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The declining popularity of prime minister Stephen Harper and the Conservatives in Canada in 2013. The Liberals under Justin Trudeau, son of a popular Liberal prime minister in the seventies, see an upsurge in their popularity as the Conservatives see a large dip in the polls. New elections are planned for 2015. Harper announces new proposals to help consumers in the new session of parliament.

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A second inaugural address in which Obama outlines his priorities and liberal vision of America.

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This article in the NYT provides a look at the features of the Republican House Health Care Plan- Both the Affordable Health Care Act and the House Plan provide incentives for buying insurance- the ACA bases these incentives on income levels whereas the House Plan does not provide additional help for low incomes or elderly. Incomes at $20,000 would see a loss greater than  $2000 under the House Plan and as many of the elderly poor living in high cost areas may not have the resources to make up for this loss of subisidies they may forgo buying insurance or have insurance coverage that protects only in a limited way. President Trump has given assurances that all will be covered. For people with incomes of $50,000 or $75000 the loss of $2000 subisidies would also have some impact. At larger incomes or the well to do the subsidies are not handed out under either plan. Under the ACA the emphasis was on income levels and high cost insurance areas the subsidies were greater, under the House Plan the subisidies would be higher for the elderly compared to the young but very low income levels are not given additional help.     ...

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Four resolutions Jack Welch suggests for 2009 and tough times for anybody leading acompany, adivision, or a team, are to be focussed on delivering innovative products and services. Your customers are hurting too so give them more value for their buck. So don't get too defensive and be looking at the internal side of costs alone. Be outward looking and stay on the offensive suggests Welch. This is the first and foremost resolution. The second resolution is make the value of integrity and keeping it, employees learning that ignoring ethical violations however small is the same as making one. Third, he suggests educating the employees and the public of the dangers of taking away secret ballot in labor elections through the Employee Free Choice Act. Its the failure of the union to change work rules and other ways of doing things that has created a lot of the problems facing the Detroit auto industry. Its not the best way to preserve jobs and benefits when they be eroded by failing competitiveness and other errors. And the last resolution for 2009 and the tough years ahead is to celebrate the hard work and results in addressing the difficult challenges ahead so the team remains motivated, inspired, and works with enthusiasm to build on small victories and heroic efforts. ...

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A Pew Research poll shows Democratic voters now favor a bold ambitious agenda by large margins. Voters seeking compromise swung sharply going downwards from 69% to 46%. Many are calling for Medicare for All. In the Republican Party the shift is slight from 46% to 44%.

In the House the Congressional Progressive Caucus now has about 90 members. Of the 50 newly elected members who are House Democrats 20 are part of this Caucus pushing for bold action.

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Anna Fifield of the Washington Post provides this exceptional piece on Yuka Ogata, a 42 year old municipal assembly member of the Kumamoto Municipal Assembly. Yuka sat in the assembly seat with her 7 month baby in the front row to the men looking on in amazement. Ogata has a Masters degree in conflict resolution from George Mason University. Ogata was earlier reported to have created a stir by sitting while pregnant while asking questions.  Yuka Ogata says she wants to draw attention to the struggles of women as they seek to work so that they can raise a child and work happily. Japan's government has announced the key goal of "womenomics" to increase participation of women in the economy as a way to increase growth. Earlier Yuka had asked the Assembly authorites to open a day care center or let mothers bring their children to work. Both requests were denied and Ogata's child was removed from the Municipal Assembly. Here Anna Fifield gives other examples. Larissa Waters who according to new rules nursed her baby in the Australian parliament. Licia Ronzulli, an Italian member of the European parliament takes her daughter to the chamber in Strasbourg sine 2010. Yuka Ogata says it helps to know what other countries are doing as she makes her own efforts to get the same opportunities in Japan. ...

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David Brooks on the contrast of old stye politics with flamboyant displays of emotion of Joe Biden and the more restrained expressions in today's world with policy focussed candidates such as Paul Ryan. This was on ample display in the 2012 U.S. vice presidential debate. Brooks says independent voters may be turned off by a confrontational attitude, especially now that bipartisanship will be important to navigate through the challenges presented by debt and the deficits. These independent voters will also be looking for a credible plan to turn the economy around in the next four years.

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Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Chrysler Group, is known to take personal responsibility for getting it right for the small details of quality of Chrysler cars. When one test showed a defective door handle for a revamped Dodge Charger engineers reported on the status of the fix every couple of hours to Marchionne. He believes that if one wants to run the business right one has to get involved at this level. Marchionne has 23 people reporting to him at Chrysler and 25 more at Fiat in Italy. For Marchionne this has helped the two companies to work closely. Chrysler under Marchionne has spent $1.1 billion on revampig 14 models which are now in production. This was the only way to boost sales, as customers did not want the old models. His way to judge the performance of the revamped 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee was to drive it 3,500 miles through Quebec, New Brunswick and New England.

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Commerce Department figures for May shows sales at retail establishments fell 1.2% in May 2010 from April 2010. The decline induced by drop in autos and building materials was the first decline since September 2009's 2.2% drop.

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If not passed by Congress, the extension of unemployment benefits expires by July 4, 2010. This would leave an estimated 1.6 million people without the average check of $309 a week. A bill when passed is expected to reduce benefits and reduce aid to states and local governments facing budget deficits.

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The move by George Osborne, and the new British government, to eliminate a structural deficit by 2015- the difference between what the government takes in and its spending which is increasing- with large spending cuts and new taxes, was announced with the new budget. It will in total by 2015 amount to about 8% of GDP, and is the largest effort to reverse increases in public spending since the days of Margaret Thatcher. After a decade of Labor governments public spending now adds up to about 50% of the economy. About 77% of the effort to cut the deficit comes from spending cuts, the rest from taxes.

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The Cameron and Tory plan to cut the deficit quickly is a gamble, especially if fiscal cuts choke off growth. Cuts could have been made in the NHS which would have put less stress elsewhere. The huge budget deficit, at 11% of GDP, says the Economist, left Mr Cameron and his Liberal allies with few options. By generating three quarters of the savings through spending cuts, by cutting most government department budgets by 25%, Britain has taken a radical course. Chancellor of the Exchequer Osborne's focus is on slimming the government, and Cameron's closest adviser Hilton is looking at decentralizing government. A course certainly not expected from Mr Cameron's coalition with Mr Clegg's Liberals, and not in the first 100 days. Now it remains to be seen when Spain, and America look to Britain for ideas, says the Economist in this editorial.

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WSJ's Jeff Bennett interviews GM CEO Dan Akerson. Akerson describes his plans for GM- buying back shares of GM from the government, reducing Opel losses by a third or half, building the Chevy brand into a global brand, getting investment grade credit ratings.

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Detroit carmakers Chrysler and GM are falling back on incentives to grow sales for 2010 models. Chrysler is offering rebates upto $4000 and 0% financing. But it is a sign of how low the capacity utilization is in the industry. North American auto capacity utilization will average about 50% in 2009 according to JD Power & Associates.