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Mr Biden's bold vision for the US in infrastructure, in health and education, in competing in the world is outlined in this video in the NYT of his address to the joint session of the US Congress in April 2021. Biden is determined to move quickly and this comes across in the first 100 days. He says he "has never been more optimistic and confident about America."

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In this address to Congress in April 2021 US president Biden offers his plan to invest in American families and people. He calls it "a blue collar blueprint to build America." It also comes from a blue collar family to which Biden belongs with generations of American workers in the Biden family in the last hundred years who built America in the past.

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The $1.8 trillion Biden Families Plan for workers, students and families takes on the unfinished work for the New Deal, says Binyamin Applebaum in the NYT. Women were not out in the workforce in the way they are today under Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the 1930's and US president Biden is making them and childcare a big part of his Families Plan. Women have been hit harder than men during the pandemic shouldering a greater burden of the home and childcare. Healthcare and education are essential for quality of living- never has there been a greater realization of this than today after years of underinvestment in infrastructure and the foundations of democratic society.

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With Pfizer cutting back sales force, the rest of the industry may also cut back to reduce expenses and get more productivity from the sales force.

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A hard fought election in Brazil between Mr. Bolsanaro and an ex-president Lula da Silva. Voting is compulsory in Brazil for all those who are literate and between age of 18 and 70 years. There are 156 million registered voters. President and members of Chamber of Deputies are elected for a four year term. Elections also take place for 27 governors for 26 states and one federal district. If no candidate in elections for president or governors gets 50% of the vote the vote heads to a runoff on October 30 between the top two candidates. Bolsanaro is supported by evangelical Christians in a Catholic country, rural landowners, and business people. He was a deputy or member of parliament for the state of Rio de Janeiro for 27 years, who won on a law and order and anti-corruption platform in 2018. Lula da Silva is a former trade union leader who was president from 2003 to 2010. He was popular during a commodity boom in Brazil's soyabean and iron ore export boom to China that financed social support programs. A corruption scandal affected his successor from the Worker's Party leading to the change in government after the collapse of the commodities boom. After he was given a jail sentence under the Bolsanaro government he was released by the Supreme court decision in 2019 that declared there was a lack of due process in his conviction. Mr. Bolsanaro also as a program to benefit poor families that is called Auxilio Brazil to replacve Lula's Bolsa Familia. Payments to 18 million recipients were increased in August and a monthly stipend was added for taxi and truck drivers by Bolsanaro. The competing interests and the pandemic with the high toll of around 685,000 deaths have created a highly contested election. ...

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An example of the kind of information spread even in BBC and American media about US inability to make the most advanced chips because TSMC founders have decades of experience. In fact TSMC founder Morris Chang acquired his experience in chips in the US. The decades of TSMC experience are merely since the late1990's. The US was the only country making these chips when China was mostly an agricultural economy in the 1990's. It is only because of hidden subsidies and bad economic theory, that US let the chip technology be outshored. As soon as the people of America make the decision, bad economic theory will be discarded, and US will support its own chip manufacturing under bipartisan support in Congress and the White House, with the full support and funding of the American government.  The US can get things done once it makes up it's mind as the whole Nation. Advanced chips will happen very quickly in the US with the process already under way and supported by the whole Nation. People forget that bigger than chips, bigger than technologies of today, the Industrial Revolution of the 20th century began under Frances Perkins and Franklin Roosevelt in New York during FDR's term as Governor as New York State. It was at that time that New York state  was setup as the model of industry and labor, with new institutions and industrial landscape engineered by FDR and Perkins. This was transferred to 50 states during the 1930-1950 period- this is the industrial structure and economic structure that brought the Second Industrial Revolution in the 20th century to the world. Taiwan did not exist till 1950's emerging from Japanese rule, China from Japanese occupation till 1945, not emerging till 1990. ...

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The president telling Kamala "go for it kid. I love you.," and Kamala saying "I love you." The president saying that he is all in this campaign. The staff in Wilmington, Delaware grasped the emotion of the moment, and what it means for America. It may not be fully understood but it serves well the moment and this time in American history- there are now two candidates for president, Biden as the honorary unofficial presidential nominee, Kama as officially presidential nominee, and the to be selected nominee for vice president, not two but three in that team for the first time in American history- all inseparable to take head on the dangers to America's democratic institutions that George Washington by paying so little attention to himself, that Jefferson and Adams, TR, Wilson and FDR fought to protect through 2 World Wars, dangers from social media and television degenerated divisiveness. Katie Rogers tells the story of how on one summer afternoon in July, on July 22, 2024, the Biden campaign was converted into the Harris campaign all the way down to the memes popularity for Kamala. The president's call "to embrace her," the Biden staff with little time to express their emotions, all staffers in Wilmington become Harris staffers knowing also the deep loyalty that Kamala Harris had shown throughout the long weeks for Biden, and her strong feelings for being on the president's team. ...

