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

More House Speaker Details on Who Will Lead

A Rehash Paul Krugman noted on twitter, this is a group that is “still in the old cringe position, buying into GOP demonization (which happens to any strong Democrat) despite a huge midterm victory.” Cringing at the GOP’s demonization is a tactic that too many Democrats embraced in the past and is what sent so […]

Weekly Indicators for November 12 – 16 at Seeking Alpha

by New Deal democrat Weekly Indicators for November 12 – 16 at Seeking Alpha My Weekly Indicators piece is up at Seeking Alpha. If my reference frames are well- constructed, economic trends ought to start out in the long leading forecast, then start to show up in the short leading forecast, and finally make it through […]

MbS Guilty!

MbS Guilty! According to the top stories in both the New York Times and Washington Post this morning, somebody in the CIA has leaked that Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) ordered the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.  Of course no sensible observer is remotely surprised, but the Trump administration had been working mightily to deny this […]

Credit remains loose, but big borrowers aren’t interested; real consumer spending may be stalling

by New Deal democrat Credit remains loose, but big borrowers aren’t interested; real consumer spending may be stalling We interrupt this coverage of the ongoing Trump Boom (c) to advise you that two more long leading indicators, while still positive, are showing at least some weaknesses.  This story is up at Seeking Alpha. As usual, reading […]

Pelosi Challenging Outdated Norms

From Washington Monthly Nancy LeTourneau On Wednesday some young climate activists joined by newly elected Alexandria Ocasio Cortez held a demonstration at Nancy Pelosi’s office. While we can debate whether it is a smart move to hold such an event at the office of a leader who is on your side as opposed to the […]

The AMA is Calling for a Relaxing of CMC Opioid Prescription Restrictions

A little history: In 1980, the Porter and Jick letter to the editor of the New England Journal of Medicine by the Boston Collaborative Drug Surveillance Program stated: “the risk of addiction was low when opioids such as oxycodone were prescribed for chronic pain.” It was a brief statement by the doctors conducting the study, […]

Initial markers for a manufacturing slowdown now hit

Initial markers for a manufacturing slowdown now hit I have a new article that hopefully will get posted by Seeking Alpha later today.  In the meantime … Two weeks ago I wrote an article establishing a manufacturing baseline for my forecast of an economic slowdown by about the middle of next year. I concluded that by saying: […]

Changes in labor bargaining power take up to a decade to be fully effective

Changes in labor bargaining power take up to a decade to be fully effective Sorry for the recent lack of posting on economic matters. Partly it is ennui, and partly it is a near total dearth of data in between the employment report a week ago Friday and tomorrow’s CPI report.  Even a couple of […]