Economy

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Steal Back the News Cycle
United States, Politics, Economy, Midterms 2022
Steal Back the News Cycle
United States, Politics, Economy, Midterms 2022

Signing legislation makes for much more boring news coverage than FBI raids. Even though President Biden and the Democrats have managed to pass some seriously major legislation, most eyes are on the train wreck that is the Trump Republican Party.

United States, Politics, Economy, Midterms 2022
The Burn Pit Party
United States, Politics, Environment, Economy
The Burn Pit Party
United States, Politics, Environment, Economy

In another sign of how extreme the Republican Party has become, leaders in the party recently came out against injured veterans and U.S. manufacturing. Sure, both the burn pit bill and the semiconductor bill eventually passed — but not before Republicans blocked both bills in retaliation for Democrats who had the nerve to make progress on a climate change and health care bill.

United States, Politics, Environment, Economy
Negotiation in a Nutshell: Joe Manchin
Environment, Politics, United States, Economy
Negotiation in a Nutshell: Joe Manchin
Environment, Politics, United States, Economy

The climate is clearly going bonkers, as human-caused climate change is ramping up and heat waves spread across the globe. Here in the United States, we’ve been working on legislation that will help combat climate change — we’re just waiting until Democrats win over their most recalcitrant senator, who happens to be a coal millionaire.

Environment, Politics, United States, Economy
Uncle Joe’s Gas-N-Go!
United States, Politics, Environment, Economy
Uncle Joe’s Gas-N-Go!
United States, Politics, Environment, Economy

One stop on President Joe Biden’s Middle East trip is in Saudi Arabia, where he will apparently meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, known also as “MBS.” You know, the same MBS who ordered Jamal Khashoggi — a U.S. permanent resident who lived in Virginia — to be killed. (Murdered and dismembered, to be specific.)

United States, Politics, Environment, Economy
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Supplying (Sort Of) Our Demand
Environent, Environment, International, Politics, Economy
Supplying (Sort Of) Our Demand
Environent, Environment, International, Politics, Economy

With the horrific war in Ukraine and tough sanctions on Russia, there is a lot of talk of increasing the oil supply. The only trouble is, oil companies don’t particularly want to ramp up that supply. After taking a huge hit during the depths of the pandemic, the oil industry is reveling in this war-fueled spike in profits.

Environent, Environment, International, Politics, Economy
Petro Petey Loves Petrostates!
Environment, International, Politics, Economy
Petro Petey Loves Petrostates!
Environment, International, Politics, Economy

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has sent oil prices through the roof and volatile markets are desperately trying to determine what comes next in this awful war. Now that Joe Biden has announced a ban on all Russian oil imports to the United States, the cost of gasoline is definitely heading up. The U.S. doesn’t even import much oil from Russia to begin with, but the ripple effects of an embargo impacts the global market for oil.

Environment, International, Politics, Economy
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Manchin the Evil Coal Man
Environment, Economy
Manchin the Evil Coal Man
Environment, Economy

There is a huge wrench in the works of President Joe Biden’s signature domestic policy agenda and his name is Joe.

Senator Joe Manchin is blocking “Build Back Better” legislation in the name of being a really smart fiscal conservative just looking out for his West Virginia constituents. Surely the fact that he made his fortune and continues to make around $500,000 a year from the coal industry has nothing to do with his opposition to the climate change measures in the bill, right?

Environment, Economy
Leading the World to West Virginia
Environment, Economy
Leading the World to West Virginia
Environment, Economy

It’s not looking too good for the U.S. leading the world on the climate front. President Biden announced some measures at the recent COP26 climate conference but not what he hoped to unveil. The centerpiece of the climate portion of Biden’s Build Back Better agenda has been gutted.

Environment, Economy
Welcome to Facebook’s Metaverse!
Economy
Welcome to Facebook’s Metaverse!
Economy

Mark Zuckerberg is all fired up about the “metaverse,” which is basically a virtual reality version of Facebook on steroids. Never mind the fact that the $1 trillion (give or take) company is already under scrutiny for everything from helping launch an insurrection in the United States to human trafficking abroad.

Economy
Virtual Reality for Virtual Democrats
Environment, Economy
Virtual Reality for Virtual Democrats
Environment, Economy

Sigh. If only we could satisfy Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema’s unreasonable demands by stuffing their heads into virtual reality goggles. Then maybe Democrats could pass truly meaningful legislation that would do a world of good.

Environment, Economy
The Democratic Land of Centristopia
Environment, Economy
The Democratic Land of Centristopia
Environment, Economy

It is not looking too good for the $3.5 trillion “Build Back Better” plan that is the cornerstone of President Biden’s agenda. The reason? A small handful of Democrats who are acting far too much like Republicans. “Centrists” like Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin are so determined to be the leaders of an imagined bipartisan revival they are willing to throw Biden and their own party under the bus.

Environment, Economy
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Newly Frugal Guy in ‘Armageddon Ho!’
Economy
Newly Frugal Guy in ‘Armageddon Ho!’
Economy

As of now, we’re still heading towards economic chaos thanks to Republicans who want to score political points. Apparently it’s hard to work with the Party of Crazy and Insurrection. (Formerly known as the Republican Party.)

Economy
‘Merican Freedom Air
Economy
‘Merican Freedom Air
Economy

The Biden administration is easing travel restrictions for foreign nationals who want to fly to the United States. Instead of an outright Trump-era travel ban on specific countries, like India and China, people on international flights headed for the U.S. will be required to show proof of vaccination for COVID-19.

Economy
Featured
Cheap-Labor-For-You, Inc.
Cheap-Labor-For-You, Inc.

Every once in a while a story comes along that really shocks and surprises me, often right in my backyard.  This is one of those stories.  How could the Tesla car company, symbol of forward-thinking, wealth and techie cool have people from Eastern Europe working at their Bay Area factory making $5 an hour?! 

Hiding, Secret and Shell
Hiding, Secret and Shell

Now that the Panama Papers have begun to reveal the shadowy world of Mossack Fonseca’s offshore accounts, isn’t it time to look at the entire system?  Remember, Mossack Fonseca is just one of many firms specializing in setting up offshore accounts that allow people to hide their money.  (Or, more importantly, hide themselves.) 

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Austerity Man
Austerity Man

Now that Michigan governor, Rick Snyder, is getting credit for saying he’s really super-dooper sorry about poisoning thousands of children in Flint with lead, let’s not forget how he did it. In his zeal to be a fiscally conservative budget turnaround artist, Snyder and his crew played fast and loose with science, safety and even democracy.  

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2015: The Year in One Breath
2015: The Year in One Breath

Let’s hope that my year-end animation for next year does not include a scene showing President Trump’s electoral victory. It’s been a full year, even when you get past thewall-to-wall Donald Trump coverage. Much of the year has been sadly repetitive. (See: police shootings, terrorism, mass shootings, ISIS.)