Friday, August 29, 2025

Kshama Sawant: Workers Strike Back

Sawant wants to take more forceful and concerted steps to advance workers’ interest. How do her ideas stack up?

2:00PM Water Cooler 3/22/2023

~ Today’s Water Cooler ~

How Monetary Policy Affects Bank Lending and Financial Stability: A ‘Credit Creation Theory of Banking’ Explanation

Another nail in “loanable funds”, which justfies austerity but does not explain how central banks produce credit and monetary growht.

Eurasian Integration Including Iran Proceeds Despite US “Maximum Pressure” Campaign 

The Riyadh-Tehran rapprochement could bring much-needed infrastructure investment in Iran, which is situated at the center of China and Russian-led Eurasian integration efforts, but countries will have to defy or work around US sanctions.

Links 3/22/2023

How the Current Refusal to Deal Harshly with Failing Banks and Their Executives Will Create an Even Bigger Crisis

Why the expected official response to this bank panic wil make matters much worse, just not right away.

Medicare Advantage Uses Algorithms to Block Care for Seniors

How AI is institutionalizing Medicare Adantage fraud, to the degree that appeals of denials often outrun the patient’s life.

2:00PM Water Cooler 3/21/2023

~ Today’s Water Cooler ~

Secession Is Here: States, Cities and the Wealthy Are Already Withdrawing from America

Alienation and separatism can go a long long way before getting to outright secession, and they still have real consequences.

Links 3/21/2023

Some US Farmers Get Behind Mexico’s GMO Corn Ban, Reports Mexican Daily La Jornada

“We believe that Mexico has every right to ask for what it wants,” says Lynn Clarkson, chief executive of Illinois-based Clarkson Grain company. “As a supplier, the United States should give its customers what they want.”

Lack of Grownups in the Room Exacerbates Bank Freakout

The bank firefighting squad seems to be out on a bender.

Why is America So Anti-City? It Holds Back the Entire Country

oth parties are exacerbating the city/country split. How different are their interests?

2:00PM Water Cooler 3/20/2023

~ Today’s Water Cooler ~

California’s Covid Misinformation Law Is Entangled in Lawsuits, Conflicting Rulings

California’s Covid censorship law has not yet been killed by the judiciary, sadly.