Category Archives: Economic fundamentals

How COVID-19 Showed America’s Dependence on Blue-Collar Workers

The outbreak of “hero” talk is a long-overdue admission that blue-collar workers are the backbone of the US economy. Time to pay them more.

Lockdown Rebelliousness: Denying that Coronavirus Is in Charge

The supposed irresistable force of the economy is losing out to the immovable object of the coronavirus.

Taleb: The Only Man Who Has A Clue

A recap of what Taleb and his fellow complex systems analysts have been saying about coronavirus. Not pretty.

The New Fault Lines in a Post-Globalized World

Coronavirus is smashing up the economic and political order. What sort of world comes next?

“Something Has Gone Wrong”: UK Government, Banks Screw Up Coronavirus Loans, Small Firms Near Collapse. Better Results in Other Countries

Quelle surprise! Big banks in the UK don’t like making small business loans, especially not at 1.5%.

The Really Really Yucky Airlines Bailout

The airlines are at the trough. It’s not quite as unseemly as the 2008 bank bailouts, but that’s an awfully low bar.

Some Comments on the Sanders Campaign

Thoughts on the Sanders kneecapping.

Mark Blyth and Jeffrey Sommers: Austerity – A Dangerous Idea Returns

Why more austerity is one of the worst possible responses to the pandemic….yet the US is seeing even more of it.

The Coming Battle for the COVID-19 Narrative

Will the disruption of Covid-19 deal a major blow to market ideology?

The Use and Abuse of MMT

Using government spending power to bail out financiers and rentiers makes a travesty of MMT.

Last Chance to Save the Euro?

The actions taken so far to salvage the single-currency union expose its fatal flaws. The last bout of stress will be a test to destruction if fundamental changes aren’t made.

The Coming Debt Crisis

Emerging market economies loaded up on debt after the crisis, which is now looking like a particularly bad move.

Angela Merkel Urged To Put European Solidarity Over German Interests and Back Coronabonds

Angela Merkel is under pressure to abandon her long-standing “Germany first” policy towards the EU. Will she finally relent?

Martin Wolf and Wishful Thinking on Ending Coronavirus Lockdowns

It would be nice to go back to something like the old normal. But the coronavirus is still very much in charge.

How to Pay for the Pandemic War

Government responsese to the pandemic are making a hash of one of the comparatively easy issues.