Category tax policy for the 99%
Worst stock market opening ever
I want to capture this moment, because (depending how things change), people might not have this on their radar screen a month or so from now. Remember, I warned you. The Stock Exchange lost over 5% of its value in the first week after New Year’s, and lost over 900 points. That makes this the […]
Social Security in the cross-hairs for both parties
It’s that time once again to have the GOP threaten to shut down the government. We’ve run up against the debt ceiling and now need to have the ceiling moved up (something that used to pass without much notice during the W years). But the ‘Freedom Caucus’ is in charge and they’re anxious to risk […]
Not to root for Bernie…
The Democrats’ debate in Vegas on Tuesday was an interesting piece of TV. I’ve made my own feelings about the race known here. I’m energized by the presence of Bernie Sanders in the race, primarily because he’s saying things that no one else will say. And not to get too excited, but Bernie apparently won […]
TPP passes initial vote–why it should be stopped now
Prologue: I’m in a video. Did you know? Not the ones I’ve been in usually, but one made by my pal Monica Hunken (with cinematography and production work by Owen Crowley) about the TPP and it’s here: (if the video doesn’t play, you can always just follow the link to Youtube. If you […]
93 million: an update
Since I seem to be in update mode, I thought I’d share this. I’ll try to keep things simple. Back in May I wrote that a count of adults unemployed or underemployed in the current economy indicated that there were some 93 million working age Americans who weren’t in the workforce in any reasonable way […]
Economic Free-fall mode
On Friday, the stock market (Wall Street and the rest of the world) was reeling after oil prices tanked to less than 50% of what they were in 2010. This after news that China’s stock market was kept afloat only after the central government rescued it. There’s lots of room left for markets to fall. […]
Greece melts down; the world starts to melt with it
the Eurozone might be short a star soon. Image from Reuters. As I type this, the results have come in and the Greek electorate has voted against the austerity measures demanded by the EU (primarily Germany) that would allow them to pay off the debt they owe. I’m thinking that maybe it would be a […]
Clueless proposal on older workers
Bad few days for my personal/family economic outlook. And not just me personally–while all the happy people are crowing about how well the economy has come back, I’ve been hit with one story of personal crisis after another. A friend forced out of his job due to injury; another friend given notice from a place she’s […]
The Brooklyn Culture Jam 