Fearless commentary on finance, economics, politics and power

Why Trump’s effort to revive Reagan’s “Star Wars” vaporware increases the risk of nuclear war.

Diet has now become political. But will the food industry support more sustainable diets, particularly for low income consumers?

Today’s Water Cooler: Sanders, Gabbard, Clinton, Trump 2020 preparations, hamburgers once more, industrial production, consumer sentiment, capital investment, DNA kits, Facebook, Summit Learning, fresh blood, Jeremy Grantham on climate, Jack Dorsey, revolutions podcast

The parts of the UK hit hard by post-crisis austerity had a strong tendency to vote for Brexit.

Teachers are taking aim at the way charter schools drain resources from public schools.

One in two French citizens wants to participate in Macron’s Great Debate across France. High stakes for Macron and French democracy.

A squillionaire critique of capitalism. Funny how they decry inequality but won’t give all their money away to help remedy that.

Today’s Water Cooler: Shutdown trade negotiations, Sanders, Gillibrand, Wasserman Schultz, RussiaRussiaRussia, Prohibition Era idpol, manufacturing, jobless claims, Lego as an asset class, Instagram, Facebook, Glossier, Digital First Media, hoarding disorder, drones, hidden cameras

Giving the French credit where credit is due…..

More Brexit dithering, but at higher velocities.

GoFundMe campaigns as proof of America’s health care crisis.

n their enthusiasm for a new cold war against China and Russia, the western establishments of today are making a mistake comparable to that of their forebearers in 1914.