comes after PMG Louis DeJoy put cost-cutting measures in place. Delivery has sped up slightly since the summer but remains slower […]

Coronavirus dashboard for September 14: cases in the Midwest surge; the Northeast still lags Canada

Coronavirus dashboard for September 14: cases in the Midwest surge; the Northeast still lags Canada   Total US cases: 6,519,573 Average cases last 7 days: 34,744 Total US deaths: 194,071 Average deaths last 7 days: 733  Source: COVID Tracking Project I continue to expect the pandemic to wax and wane in relative terms at least […]

The 2020 Presidential and Senate nowcast: the races congeal

The 2020 Presidential and Senate nowcast: the races congeal   Here is my weekly update on the 2020 elections, based on State rather than national polling in the past 30 days, since that directly reflects what is likely to happen in the Electoral College. Remember that polls are really only nowcasts, not forecasts. They are […]

To Do I, II, & III

The COVID-19 Pandemic, the inadequate response thereto, and the incompetency of the Trump Presidency in general, combined, have exposed our nation’s weaknesses and failings to an extent unknown since at least the Great Depression. This is likely a do or die moment for America. Recovery will be difficult. Improbable unless we are careful in our […]

Trump’s Law & Order = Ronnie Thompson’s Shoot First and Ask Questions Later

(Dan here…this post has been lightly edited in format for readability) Trump’s Law & Order = Ronnie Thompson’s Shoot First and Ask Questions Later Summer Concepcion reports on something I find very alarming: in a Fox News interview that aired Saturday night, President Trump leaned further into his self-proclaimed “law and order” persona, appearing to […]