Category Archives: Economics

A Superpower is Dying by Suicide

Commentary by Heather Cox Richardson Late last night, Nick Schifrin of PBS NewsHour posted on social media that the staff of the U.S. National Security Council had sent to European ambassadors in Washington a message that President Donald J. Trump … Continue reading

Posted in Communication, Dementia, Economics, energy, Essays, Ethics, Government, History, Justice, Kindness, Law, Mental Health, Morality, Politics, protests, Social justice, War | Comments Off on A Superpower is Dying by Suicide

The Cult of Costco

By Jake Lundberg in The Atlantic (thanks to Mary M.) Because every day is Black Friday at Costco, I choose to go on Saturday. I like to get there early. I always park in the same spot (right next to … Continue reading

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He haze of the “good old days”

Thanks to John R. Hard to believe that we really survived the blitz of destructive advertising!

Posted in Addiction, Economics, Health | 2 Comments

The Great Gaslight

from Closer to the Edge (thanks to Pam P) You couldn’t script irony this sharp if you tried. On October 31, 2025, as the federal government collapsed under the weight of its own indifference, Donald Trump threw a Great Gatsby-themed … Continue reading

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Something SERIOUS is About to Happen

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Your generic drug costs and availability

from the current New England Journal of Medicine

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Pharmaceutical ads in the U.S.: Top questions answered

Aaron S. Kesselheim is a primary care physician, lawyer, and professor of medicine at Harvard with expertise in pharmacoepidemiology and pharmacoeconomics. Pharmaceutical ads in the United States are annoying. Absurd. And almost uniquely American. In fact, only one other high-income … Continue reading

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The Crazy Comes for Clean Energy

by Paul Krugman (thanks to Diana C.) I do three things every morning: I start a pot of coffee, I feed the cat, and then I fire up my laptop. The first two are calming routines. The third is a … Continue reading

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My Family Lives in the Shadow of the American Dream

By Andrew Tait (thanks to Pam P.) I live in Shenandoah County, Virginia. I’m a factory worker, a farmer, and a father of two girls, one still in diapers. I get up before the sun, and most days I don’t … Continue reading

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Be warned: the financial bubble will soon burst

by Robert Reich Friends, This isn’t an investment letter and I’m not an investment advisor. But I want to warn you. The financial economy — stocks, bonds, and their derivatives — is in for a big reality check, and I … Continue reading

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Investigating the cost of medications

Below is a documentary video, still up on YouTube, which was removed from Amazon Prime after they were threatened with a lawsuit by United Health Care. It’s an uncovering of control of medication pricing by the large Pharmacy Benefit Managers … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Health | Comments Off on Investigating the cost of medications

A deeply immoral piece of legislation

Commentary by Heather Cox Richardson “This is the most deeply immoral piece of legislation I have ever voted on in my entire time in Congress,” said Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT). “[W]e’re debating a bill that’s going to cut healthcare for … Continue reading

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How a Tiny Community Got Caught Up in Trump’s Attacks on Canada

The enclave of Point Roberts, Wash., once thrived with a mix of Americans and Canadians. Now the border checks are a hassle, the community is isolated and businesses are withering. By Ken Belson Photographs by Ruth Fremson Ken Belson crossed two borders … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Government, Taxes | 1 Comment

Down is up – “It’s totally bananas bonkers”

Commentary by Heather Cox Richardson This morning the Bureau of Economic Analysis released a report showing an abrupt reversal in the U.S. economy. Gross domestic product (GDP), which measures the total market value of goods and services, shrank from a … Continue reading

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What’s Happening Is Not Normal. America Needs an Uprising That Is Not Normal.

Ed note: This “call to action” by David Brooks is a challenge to us all. What steps strategically will help to slow the tsunami of dysfunctional destructive edits coming from the White House? Doing nothing, thus caving in, isn’t an … Continue reading

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The tariff question

David J. Lynch – Washington Post (thanks to Mary M.) The tariff barrage that President Donald Trump unleashed this week on the world economy marks a decisive end to an era of freewheeling globalization that was shaped by American policymakers, … Continue reading

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Trump Just Bet the Farm

By Thomas L. Friedman Opinion Columnist in the NYT (thanks to Marilyn W.) Donald Trump is not known for doing his homework — he’s more of a go-with-my-gut kind of guy. What I find most terrifying about what Trump is doing … Continue reading

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Connecticut Senator Murphy explains the real purpose of Trump’s tariffs

Thanks to Mike C.

Posted in Economics, Government | 1 Comment

London subway tells it all

Thanks to Dan S.

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Commentary update by Heather Cox Richardson

Ed note: Historian Heather Cox Richardson helps make the current current political chaos understandable putting events in context. In an appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) yesterday, billionaire Elon Musk seemed to be having difficulty speaking. Musk brandished … Continue reading

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“The 24 hour Economic Blackout”

Ed note: Will someone explain whether this will really help? Posted by Jon Stewart but initiated by John Clemens:  “The 24 hour Economic Blackout”As our initial act, we turn it off. For one day we show them who really holds the power. … Continue reading

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A new life for empty offices: Growing kale and cucumbers

from the BBC – thanks to Pam P. In some cities, as many as one in four office spaces are vacant. Some start-ups are giving them a second life – as indoor farms growing crops as varied as kale, cucumber … Continue reading

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In Praise of California

Paul Krugman in Krugman Wonks Out (thanks to Kate B.) One of the unwritten rules of American politics is that it’s OK to sneer at and smear our big cities and the people who live in them, while it’s an … Continue reading

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Boasting is Easy, Governing is Hard

By Joel Connelly in Post Alley (thanks to Mary M.) One of the best presidents America never had, Adlai Stevenson, put it bluntly when he said: “The ability to govern is the final test of politics, the acid, final test.”  Stevenson … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Government, Law | Comments Off on Boasting is Easy, Governing is Hard

M.I.T. to Offer Free Tuition to Families Earning Less Than $200,000

For students whose families earn less than $100,000 per year, the school will also cover other costs, including housing, dining, fees and an allowance for books and personal expenses. By Alexandra E. Petri in the NYT (thanks to Pam P.) The … Continue reading

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