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Wes Streeting says- for Tony Blair inequality is peripheral, rather than fundamental to the crisis we face. "But here is the striking weakness at the heart of Tony Blair's Essay intervention: across thousands of words about technology, geopolitics and political strategy, the defining issue of our age is barely confronted at all. Inequality – the economic, social and democratic fracture running through modern Britain – is treated as peripheral rather than fundamental. But inequality rather than being incidental to the crises reshaping western democracies, is actually their cause." "People are told Britain is succeeding while they cannot afford a home, and that opportunity exists even though their children face lower living standards than their parents enjoyed. They are told to work harder while wealth accumulates ever-more narrowly at the top. And they notice the unfairness." "A nurse paying back student debt sees a greater proportion of their income taxed than landlords collecting gains from rising property values. People in Britain’s poorest communities fall into ill health nearly two decades earlier than those in the wealthiest. Most private wealth is now inherited rather than earned." ...

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The broken world economy has hurt the American people, in small communities and towns across the US whose societal fabric was destroyed by a system of world trade with abuses done by China. Japan, European Union, Canada and Mexico since 2000. Shortsighted American leaders and economists allowed this to happen. Robert Lighthizer on the New World Order a new system of world trade that replaces the old in 2026. The old trading system was one in which lip service was made to free trade while all the time the system was used by Japan, Germany, China, Canada, Mexico and other nations to build non tariff barriers and other policies to support their industry  at the expense of the United States leading to disillusionment in the US. The facts are mind boggling- the loss of 5 million jobs, many small communities across the US decimated with loss of jobs. About 20 trillion in wealth transfers to China and other countries over 2000-2020, with foreigners owning $27 trillion more of US assets than the US owns of theirs. US Trade Deficits that went up by 40% in 4 years of the Biden administration from $800 billion to $1.2 trillion. Economists and weak leaders got it all wrong allowing this to happen from Geoge W. Bush to Clinton Bush and Obama. Lighthizer says "shortsighted leaders aided and abetted this process," from 1990 to early 2010. Consider that US had 17.3 million  people in manufacturing, in factories all over the US in 1970, in 1999 we had the same number of jobs, even though there were changes in technology and productivity- the US held its own with the rest of the world. The Bush, Obama years were the worst for the US industry - by 2026 we have 12.6 million - loss of 4.7 million jobs since 1999. And real median household income took a big hit growing from $72,000 to $84,000 about 17% in the last 25 years, compared to twice that in the period 1975-2000 prior quarter century. The result is the fracturing of American society- and dire consequences for healthcare as communities suffered from loss of jobs leading to drug overdoses, alcohol abuse and suicides, which are common in post industrial American communities. Think of this fact: two thirds of America's workforce that does not have a college degree, that is working class people, lives 8 fewer years than college graduates, a gap that was only 2.5  years in 1992. The wars carried on by Bush and continued by Obama in the Middle East also wracked these same communities till Biden and DJT pulled out. One has only to drive across America to see this with one's own eyes. Trade may be an abstract topic for economists and politicians- there is nothing abstract about this. And the economic growth of the US has suffered with the unfair trading system with China, European Union, Japan, Canada and Mexico. From 1945 to 2000 American growth was 3.2% a year. Since 2000 only 2 years of growth over 3%. US has not seen historically normal growth for the last 19 years and at this rate (if we continued along this path) the Congressional Budget Office says 1.8% growth for 2027-2035. There are other factors yet the the major driver of this is our trade deficit of $1.2 trillion dollars a year. It is a story of remarkable persistence in the Nation's interest through 2 adminstrations- this Lighthizer story. Lighthizer fought Japanese commercial interests as Deputy Trade Representative under Ronald Reagan, and as US Trade Representative under DJT in the first DJT administration in 2016-2020. His Deputy at the time is Jamieson Greer who is now the US Trade Representative in the second DJT adminstration in 2025. For 30 years this brave American patriot has fought to reverse the bad actions of presidents and economists that have led to devastating losses in the American countryside. He says any new trading system must be perceived as fair to working people. It will survive only if working people think it is good for them. It cannot and must entrench a small, permanent elite. The benefits going to labour must be at least as great as those going to capital. It should create fulfilling high paying jobs for the vast majority of the American people. This is America's new promise to its people, its new compact with its people. ...

