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Building moderate income housing in suburbs for more integrated communities in America, change in cultural attitudes - putting money behind voices
06/06/2020
Linked Articles
Orlando Patterson explains why America can’t escape its racist roots
Harvard Gazette 06/06/2020
Democrats fail black voters and blame othersThe Times 06/04/2020
What Bill Gates and France had in common in the fight for health preparedness
05/11/2020
France had learned lessons from SARS epidemic and prepared for the H1N1 epidemic at the time that Bill Gates of Microsoft was pushing for greater awareness of public health priorities. Today Gates says this was not enough, that he did not do enough and feels terrible about it. The irresponsible banking practices that caused the financial crises first in the global financial crisis of 2009 and then in the eurozone financial crisis that followed by 2011 led to the ditching of the pandemic preparedness effort in France and Britain. In all of the western world including the U.S. austerity practices were the response without addressing the root causes of financial crises. Investments in public services and infrastructure were neglected leading to a level of unpreparedness that is shocking. Countries in lesser developed countries with more consciousness of the importance of public services and care of the vast majority of people were better protected in the crisis as a result than the more developed countries.
Linked Articles
WSJ 05/11/2020
Pandemic disarmament: Why France was ready for Covid-19 a decade too soonFrance 24 05/17/2020
Broken promises to Ireland- Boris Johnson's version of Brexit
10/05/2019
Even dire hard loyalists in Northern Ireland are now shifting their position to favor a united Ireland, says a report in The Times. Polls now show a majority in Ireland may now be in favor of a reunited Ireland for the first time in history. The Unionist DUP party may no longer reflect the views of the people of Ireland. The Guardian points out that Boris Johnson's version of Brexit means broken promises to Ireland made by Britain. People in Ireland are beginning to realize that they may be better off in a united Ireland than in the Britain visualized by Boris Johnson which puts Ireland's interests last.
Linked Articles
How Brexit is pushing even loyalists towards a united Ireland
The Times 10/05/2019
The Guardian view on the backstop proposals: Britain’s broken promise | EditorialThe Guardian 10/03/2019
The relationship of French president Macron with president Trump and the task of "bringing the U.S. president back into the circle."
07/13/2017
Linked Articles
Emmanuel Macron to Welcome Trump, an Unlikely Partner, to France
The New York Times 07/12/2017
Trump accepts Macron’s invitation to visit France for Bastille Day on July 14Washington Post 06/28/2017
Goldman Sachs and the Trump administration- Steven Mnuchin at Treasury and Gary Cohen at the National Economic Council
12/09/2016
Bank stocks are up with the election of Donald Trump, Goldman Sachs share price up 34%, with the push back against regulation of banks following the 2008 financial crisis.
Linked Articles
Goldman Sachs No. 2 Seen as a Top Economic Adviser to Trump
The New York Times 12/09/2016
Trump Plans to Name Steven Mnuchin as Treasury SecretaryWSJ 11/29/2016
The 1976 Montreal Olympics, the 2004 Athens Olympics, the 2014 Sochi Olympics and the Rio Olympics- decades long debt hangovers and costs growing from the $1+ billion in Montreal to $50+ billion in Sochi
08/24/2016
Developing and developed countries alike have seen the cost of the Olympics as a huge burden. Many countries or cities that committed to hosting the Olympic games during boom years were facing economic hard times by the time of the games. Corruption and mismanagement of public funds, overspending and cost overruns added to the problems. Citizens uproar caused cities such as Boston and Oslo to withdraw bids for the Olympics. The Olympics appears to be a costly way to show off a country, and raises questions about better allocation of funds in other directions, especially when upward mobility is a problem for the middle and working class, countries have other infrastructure needs, and neglected basic needs in education, healthcare, public services.
Linked Articles
The 40-year hangover: how the 1976 Olympics nearly broke Montreal
The Guardian 07/06/2016
Rio Games Highlight Problems With the Olympic ModelThe New York Times 08/23/2016
Why initiating Brexit by invoking the Lisbon Treaty's Article 50 could go into 2017, or even past 2020 into new general elections- (3) the inclusion of key "Leave" supporters in Theresa May's cabinet
08/16/2016
By including a key member of the "Leave" vote, Mr Boris Johnson, former Mayor of London, in the cabinet as Foreign Secretary, Theresa May has given herself a lot more flexibility in tackling the Brexit issue so that it does not hurt the British economy. It would be hard for a key cabinet member not to be part of the team position on issues, and for the team to ignore the Bank of England's role in steadying the economy. By making the issues important to working class people in Britain her priorities Theresa May also lays the ground for everyone in Britain to gain moving forward as the economy recovers.
