Writing Worth Reading
Writing Worth Reading
"It was inevitable that Mitt Romney’s career at Bain Capital would feature prominently in the presidential race, because both candidates need to exploit it in order to win." Here's how the issue is playing out politically
In 2010 Obama passed Dodd-Frank, 2,300 pages of regulation with which to end Wall Street corruption. But world of finance fought back, soon brought government to heel. How? Simple: Complain, sue, stall, bully, then exploit loopholes
Chomsky interview: "The Republican Party has pretty much abandoned any pretence of being a traditional political party. It’s in lockstep obedience to the very rich, the super rich and the corporate sector." And religious extremists
Celebrated author joins arms with Warren Buffett in expletive-laden demand to be taxed more. "The channels making upward mobility possible are being increasingly clogged. Those who have received much must be obligated to pay"
Excellent, authoritative and measured overview of today's economic ills. Much papering-over of cracks in past few decades. Status quo ante not a good place to return to. So here are some suggestions for ways forward (PDF)
On the chairman of House Budget Committee, designer of Republican budget. Rose seemingly without trace. All but unchallengeable by Romney, other senior Republicans. Democrats are having a job too. But his plan is not moderate
US central bank has gone to great lengths to rescue the financial system, but done far less for workers. The Fed chief is a fine economist who previously advocated strong action for situations like this. So why isn't he acting now?
"Politicians are pitching the idea of 'tax reform' – suggesting that they can simplify the system, close loopholes, and use the proceeds to reduce tax rates. But this vision of tax reform is an illusion with no basis in reality"
Chronicler of the financial crisis lends his advice to Occupiers. "If I were in charge I would probably reorganize the movement around a single, achievable goal: A financial boycott of the six 'too big to fail' Wall Street firms"
Tour d'horizon of recent books on American inequality and "Superclass" including those by Timothy Noah, Charles Murray, David Rothkopf. Key relationship in society today is no longer church and state, but state and market
"How did America become a nation that could not rise to the biggest economic challenge in three generations, a nation in which scorched-earth politics and politicized economics created policy paralysis?" Soaring inequality was key
Revisiting Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America provides starting-point for essay questioning the historical effect of America’s “ideology of technology” on its politics and economy