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As the Conservative Party chooses its new leader the hard reality that the country does not support a no-deal Brexit favored by frontrunner Boris Johnson intrudes into the race. The Labour Party plans to build cross party support to block any no-deal Brexit in parliament.

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Boris Johnson has the most support at the grassroots of the Conservative party of Britain, more than Sunak or Mordaunt the other two candidates. His style of governing with the big picture has some supporters and some detractors, and he has lost some support over handling of the Christmas parties episode, yet he has broad appeal among older Conservatives.

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This editorial in The Guardian points out that only a tiny fraction of the British people, merely 160,000 members of the Tory Conservative party are for the last 2 months in July and August 2022 determining what kind of government Britain should have at a time of cost of living crisis. Most of these 160,000 are male, upper class, older and propertied. No government action is taking place to protect people from cost increases. In France the energy price increase is limited to 4% by the government, Spain is doing the same to limit cost increases. And in Britain Ofgem regulator has allowed the price cap for energy to triple relative to a year ago and no minister there available to answer the public's questions, kind of surreal.

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Le Monde reports from Havana Cuba in 2026- 2 million people have left since 2021, the situation is looking increasingly hopeless. There is the 800,000 called the "walking generation" that walked to th southern border of the US during the Biden administration 2020-2024, How did this happen the country of Cuba losing so many people, a third of its population? In 1960 it was 7.1 million. Taking Mexico as an example Mexico's population was 37 million in 1960, it is now 133 million up threefold. At the same rate Cuba's today would be about 20 million in 2026, today it is about 10 million. Instead of 20 million it is half that. About 3 million left the country and population growth simply stopped as the country went from crisis to crisis. Was the revolution worth it, were people in Europe, the US and Latin America who looked to Cuba as a model completely mistaken and was the story oversold to the point where someone like Chavez would try to bring that revolution to a developed economy such as Venezuela as late as 1998, when Cuba was already without US cooperation a state that had fallen behind, by 2026 it was like going back in time 50 years. Could the US offer something better to these countries in the western hemisphere. Did Kennedy JFK promise so much in 1960 and did later US administrations leave Cuba  in a state where it would not get foreign investment and be sanctioned and blocked from access to new technology in so many ways. There is much to reflect on the failure of Cuba, the story of glorious narrative that was told that overlooks the poor condition of the country and benefitted the people the least.  ...

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The injection of billions of gallons of salt water from shale oil producers in Texas into the ground contaminating ground water. Salt water and other kinds of waste water are byproducts of shale oil production at the rate of 6 wastewater gallons for 1 gallon of shale oil produced. This is becoming a huge problem in west Texas and the Permian Basin. When huge quantities of such water is injected back into the ground it comes back out of the ground in other areas and contaminates groundwater. About half of the US production of oil comes from the Permian Basin. Geologists at the UT Austin say that the pressure in the injection reservoirs in west Texas is now at 0,7 per square foot- at 0.5 per square foot the pressure is enou to have the salty toxic water seep back up to the surface of the ground. This is keeping water management personnel up at night and raising questions about the environmental damage in red hot shale oil production that taxpayers will be in the hook to pay years from now through clearing up the environmental damage. WSJ call it a big mess.  (This is a story not chosen by Apple News as it chose instead a story one on family financial firms in capital markets in WSJ, that is not readily seen on the internet once it is archived, one that Chevron and oil companies prefer not to be discussed, that was selected by Lyrarc.com and Movement for the Renewal of America to keep readers informed to make wise decisions.) Limited and temporary dependence on fossil fuels is both necessary to cut cost of living for people living paycheck to paycheck , yet one should know there are costs with any decision of this kind, and environmental damage is a concern that is postponed only with costs, cost that are passed on to children of this generation and should not be ignored. ...

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The new tiered system of tighter restrictions passed in the British parliament 291 to 78 with 51 Tory rebels voting against and 10 Tories abstaining. Labour abstained from the vote getting it to pass. Tory rebels are voting with their constituents in Tory seats in parliament that have lower rate from coronavirus and see the restrictions hurting the lives of people in their areas. The prime minister had to make a special plea to them to get it passed including promising to review in granular detail these areas which needed lifting restrictions because of low infection rates.

