Tag Archives: economy
“Unbelievable” Economic Claims Are Indeed.
We need to be well-versed in the realities of our economy as we move into the 2020 Election. Trump and other Republicans will be distorting reality and claiming credit for a thriving economy. Thanks to a recent Washington Post Finance column, here are some facts to keep in mind. Median Household Income In nominal terms, […]
Continue readingBroken Promises
The payroll tax supports Social Security and Medicare. Cutting it is a quick way to infuse money into a faltering economy because the cuts are most likely to be spent by consumers rather than saved or invested. But cuts also leave Social Security and Medicare underfunded and Republicans — notably Mitch McConnell — often threaten […]
Continue readingThe Danger of Trump’s Mexican Tariff Stunt
There are lessons for China, the European Union and Japan. This column appeared in the Washington Post. Leaders in foreign capitals are likely updating their trade war strategies after watching how President Trump handled his confrontation with Mexico. The episode provides a couple of important lessons for governments (think: China, the European Union and Japan) still […]
Continue readingProgressive Capitalism
We want to provide some important excerpts from a truly great Op-Ed entitled “Progressive Capitalism Is Not an Oxymoron” with the subtitle “We can save our broken system from itself.” The piece, written by Nobel Prize winner Joseph Stiglitz, was published in the New York Times. Despite the lowest unemployment rates since the late 1960s, […]
Continue readingExamining where job growth came from in March
A few notes on the March job numbers, which the GOP has been touting. The biggest growth sector was the health care industry, with strong hiring in ambulatory care, hospitals, and nursing and residential care facilities. What happens if Trump and the GOP AGs win their lawsuit to declare the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional, throwing […]
Continue readingNotes on the March Jobs Numbers
A few notes on the March job numbers, which the GOP has been touting for the last 24 hours. This is a continuation of the Obama era recovery. Furthermore, the biggest growth sector was the healthcare industry, with strong hiring in ambulatory care, hospitals, and nursing and residential care facilities. What happens if Trump and […]
Continue readingPromises Made. Promises Not Kept
Plant closures underscore Trump’s unfulfilled promises, from tariffs to tax cuts. Important facts call out POTUS in the lead article from Analysis | The Daily 202: GM layoffs show why there’s a crisis of confidence in American capitalism, Washington Post, 11/27/2018. The piece also includes a spotlight on Congressman Joe Kennedy.
Continue readingInflation-Adjusted Wages Down From Last Year
“Worker pay in the second quarter dropped nearly one percent below its first-quarter level, according to the PayScale Index, one measure of worker pay. When accounting for inflation, the drop is even steeper. Year-over-year, rising prices have eaten up still-modest pay gains for many workers, with the result that real wages fell 1.4 percent from the […]
Continue readingHow’s that Economy Working for You?
If you are fortunate enough to have stock market investments, you are enjoying an unprecedented streak of continual wealth growth — a streak that began in 2012 by the way. But only about 50% of Americans own a piece of the stock market and most of them own a very small piece. In fact, 10% […]
Continue readingRepublicans Cut Funds for Rural Infrastructure and Forest Protection
The 2018 Farm Bill, which passed the Agriculture Committee on party lines, cuts nearly $800 million from conservation programs, $500 million from rural development programs over the next ten years, and includes no mandatory funding for infrastructure projects, such as broadband deployment and water and wastewater systems. Additionally, the bill changes the definition of “rural” […]
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