Linked Articles
Wait and see: Theresa May is in no hurry on Brexit | Europe | DW.COM | 15.08.2016
DW.COM 08/15/2016
Theresa May, New British Prime Minister, Gives Boris Johnson a Key PostThe New York Times 07/13/2016
Goldman Sachs and U.S. regulators in 2015-2017- cutting risks in trading activity and private equity/hedge fund investments following the excessive leveraging of the 2008 financial crisis
08/04/2016
Stronger regulation takes shape through the efforts of Daniel Tarullo at the Federal Reserve and the LISSC. The situation with Goldman Sachs, one of the highly leveraged banks during the 2008 financial crisis still hoping to earn high profits with large trading activities.
Linked Articles
At Goldman Sachs, Stress Test Results Could Endanger an Important Profit Source
New York Times 03/08/2015
Goldman Sachs Not Sure It Can Sell Private-Equity StakesWSJ 08/04/2016
Angela Merkel's leadership during the immigration and Brexit crises by July 2016- increasing support for the European Union in Germany and personal support up to 59 percent in Deutschland trending poll
07/08/2016
By offering "calm and composed" leadership during the Brexit crisis, and being flexible in dealing with genuine concerns about immigration in Germany, Merkel shows Europe a better way than fractious British, French or American politics during a critical period when good responsible leadership is missing.
Linked Articles
Poll: Brexit vote boosts support for EU in Germany | News | DW.COM | 08.07.2016
DW.COM 07/08/2016
Angela Merkel Is Motivated By Decency, Not PoliticsWall Street Journal 12/21/2015
Trump's solution for creating jobs- an illusion?
03/23/2016
With no tangible solutions for creating jobs, and a policy of high tariffs that could create trade wars and destabilize the global economy hurting growth worldwide, jobs lost in the last decade mostly not coming back, questions raised about how this will improve the prospects for jobs, upward mobility for middle class, working class people.
Linked Articles
Wall Street Journal 03/24/2016
A transcript of Donald Trump’s meeting with The Washington Post editorial board - The Washington PostWashington Post 03/23/2016
The Chinese market in 2015 and pitfalls for Yum Brands and its KFC, Pizza Hut stores in China
10/21/2015
Rapid growth and then a public scare with media reports of falling quality standards hurt KFC outlets. Local Chinese and Taiwanese brands offer more options at the higher and lower ends of the price range. Other European competitors partnering with local Chinese companies offer better value and quality upscale hurting Pizza Hut stores. And suddenly the whole landscape has changed for Yum Brands in China. It shows the Chinese market is no place for the complacent, that the discriminating tastes of consumers and search for healthier alternatives is taking place in China, India and other developing countries, just as much as it is in the U.S.
Linked Articles
China Isn’t the Easy Market It Once Was for Fast-Food Chains
Wall Street Journal 10/21/2015
Yum Brands to Split Off China BusinessWall Street Journal 10/21/2015
Hillary Clinton's plan to change the way the capital gains tax works to encourage long term investors
07/27/2015
Under Hillary Clinton's plan the lower rates for capital gains tax would be introduced with a sliding scale at the highest tax bracket of 39.6%, with the rate gradually declining in year 4, and the rate not reaching the current rate of 23.6% (20% plus a 3.6% surcharge) till year 6 following the investment. Clinton calls it a way to restrain "quarterly capitalism," disincentivize "cut and run shareholders," and incentivize investors "to build companies." One unintended effect of this could also be the shift away from investments that do not support improving productivity levels, to investments that have a longer horizon and have a material effect on productivity growth. Especially considering the low productivity growth improvements in the last decade, as productivity growth will be needed to break out of a period of stagnant wages.
Linked Articles
Wall Street Journal 07/29/2015
Hillary Clinton Aim Is to Thwart Quick Buck on Wall StreetNew York Times 07/27/2015
Errors made by the IMF, Syriza Tsipras far left government, leading to the third bailout program of 2015 for Greece
07/06/2015
Just when the first signs of growth in the economy were taking place in 2014 the IMF held back on a 7.2 billion euro payment to Greece which would have increased liquidity to the private sector for growth. The IMF hope to gain leverage with a future Syriza far left government. The first half of 2015 led to economic anxiety in Greece with a failed negotiating strategy of Syriza far left government focussing only on the debt and not on the economy. The damage led to about 85 billion in addtional financing needed following the closing of Greece's banking system in July 2015.
