Tag: Economics

Maybe Dogs should be in charge?

While dishonesty, in all its forms, is ultimately counter-productive (well, that’s the thesis of this Blog) sometimes integrity, as in a steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code, is complicated.

Take, for example, something very clear.  A person pays for an item in cash at a checkout and is short-changed.  That person has every right to point out the error and receive the correct change.  A person pays for an item and is given too much change.  A person with intergrity points out the error and pays back the excess change.  A person without integrity thinks this is a lucky day and walks out the store feeling pleased. Read the rest of this post

Baseline Scenario

This is an impressive Blog.  Impressive because of the number of subscribers and commentators.  Impressive because of the credentials of the authors, Simon Johnson and James Kwak, and impressive because of the quality of arguments presented by the authors and commentators and the force of reason that pushes back against the establishment.

Some of the content is quite technical although the Blog does have a good supply of articles to help those starting into the subject of the global economy.  But you could do no worse by starting with the article written by Simon and published in May 2009 in The Atlantic.  Called The Quiet Coup it is a masterful attempt at trying to explain where the real power lies in the US.  (And, as a Brit, I would not be surprised to see the same situation in the UK.)

Then ask yourself the questions: Is there any political integrity left?; Where is this ‘integrity’, or lack of, taking the US (and UK)?; What does the end-game look like?

By Paul Handover

Where’s the truth about our economy, Part 2

This may be Part 2 of an unending series! It simply beggars belief that no one in Government (I bundle at least the US and UK Governments together, in this regard) appears to have sufficient trust in their peoples to acknowledge the very significant risk of much worse to come.

Nouriel Roubini (aka Dr Doom) has just published a convicing argument that Mounting Job Losses Will Hurt Consumption, Housing, Banks’ Balance Sheets, Public Finances and Lead to Protectionist Pressures

Here’s just a small extract from the article:

If you include partially employed workers and discouraged workers who left the U.S. labor force, for example, the unemployment rate is already 16.5%

(Not sure if the above link can be accessed if one is not a (free) subscriber to RGE Monitor’s regular updates so the full article is included at the end of this post.)

But it’s the same old, same old.  Politicians don’t understand the huge damage that is being done to democracy by an apalling lack of political integrity.

Read the rest of the Post

Where’s the truth about our economy?

There are many commentators out there who are doing a great job in challenging the drivel that is being put out by governments.  There is Simon Johnson and James Kwak of The Baseline Scenario, two very expert guys albeit with a tendency to be a little too technical for the masses.

And then there is Karl Denninger who Blogs as Market Ticker.  He is blunt and brave, clear and courageous.  His latest video is typical of the man.

It’s the reason that there are links to both sites on this Blog.

By Paul Handover