Fearless commentary on finance, economics, politics and power

Some of the rich are feeling the pinch. Is this a passing phenomenon or a sign of things to come?

Americans are not big on protests, and people abroad are perplexed

Warren’s transition plan, like her pay-for plan, introduces unmotivated dependencies that make #MedicareForAll unlikely to pass, charitably from poor political judgment, less charitably because she doesn’t want the bill to pass.

Today’s Water Cooler: Forever trade war, Iowa polling, Trump, Warren, impeachment, Obama legacy, housing, frack sand collapse, container shipping, aircraft sales, robot cars to increase driving, giant structures in the universe, junk, landfills, more efficient toilets, dentistry, the press, wage theft, Hokusai

Even a massive recycling campaign won’t make a dent in the plastics problem, as long as the industry ramps up production; some thoughts on raccoons, and rubbish.

Discussion of role of masks in global protest, as Hong Kong’s mask ban is ruled unconstitutional by High Court.

Remarkably, the new FAA chief Steve Dickson is standing up to Boeing and planning widespread reforms at the agency.

The sorry history of how US arms sales have made the world less safe, and aren’t all that good for America either.

WSJ publishes results documenting how Google tweaks its search algorithms and adjusts your search results, to privilege large over small, and muddled middle perspectives.

Sampling of tweets responding to counsel to Democrats to sideline left-leaning twitter feeds.

Americans in particular like to reframe hardship as an opportunity to grow….but how valid is that notion?

Private debt levels are even higher than in 2008 but super low interest rates make that look less worrisome than it arguably should be. T. Sabri Öncü ponders how to go about large scale debt relief.