Linked Articles
IMF Warns Eurozone That Greece Needs Far More Debt Relief
Wall Street Journal 07/15/2015
How to Undo the Damage in GreeceNew York Times 07/06/2015
Twitter's short form of 140 characters, the iphone, and the tech platforms building on the declining cultural and other literacy in America, Europe, other countries
05/28/2020
Twitter founder Jack Dorsey's regrets on what he sees as the lack of any depth in the short form that works well on mobile phones. The first smartphones came in 2007 and 2008 iphone and android versions, Twitter started in 2006, both growing at the same time, the story of a tech boom that is paralleled by declining cultural and other literacy in America. It also parallels the decline in sense of what is in the national interest among communities in America and Europe and in other countries, leaving them with fewer defences against the coronavirus pandemic by 2020.
Linked Articles
Opinion | A Presidential Smear
WSJ 05/26/2020
A Founder of Twitter Goes LongNYTimes.com 11/09/2013
Eliud Kipchoge and Roger Bannister - contrasts and the running style
10/13/2019
Kipchoge's entire focus is on running in 2019 with the world watching and the richest man in Britain heading company Ineos backing him. Bannister is only shown later on BBC and is focussed on completing his medical studies, with no major financial supporter.
Linked Articles
The barrier broken on salad and spikes
The Times 10/13/2019
London Marathon 2019: Eliud Kipchoge on freedom, simplicity & power of the mindBBC Sport 04/26/2019
India's general election in 2019- performance and flaws of the Modi government
06/05/2018
Differing views of the Modi government, views of the middle class hurt by demonetisation uncertainty from Dhume and views representing the interests of the rural, lower income and other part of the middle class from Arvind Panagriya. Some of the changes brought about by the Modi government reflecting the vision of Mahatma Gandhi for fundamental change from the ground up in the villages and rural parts of India- health and sanitation, access to bank accounts, access to health care- coupled with Nehru's vision of modernization using the technologies of the twenty first century.
Linked Articles
Times of India Blog 06/05/2018
Modi government at four years: It has pushed through a range of structural reforms whose results will showTimes of India Blog 05/30/2018
Emmanuel Macron and the challenge of reviving France's economy
05/08/2017
France's central bank chief Noyer points out that once the public sector crosses the line of 55% of the economy France loses ground. Jobs created are from an earlier period, and fewer new technology jobs of the future are created. The challenge for Macron is to rein in the public sector and revive French industry so new jobs are created for young people.
Linked Articles
Macron's presidency: It's the economy, stupid! | Business | DW.COM | 08.05.2017
DW.COM 05/08/2017
The Emperor Creates No JobsWall Street Journal 05/29/2013
Educated Chinese women with jobs and careers- changing social and economic landscape in China
09/26/2016
The profound changes underway in China in the notions of marraige and family as a new generation of women are better educated and look for independent lives with their own careers. Over half of all undergraduates are women in China, and half of all graduate students pursuing master's degrees are women, showing how much China has changed in three decades.
Linked Articles
Marriage Falls in China, Transforming Finances and Families
The New York Times 09/12/2016
China Shrugs Off the Ties That BindThe New York Times 09/22/2016
Trump's business empire- overleveraging, debt, excessive risk, and shrouded in mystery, what the WSJ calls "a narrow escape"
08/20/2016
The business dealings of Trump do not reveal the wisdom and financial best business practice that will be needed to get the middle and working class in the U.S. back on its feet, and to build the country's infrastructure and defense needs.
Linked Articles
Trump and His Debts: A Narrow Escape
Wall Street Journal 01/04/2016
Trump’s Empire: a Maze of Debts and Opaque TiesThe New York Times 08/20/2016
Why initiating Brexit by invoking the Lisbon Treaty's Article 50 could go into 2017, or even past 2020 into new general elections- (2) the British economy and the Bank of England's stimulus effort to avoid a recession
08/16/2016
The stimulus action of the Bank of England in August 2016 was designed to avert a recession in Britain. The Bank of England estimates that even with the stimulus the Brexit move will lead to a 1% drop in economic growth every year for 3 years as compared to staying in the European Union. The British public is weary of the austerity programs for 7 years under finance minister Osborne. if higher growth under Brexit turns out to be an illusion as the Bank of England forecasts show, there would be reason for much reflection on the meaning of the vote- seeing it as a rejection of the Cameron-Osborne government in favor of a government more in tune with the interests of working class people under Theresa May.
