Watch out for the costs of housing, medical care, and gasoline. Social Security benefits are adjusted for inflation – the Cost of Living Adjustments or COLAs – based on the “Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers” (CPI-W), released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. By this measure, inflation was 6.9% in […]
https://pricklypear.news/wp-content/uploads/social-security.jpg339509Wolf Richterhttps://pricklypear.news/wp-content/uploads/logo_2023.pngWolf Richter2021-12-10 10:22:322021-12-10 10:22:32Social Security COLA Calculations May Get Changed to CPI-E as Part of the Reform Bill. What Does it Mean for Retirees?
Cryptocurrencies as they are called, are a relatively new asset class. They were virtually unknown until they made their first appearance about 10 years ago and it is only in the last few years that they have gained wider acceptance. Whether they actually have the characteristics of currency (a medium of exchange, a store of […]
https://pricklypear.news/wp-content/uploads/silver_certificate_v3.jpg12821920Neland Nobelhttps://pricklypear.news/wp-content/uploads/logo_2023.pngNeland Nobel2021-12-10 08:05:282021-12-10 11:05:26Can Government Tolerate the Crypto Explosion?
Editors’ Note: This essay is part of Debt, Inflation, and the Future: A Symposium. Although published May 5, 2021, the following is presented to our readers as extremely relevant to today and the ongoing current administration in Washington, D.C. Massive demand-side stimulus combined with constraints on the supply-side in the form of higher taxes is a […]
https://pricklypear.news/wp-content/uploads/51539959548_57fc77e7d6_o-scaled.jpg17072560David P. Goldmanhttps://pricklypear.news/wp-content/uploads/logo_2023.pngDavid P. Goldman2021-12-10 08:00:032021-12-10 08:51:34U.S. Fiscal Profligacy and the Impending Crisis
The entire world has turned its eyes to the “Supply Chain.” It is a term that seems rather intuitive and easy to understand on its face. We all buy goods. We all see Amazon drivers and UPS and FedEx drivers delivering packages. We think this is our easy future—same-day delivery by Amazon, with prices ever-falling. […]
Many people on the political Left don’t seem to understand the deep skepticism with which many Conservatives view government health policy. They believe Conservatives are anti-science. In the last few days, we have been provided a very good example of what is wrong with government policy and it is worthwhile reviewing while many of these details […]
https://pricklypear.news/wp-content/uploads/theatre.jpg340509Neland Nobelhttps://pricklypear.news/wp-content/uploads/logo_2023.pngNeland Nobel2021-12-08 07:55:562021-12-07 14:36:43Real Policy or Political Theatre?
In discussions surrounding the world’s monetary systems today, there is usually one thing almost everyone can agree on: that money should be controlled by the organizations we call “states” or “sovereign states.” Nowadays when we say “the US dollar” we mean the currency issued by the US government. When we say “the British pound” we mean […]
https://pricklypear.news/wp-content/uploads/coins1_0.jpg188240Ryan McMakenhttps://pricklypear.news/wp-content/uploads/logo_2023.pngRyan McMaken2021-12-06 01:00:242021-12-05 20:12:23How Governments Seized Control of Money
The best class I took in all my economics education was called “Cyclical Fluctuation,” taught by Dr. Susan Schroeder at USYD. It was a broad-scope class in the many heterodox ideas that economists have about what causes business cycles, and what makes the output, employment, and financial prosperity fluctuate so wildly around otherwise steady long-term trends. One […]
https://pricklypear.news/wp-content/uploads/cycles-800x508-1.jpg508800Joakim Bookhttps://pricklypear.news/wp-content/uploads/logo_2023.pngJoakim Book2021-12-05 00:55:122021-12-04 08:49:32The Long Cycles in Markets and Political Order
A lesson on how a seemingly simple subject is actually quite complex. Statistics don’t lie, but they sure can be cherry-picked. Consider this recent headline from the Arizona Daily Star, the daily newspaper in Tucson: Tucson is still among the best in the West for home affordability Despite surging home prices, Tucson ranks among the […]
https://pricklypear.news/wp-content/uploads/tucson-4.jpg339509Craig J. Cantonihttps://pricklypear.news/wp-content/uploads/logo_2023.pngCraig J. Cantoni2021-12-04 09:03:052021-12-04 09:03:05The Rest of the Story on Tucson’s Home Affordability
It is one thing to describe something. It often is different actually to experience it. In this case we are talking about the Corona virus. I am a 73-year-old, unvaccinated male in generally good health who came down with the Chinese virus almost exactly two weeks ago. It came along just in time to screw […]
Spending by federal agencies is governed by the extensive Federal Acquisition Regulations or FAR for short. In response to a Biden executive order, the FAR Council is conducting a silly public inquiry as to how climate change should be factored into federal spending. The Federal Government spends over $6 trillion a year so this is […]
https://pricklypear.news/wp-content/uploads/fed-spending.jpg339509David Wojickhttps://pricklypear.news/wp-content/uploads/logo_2023.pngDavid Wojick2021-12-03 01:00:152021-11-30 11:59:40Biden’s Climate Power Grab Via Trillions of Dollars in Annual Federal Procurement
Social Security COLA Calculations May Get Changed to CPI-E as Part of the Reform Bill. What Does it Mean for Retirees?