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After elections this week in Germany the CDU may be faced with forming a government with the BSW socialist party an unlikely pair. Germany's political leader Sarah Wagenknecht considers the policy of letting migrants in to be "highly problematic", and making it difficult to focus on help for workers and families. Wagenknect says - "Not because people don't deserve a better life, but because our country is simply overburdened as a result."  She pursues a social policy that follows common sense on behalf of the working class and unions, and follows socialist policies for better incomes and benefits for workers. This is new to Germany says DW.com, yet it is not true for the EU. Neighboring Denmark for example has prime minister Mette Hendriksen who has said the same thing about migrants, opposing entry because it leaves the workers worse off than before and presents both a burden and a huge distraction from the many issues the working class face today. The Democrats in the US also are coming to the same conclusion as president Biden and Harris have moved to secure the Border with Mexico and cut unlawful migrant flows to a trickle in 2024.  These shifts will affect Scholz and the SPD party in 2025, as well as the FDP and Greens as they lose popularity in the former East Germany.  ...

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Beaverbook type media magnates from the 1900-1950's period managed events in Britain with control over newspapers in print. The wars of the 20th century had much involvement by these media magnates who could drive up passions and move Britain in different directions based on the whims and interests of the magnate, indifferent to the welfare and interests of the British people. Republicans and Democrats, patriots and well meaning citizens, need to encourage a level of literacy in the US that enables informed decisions. Lyrarc.com is about knowledge, about a form of cultural literacy that is world knowledge, that helps millions build educated and informed mindsets that shapes better lives and better societies in the spirit that George Washington and Jefferson laid the foundations for this Nation. This type of influence came to the US through Australia and Britain. It has led to Brexit in Britain and to a volatile political situation in America. America is only beginning to add up the costs and find away out of this morass with its democracy and its founders Washington and Jefferson's intent and effort protected following the long struggle with Britain in the 18th century, the Civil War fought under Lincoln that abolished the plantation system in the South, and the two Wars under Wilson and FDR that restored faith in the United States of America Washington and Jefferson created for new generations and for the World.   ...

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America had forgotten it's workers built America in a Clinton-Trump world. The Federal Poverty Level is $35000 - $40000 when entry younger UAW workers at lower tiers make $34000 a year during wage negotiations and a UAW strike in 2023. The contrast from 2016 could not be greater- no president in history except Biden on a worker strike picket line yesterday, Mrs Clinton oblivious about unions in the midwest in 2016. Mr. Trump saying wage negotiations not important as he visits Drake Enterprises, automobile parts supplier, in Clinton Township, Macomb County, Michigan. The Guardian reports most were small business owners, with  few autoworkers. Enthusiasm of small business owners high for Trump in this swing county in Michigan. In stark contrast to the 2016 campaign president Biden was seen the previous day with a bull horn at a UAW auto workers strike picket line, becoming the first US president in history to do this. Biden said "workers built the middle class." Trump said China was the enemy not low wages or incompetent bosses, saying "the current wage negotiations are not as important as you think," when workers had tiered wages from previous concessions on wages, with entry level wages starting at about $17 an hour. That is only slightly above the $16 minimum wage in California. America in the Clinton-Trump world had truly forgotten that workers in its factories built America, and workers families made America what it was for most of the century since Lincoln and the Industrial Revolution. ...

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President Biden becomes the first US president to be present at the picket line. Biden says through a bullhorn at the UAW strike picket line in Detroit- "Unions built the middle class. It's a fact." He is pushing for auto companies to reach an agreement with the UAW union, and avoid any effects in the economy. He told union workers outside a Belleville Michigan GM plant near Detroit- "You've heard me say this many times. Wall Street did'nt build this country. The unions built this country. And the unions built the middle class. That's a fact. Let's keep  going. You deserve what you earned. And you earned a hell of a lot more than you get paid now." When he handed the bull horn to Shawn Fain the UAW leader, Fain said about billionaires and the executive class- "They think they own the world. But we make it run."

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Side work earns book royalties of $2 million for Barrett on "Listening to the Law" and Ketanji Jackson $3 million Sotomayor and Gorsuch also have books and royalty advances. This provides the public with a closer view of the Justices on the highest Court in the Nation. It also means Justices live a sheltered life away from the concerns of ordinary Americans about cost of living, cost of health care and pharmaceuticals, cost of childcare, cost of education, cost of fentanyl and other drug trafficking to American families and mothers. During the Depression only three Justices the most prominent of whom were Harlan Stone of New Hampshire and Wendell Holmes of Massachusetts supported New Deal legislation to provide government help with other Justices rejecting New Deal legislation right in the middle of the Great Depression when people were literally without food and shelter, without jobs and in despair. Today there is a permanent exhibition of Harlan Stone in the US Supreme Court for the longest service on the Court. It took till 1940 for FDR to appoint new Justices to get the Court to support the New Deal. Today Justice Barrett is a lone voice among Conservatives willing to listen to all opinions on both sides along with but more than Justice Roberts. This is heartening to both sides. Barrett like Justice Sandra O'Connor before her puts great importance on the Constitution's intent and wording, its pages are in her book. O'Connor from a rural ranch in Arizona carried the Constitution with her at all times and had her own books- the Lazy B about growing up on a ranch on the Arizona- New Mexico border in the middle of big country, big sky, so wide an expanse that she writes about it in her preface to her next book The Majesty of the Law citing Wallace Stegner. ...

