To Get Government Policies That Aid The Middle Class, We Need New Middle Class—Oriented Metrics

In business circles they know that what gets measured gets done. It’s the numbers that accountants provide and managers use to set company policies that determine what these policies are, what gets priorities, what doesn’t. The same is true, of Continue reading

Kay And Mike Beat Analyst Expectations Predicting Change In Leading Economic Indicators

I got up this morning and checked some financial news websites. A report on the economy’s leading economic indicators (LEIs) was due out at 10 o’clock. I then got off-line and went to breakfast with Kay, my life associate. Over Continue reading

Notes From A Hate-Thy-Neighbor Political Culture

I thought I had a good idea. An obvious idea. An idea with a lot of natural and timely appeal. It involved too-big-to-fail banks. A couple of months back the Senate, in a highly unusual bipartisan move, unanimously passed a Continue reading

One Minute World Economy Wrap-Up

Too busy to follow economic news from around the world? Confused by all the differing views on whether things are getting better or worse? Brain wary trying to make sense of market analyst jabber and government spin doctor twaddle? Anguish Continue reading

How To Reform The Democratic Party — A Primer

This article of mine appeared today (Sunday) on the opinion page of the Philadelphia Inquirer. If describes how a Democratic Party that has lost its way on economic matters might be reformed. http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/inquirer/20130505_A_tea_party_for_progressives.html

It’s May Day. Time To Take Another Look At Socialism?

Socialism had some serious failings as an economic system. It politicized economic decisions, often allocating capital in ways that were unproductive and even counter-productive. It didn’t allow enough outlets for entrepreneurship. In its more extreme forms, it devolved into tyranny. Continue reading

A Republican-Like Tax Reform Even Progressives Could Love

Republicans have a plan to reform business taxes. They want flatter business taxes that lower the tax rate on highest taxpayers; that don’t reduce the revenue generated because it spreads the tax net to reach formerly untaxed or under-taxed businesses, Continue reading

Do “Reforms” Ever Hurt The Rich?

I’m a writer. Maybe that’s why I have such a clear understanding of how words can be used to affect the way readers and listeners of words think. In the economic realm, over a period of decades, I’ve watched as Continue reading

Murder At Bernstein’s

The billionaire creator of a financial news empire wants to be elected Mayor of Philadelphia. He looks like a shoe-in until the man who runs his stock market music department is murdered. What follows is a manic romp that sucks Continue reading

Selig Cartwright, Goldman Sachs Washroom Attendant, Explains How To Do Away With Taxes



(The scene is a washroom in the headquarters of Goldman Sachs. Mr. B., a company executive, comes out of his private Stall #8 after an extended visit, carrying a bunch of papers. He encounters Selig, the washroom attendant, who asks…) Continue reading