/in Economy/by Wolf RichterWatch out for the costs of housing, medical care, and gasoline. Social Security benefits are adjusted for inflation – the Cost of Living Adjustments or COLAs – based on the “Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers” (CPI-W), released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. By this measure, inflation was 6.9% in […]
Can Government Tolerate the Crypto Explosion?
/in Economy, Featured, Liberty, Politics/by Neland NobelCryptocurrencies as they are called, are a relatively new asset class. They were virtually unknown until they made their first appearance about 10 years ago and it is only in the last few years that they have gained wider acceptance. Whether they actually have the characteristics of currency (a medium of exchange, a store of […]
U.S. Fiscal Profligacy and the Impending Crisis
/in Culture War, Economy, Featured, Liberty, National Security/by David P. GoldmanEditors’ Note: This essay is part of Debt, Inflation, and the Future: A Symposium. Although published May 5, 2021, the following is presented to our readers as extremely relevant to today and the ongoing current administration in Washington, D.C. Massive demand-side stimulus combined with constraints on the supply-side in the form of higher taxes is a […]
The Supply Chain’s Inconvenient Truth
/in Economy, Featured, Politics/by Michael RentzThe entire world has turned its eyes to the “Supply Chain.” It is a term that seems rather intuitive and easy to understand on its face. We all buy goods. We all see Amazon drivers and UPS and FedEx drivers delivering packages. We think this is our easy future—same-day delivery by Amazon, with prices ever-falling. […]
Real Policy or Political Theatre?
/in Culture War, Economy, Featured, Healthcare, Liberty, Politics/by Neland NobelMany people on the political Left don’t seem to understand the deep skepticism with which many Conservatives view government health policy. They believe Conservatives are anti-science. In the last few days, we have been provided a very good example of what is wrong with government policy and it is worthwhile reviewing while many of these details […]
How Governments Seized Control of Money
/in Economy, Liberty, Politics/by Ryan McMakenIn discussions surrounding the world’s monetary systems today, there is usually one thing almost everyone can agree on: that money should be controlled by the organizations we call “states” or “sovereign states.” Nowadays when we say “the US dollar” we mean the currency issued by the US government. When we say “the British pound” we mean […]
The Long Cycles in Markets and Political Order
/in Economy, Education, Featured, Liberty, National Security, Politics/by Joakim BookThe best class I took in all my economics education was called “Cyclical Fluctuation,” taught by Dr. Susan Schroeder at USYD. It was a broad-scope class in the many heterodox ideas that economists have about what causes business cycles, and what makes the output, employment, and financial prosperity fluctuate so wildly around otherwise steady long-term trends. One […]
The Rest of the Story on Tucson’s Home Affordability
/in Arizona News, Culture War, Economy/by Craig J. CantoniA lesson on how a seemingly simple subject is actually quite complex. Statistics don’t lie, but they sure can be cherry-picked. Consider this recent headline from the Arizona Daily Star, the daily newspaper in Tucson: Tucson is still among the best in the West for home affordability Despite surging home prices, Tucson ranks among the […]
Respecting the Corona Virus
/in Economy, Featured, Healthcare, Liberty/by Neland NobelIt is one thing to describe something. It often is different actually to experience it. In this case we are talking about the Corona virus. I am a 73-year-old, unvaccinated male in generally good health who came down with the Chinese virus almost exactly two weeks ago. It came along just in time to screw […]
Biden’s Climate Power Grab Via Trillions of Dollars in Annual Federal Procurement
/in Economy, Environment, Featured, Liberty/by David WojickSpending by federal agencies is governed by the extensive Federal Acquisition Regulations or FAR for short. In response to a Biden executive order, the FAR Council is conducting a silly public inquiry as to how climate change should be factored into federal spending. The Federal Government spends over $6 trillion a year so this is […]