Trump is opening up a multi-front economic war by imposing tariffs on America’s biggest trade partners, with the EU next in line. What gives?
Recent Items
Monday, September 15, 2025
Trump Declares Economic War on Just About Everyone That Matters. Is a Smash-Up a Feature and Not a Bug? Update: Mexico One Month Pause. Who Blinked?
Topics: Auto industry, China, Economic fundamentals, Europe, Free markets and their discontents, Globalization, Legal, Politics
Posted by Yves Smith at 6:54 am | 176 Comments »
How Do We Get Competent Politicians?
Richard Murphy argues that all prospective UK parliamentarians and councillors should have to take an exam to prove their competence.
Topics: Guest Post, Politics, UK
Posted by Conor Gallagher at 4:00 am | 82 Comments »
Meditation and Mindfulness at Work Are Welcome, but Do They Help Avoid Accountability for Toxic Culture?
An update on corporate efforts to deploy seemingly beneficial practices like meditation for their benefit.
Topics: Corporate governance, Guest Post, Ridiculously obvious scams, Social values
Posted by Yves Smith at 2:23 am | 24 Comments »
Links 2/2/2025
Topics: Links
Posted by Conor Gallagher at 6:55 am | 276 Comments »
Will It Matter Who Wins Germany’s Upcoming Election or Will Country’s Fate Largely Be Decided in Washington?
If Germany stays under the thumb of Washington and living standards continue to decline under a new government, what happens then?
Topics: Doomsday scenarios, Energy markets, Europe, Guest Post, Politics, Russia, Social policy
Posted by Conor Gallagher at 6:00 am | 65 Comments »
California Blesses Political Donors’ Strategy to ‘Multiply Their Influence’
Venture capitalists and tech execs strengthen control over Democrat-controlled California while they do the same at the national level under Trump’s GOP.
Topics: Banana republic, Politics, Social policy, Surveillance state
Posted by Conor Gallagher at 5:00 am | 3 Comments »
Links 2/1/2025
Topics: Links
Posted by Yves Smith at 6:55 am | 206 Comments »
Migrant Vendors Park Carts as Their American Dreams Slip Away
Enforcement was already rising. Under Trump, street vendors have gone into hiding to avoid criminal tickets that could make them ICE targets.
Topics: Globalization, Guest Post, Income disparity, Links, Politics, Social policy, The destruction of the middle class
Posted by Yves Smith at 6:53 am | 56 Comments »
Book Bans
A look at a historical example of a concerted book ban to assess its effectiveness and long-term impact.
Topics: Guest Post, Media watch, Politics
Posted by Yves Smith at 6:24 am | 15 Comments »
2:00PM Water Cooler 1/31/2025
~ Today’s Water Cooler: Politics, Syndemics; Elon demands access to the Federal Government’s check-writing machine; DOGE’s IT; The DNC meets to pick a new chair ~
Topics: Water Cooler
Posted by Lambert Strether at 2:00 pm | 101 Comments »
Kelp Farming Isn’t As Green As It Seems
Why kelp, hyped as a carbon sink, does not live up to its promise.
Topics: Dubious statistics, Environment, Global warming, Guest Post, Permaculture, Ridiculously obvious scams
Posted by Yves Smith at 9:55 am | 16 Comments »
Links 1/31/2025
Topics: Guest Post, Links
Posted by Lambert Strether at 6:58 am | 161 Comments »
Remember Ukraine’s “Diia” Digital Governance System? Russian Hackers Brought It Down in December, and It Is Still Partly Down
The Zelensky government’s “state in a smartphone” model of digital identity and governance, once a source of pride and inspiration for other countries, has become a source of derision.
Topics: Guest Post
Posted by Nick Corbishley at 6:45 am | 12 Comments »
Should the Government Be Allowed to Hold Bitcoin?
A terse debunking of the idea that governments holding Bitcoin or other private currencies is good for anyone other than their touts.
Topics: Currencies, Guest Post, Payment system, Politics, Ridiculously obvious scams
Posted by Yves Smith at 2:06 am | 39 Comments »
The Economic Benefit of Conflict: A Thriving Armaments Sector
Quelle surprise! Data supports the notion that defense contractors do well in times of conflict.
Topics: Doomsday scenarios, Economic fundamentals, Free markets and their discontents, Investment outlook, Politics
Posted by Yves Smith at 1:16 am | 14 Comments »