Other steps the government is taking are to seek emergency approval of vaccines with the first approval done for Pfizer vaccine. This means Britain will be the first country to start vaccinations in 24-48 hours- December 3 or December 4.

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This report in DW.com presents a situation where supply of oil runs out as demand way exceeds supply as shale oils in US are depleted, and no new reserves are found. A story in WSJ last week reports that the salty water from shale oil extraction is injected back into reservoirs at a rate that creates serious problems in the Permian Basian of the US including East Texas. The IEA forecast in 2026 shows about 97 million b/d of production and demand slightly exceeding this in both 2030 and 2050 which would suggest defossilization has not taken place. Yet the US pullout from defossilization under DJT is sure to be reversed by future governments in as short as 3 years, and the current DJT policy is simply a response to the cost of living concerns of the majority of Americans. The scenario that fossil fuels will be required forever is promoted by the oil companies and by OPEC+ including Russia. But this situation will reverse as the cost of living crisis and the low wages and incomes, loss of factory jobs, low savings, health care inflation, is tackled under the DJT administration and the US economy becomes stronger with lower inflation.  This scenario of  steady oil demand can be reversed if China and India and Europe push ahead with renewable energy and technological change as is happening today, and will not be seriously impacted when the US joins the battle with its renewable energy push in 2028. This is not just an optimistic scenario, it is a balanced one as private industry in the US will sense this and move ahead with development of new technologies for renewable energy so as not to fall behind and to pioneer on their own. That is the history of innovation in the US for the last 100 years and will not change. ...

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The story of the China Wall of the Sierra and the Chinese workers who built it, part of the Transcontinental Railroad that changed the face of the United States, is told by the BBC.

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Greg Ip, chief economic commentator of the WSJ says economists like Summers with his theory of secular stagnation, and Kenneth Rogoff with his theory of the debt hangover from the 2009 financial crisis, have missed the true story of the last ten years with consistent growth, low inflation and lower unemployment than thought possible. Unemployment at 3.5% shows that the natural rate of unemployment is much lower that the 5% thought by economists and economic theory, and unused capacity in the economy that is being tapped for growth.

It also shows the limitations of economics and economic theory. The need always for fresh thinking and a bolder idea of what is possible. The potential for economic growth by unleashing each country's best human and technological potential in the face of obstacles. 

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Elections in December in Britain are rare, with this election in 2019 in Britain being the first in one hundred years. It also poses big risks. There is the flu season, the National Health Service being stretched to provide services, the weather, and voter turnout.  It poses risks for Tories and Labour, and Boris Johnson's bid for Leave seats held by Labour is a bold one that could turn out either way. Labour plans to run on a positive program of change and not just the Brexit issue. Johnson will campaign without being able to have Brexit behind him. The close association with Mr. Trump and Mr. Cummings brash style could also play a part in the election creating another level of uncertainty. Mr. Hammond, a leading Tory rebel says he is not sure if he wants to see the Tories win, adding another level of uncertainty. The SNP in Scotland hope to take Tory seats in this election and the Lib Democrats are campaigning on canceling Brexit altogether to get Tory Remain seats. ...

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This editorial in The Guardian calls the new British Health Secretary Sajid Javid's actions after only 4 months on the job a bit of breathtaking cynicism, and a slap in the face of family physicians in the UK. In 2015 the Tory government promised to increase the number of family physicians by 5000, instead numbers have dropped today by 4.5% to 28096, even as demand has increased. The complete lack of sensitivity of the new Health Secretary to the level of burnout in family practice in the UK, and the difficulty attracting young doctors to family practice, has aroused a furious backlash in the UK. He has called for an end to social distancing and more face to face appointments when government policy had decreased face to face appointments following lockdowns. Britain has one of the lowest numbers of doctors per capita in Europe, says the Guardian, and that the government is tackling the wrong problem beggars belief.

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With millions of Italians and people of other EU nations struggling during the pandemic, migrants continue to gather in war torn North Africa for passage across the seas to Italy. Fragile governments in Italy and other countries including the government of Mario Draghi face the prospect of tackling another migrant situation. 