Linked Articles
Wait and see: Theresa May is in no hurry on Brexit | Europe | DW.COM | 15.08.2016
DW.COM 08/15/2016
Bank of England unveils four-pronged stimulus package in bid to avoid Brexit recessionThe Telegraph 08/04/2016
Peggy Noonan, Special Assistant to Ronald Reagan, on Donald Trump and the Republican Party
07/29/2016
Peggy Noonan gave a poignant, teary, and touching account of the changes in the Republican Party with the Trump movement. Such a massive rejection of the traditional party leaders is unprecedented. The "establishment" in both parties has lost touch with working class voters, yet this has happened in the past and this kind of "one man Show" is unprecedented in American history. In his letters George Washington did not reject criticism and maintained civility and composure in the face of doubters, even when he was chosen to be the first president of the U.S.
Linked Articles
A Disunited Party’s Successful Convention
WSJ 07/29/2016
That Moment When 2016 Hits YouWall Street Journal 04/23/2016
"Deaths of Despair", the causes and effects in a larger context, and the drop in America's ranking in the Social Progress Index to 19th in 2016
07/01/2016
How the middle aged white Americans 45-54 are faring in the current environment with fewer opportunities and greater vulnerabilities in health, education incomes, savings, quality of life, mortality, upward mobility, for this group. Tragically this means their children and the next generation is also affected in the way fewer opportunities are available in the future. The situation is unique to America with weaker social protection than Europe, and to Britain because of years of austerity. There are no quick fixes with easy slogans, and requires first a national awareness, national consensus, and may require the better part of a generation to solve and restore the hope and promise of Jefferson in making the "inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" available to all.
Linked Articles
Rising Death Rates for Middle-Aged White Americans Are Forcing a Policy Rethink
WSJ 06/30/2016
The U.S. Now Ranks 19th in ‘Social Progress,’ With Finland and Canada Topping the ListWSJ 06/30/2016
The EU's evolving relations with Turkey in 2016- Germany's Merkel and the Erdogan government reach an agreement on refugees in March 2016
03/07/2016
Merkel facing populist pressures and opposition from the CDU to accepting more refugees tries to get Turkey to stem the flow and send refugees back to Turkey. The Erdogan government with its own problems and seeking a closer relationship with the EU following the Russian bombing of the Turkmen in Syria and shooting down of a Russian plane approves the agreement.
Linked Articles
Stakes Are High for Germany’s Angela Merkel in Success of New Migrant Deal
Wall Street Journal 03/24/2016
Turkey Places Conditions on E.U. for Migrant HelpNew York Times 03/07/2016
Jeremy Corbyn and the proposal in 2015 for a National Investment Bank in Britain to make investments in education, health services and infrastructure
09/11/2015
A new leader of the Labor Party in Britain proposes a National Investment Bank. Some of the funding would come from an estimated 20 billion pounds of tax debt, 20 billion pounds in tax evasion, and 80 billion pounds in tax avoidance, according to experts in the Labor Party. Corbyn says he would reverse the introduction of fees for university education by previous Labor governments and has publicly apologized for the fees. The fees plan would cost about 7.1 billion pounds and be paid for by a 2.5% increase in the corporate tax, slower deficit reduction or increase in the insurance tax, says Corbyn. Germany continues to provide free university education.
Linked Articles
Leftist Jeremy Corbyn elected leader of Britain’s Labour Party - The Washington Post
Washington Post 09/12/2015
Jeremy Corbyn, Unlikely Front-Runner for Labour Leader, Poised to Win Party VoteNew York Times 09/11/2015
German experts and public opinion who see Greece's exit from the eurozone as the best thing for the euro in July 2015 (1)
07/07/2015
Chancellor Merkel's statement that the the Euro is the EU, now place more emphasis on building a strong future for the euro. Experts in Germany believe the euro is better off without Greece by July 2015. As the WSJ editorial points out political contagion is now a bigger threat to the euro, with euro skeptic parties joining populist parties with no committment to the common currency and its basic rules.
Linked Articles
German Finance Chief’s Hard Line on Greece Limits Angela Merkel’s Room to Maneuver
Wall Street Journal 07/09/2015
It’s Time for Greece to Leave the EuroNew York Times 07/07/2015
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