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Foreign direct investment in Indonesia surged 30% to 51.5 trillion rupiah ($5.6 billion) for the first quarter of 2012. Indonesia's Investment Board says the mining sector gained $1.1 billion of FDI, telecom $800 million and plantations $500 millon. Singapore invested $1.2 billion, Japan $600 million, and S. Korea $500 million. Meanwhile S&P retained the BB+ credit rating for Indonesia because of concern about the government's decision not to raise subsidized fuel prices by 33% to cut a fuel subsidy bill of $15 billion, and other "policy slippages."

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German chancellor Merkel wins the CDU election for party leader at the party convention in Hannover. The convention was held in Lower Saxony to give a boost to the election prospects of the CDU governor of the state, David McAllister. The CDU has 39% support in the polls and the 40% mark will be needed to form another coalition with the FDP, because of the sharp decline in the FDP's popularity. Merkel's personal popularity is high, with 58% favoring Merkel over 38% for the SPD candidate for chancellor, Peer Steinbruck.

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Robert Shiller of Yale University, calls for revenue sharing by the federal government with local governments. This should go beyond the $26 billion approved this month for aid to local governments, designed to assist with Medicaid and hiring teachers. It is difficult to create jobs quickly and disperse and use money wisely, without the help of local governments, military or nonprofit organizations- as these organizations have the necessary infrastructure that can be used to get things done quickly. He cites the Civilian Conservation Corps created by FDR, using the Army as the organizational framework.

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Philipp Rosler, head of the FDP party and Germany's Economy minister, says he opposes further involvement by German taxpayers or the ECB in the debt restructuring for Greece. He pointed out that the current negotiations between Greece and the bondholders (mostly French and German banks) were about private sector involvement. Tax payers of Germany and other European countries are already making a contribution he said. The IMF is pushing for the ECB to take a haircut or writedown on the $40 billion of Greek bonds it holds to supplement the haircut taken by bondholders of over 50%. Rosler said in an interview with the Journal that Athens should keep its side of the bargain by implementing reforms and not letting them just be on paper. On Germany or the EU directly taking responsibility over the Greek budget, Rosler said this should be the responsibility of the Greek parliament. At the same time he pointed out that its important to have a specific and rigorous montiroing process just to be fair to taxpayers in the EU....

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Important questions about lawsuits against drug manufacturers that are facing Justices of the Supreme Court. Justice Breyer put up a question that the 12 people on a jury see only the peple the drug has hurt no the people who depend on it and who it has helped. Is the FDA as agency better able to determine or should the lawsuits be allowed?

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Abbott Laboratories agreement to pay $1.6 billion in civil and criminal fines for promoting unapproved off label uses of the neurologic drug Depakote, to sedate older patients in nursing homes. The acting associate attorney general, Tony West, said: "Not only did Abbott engage in off-label promotion, it targeted elderly dementia patients and down played the risks apparent from its own clinical studies." Abbott aggressively promoted its use in nursing homes. It also aggressively promoted the use of the drug for schizophrenia between 2001 and 2006. In 1999 Abbott had to discontinue a clinical trial testing Depakote's effectiveness against dementia after results showed increased incidence of anorexia, drowsiness and dehydration.

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Former president Lula da Silva of Brazil is sentenced to 10 years in prison on corruption charges. The charges are that Mr da Silva and his wife were illegally given about $1.1 million in improvements from a construction company for a beachfront apartment. The construction company was able to get lucrative contracts from the state oil company Petrobras. Many of Brazil's politicians are under investigation. The former speaker of the Brazil parliament, Eduardo Cunha, was sentenced to 15 years in jail for money laundering and corruption. The current president Mr. Temer is also under investigation. A culture where such activity was accepted had developed, and this effort started with a small investigation called "Operation Car Wash" in a smaller Brazilian city named Curitiba. Young lawyers determined to set a higher standard and fight Brazil corruption pursued the case that led upto the higher echelons of Brazilian government, the construction industry, and the state oil company Petrobras. ...

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NYT's Thomas Edsall does a great service to America by pulling together different views on the causes of the alienation of the rural population in the US from the Democratic party. The situation in Wisconsin with Ron Johnson winning in that state on the back of resentment of the rural population is shown. It all started say experts with the the so called Third Way that turned out not to exist of Tony Blair in Britain and Bill Clinton in the US that quietly accepted the Reagan view of the world and moved the Democratic party in a different and unknown direction. Obama made things worse by embracing Tech and tech companies into the Democratic party, and ignored the concerns of rural and agricultural parts of the US. The Obama period continued the Clinton policies of letting China takeover America's position in manufacturing, and allowing the offshoring of much of American industry to China. By not closing the chapter of America's wars in Afghanistan and Iraq president Obama lost many critical years. Mr. Biden now has the extraordinary challenge of not meekly accepting what has happened knowing that it is not in the spirit of the party of FDR and Truman, that the Democratic party will stand or fall with the common man, that it will take some time to recover from these missteps, that it is in the interests of America and the American people, and for what America stands for in the world. It is all embodied in what Carl Sandburg once wrote- "The People, Yes!" ...