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It might come as a surprise to know as Roshan Kishore points out in this analysis in The Hindustan Times that the educational levels and incomes of Tory or Conservative voters in the UK are the opposite of what they used to be. The graphs shown here show that as education levels increases in different income segments there are significantly more Labour supporters than Conservative supporters. For Rishi Sunak this means he runs into the same problems that faced Johnson and Truss, of matching austerity cuts in spending that will be unpopular with the lower income support base with lower educational levels in the Tory party. His privileged background will only make the cuts in the middle of interest rate hikes and inflation appear as basically unfair to this support base. This is what Gerard Baker pointed out in the WSJ calling it an invitation for "abject chaos" that comes from Tories trying to represent working class families. Others in the The Guardian call it some form of myth that is far from reality with the myth and reality getting further and further apart. ...

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A rare story from NYT that brings together Nepalese farmers and Japanese importers of a rare wood bark for banknote paper. Only 40% of Japan's banking transactions are elctronic, most are using banknotes or cash. Bank notes are made of wood bark called mitsumata in traditional ways. As Japanese farmers grow less of this bark it was sourced from mountains in the eastern part of Nepal. See how Pasang Sherpa is trained by Japanese from importer Kanpou in Japan to grow this bark which is shipped in large containers weighing tons to Japanese ports from Kolkata.

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This podcast in WSJ tells the amazing story of the development of a vaccine for malaria by a British scientist that took forty years. In a world of short run startups this tells the story of medical and indirectly other research include research on renewable energy to tackle climate change that takes years to develop and makes a lasting change in our lives. This is also true of the mRNA vaccine developed by two German scientists of Turkish descent who developed the Pfizer vaccine. The Novavax vaccine in the US also has a story of resilience in the face of many challenges. Mr Scholz of the SDP, currently vice chancellor of Germany and winner of the German election said recently he wanted to expose the myth that was created of the self-made man that has penetrated our culture over the last 2 decades. One cannot even conceive of self made people at a time when the whole world depends on vaccines developed such as mRNA vaccine by these 2 German scientists at university labs that are the first line of defense against the coronavirus. Both scientists took only half a day off when they got married. Both are children of immigrants to Germany from Turkey. They both cycle to work. Mr. Shin says "I don't have a car. I am not going to get a plane. What's life changing is to be able to impact something in the medical field." The electric batteries used in today's electric cars use technology developed by a Japanese scientist and professor who also worked at Toshiba in the face of many challenges. ...

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In a great success story for Africa and medical research in Africa, Congolese medical scientist Dr. Jean-Jacques Muyembe's research helps find a solution for tackling the Ebola virus.  The Ebola virus has killed 9 out of ten patients in outbreaks in Africa, particularly in the Congo.  A international coalition of doctors and scientists have proven in clinical trials that new Ebola drugs, a result of Dr. Muyembe's research, work effectively to save lives. Dr. Muyembe was one of the first scientists to identify the Ebola virus. The disease began in 1976 from a remote village near the Ebola river in the Congo. The clinical trials were done in the middle of a war torn country, in the northeast of the COngo, in tent-sided field hospitals that served as Ebola treatment centers. Two treatment centers were set on fire. Ebola patients recovered often after a single intravenous dose.  Dr. Muyembe's scientific research that showed that antibodies or proteins that the immune system produces to fight infections can build up a patient's defenses against Ebola, was initially received with skepticism and doubts by the medical research community. In trials patients given a single anti-body drug  had a 35% mortality rate compared a common 90% mortality rate without treatment. The NAID-led drug , mAb114, was made from an antibody of n Ebola survivor found by Dr. Muyembe who has dedicated his life to fighting Ebola, and is the head of the  Congo National Institute of Biomedical Research. The WHo and NAID, organized the clinical trials. Regeneron Pharmaceuticals has developed a drug based on this research REGN-EB3 which shows 34% mortality rate and better results when patients received the treatment soon after the illness.  About 240,000 people in the northeastern Congo have received vaccination for Ebola to contain the virus and prevent it from spreading. ...

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Mr. Tom Tugendhat, chairman of the select committee on foreign affairs, a Tory MP, says UK companies are vulnerable to takeover by foreign state backed entities and calls for new laws to protect British companies. Prime minister Boris Johnson is preparing to announce new laws that will make it mandatory for British companies to report to the government when any foreign company attempts to take over 25% of the shares in a British company, or which could pose a security threat, with strong sanctions. Failing to do so would have directors jailed, disqualified, or face large fines.

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This BBC independent review into its economic coverage by Dilnot and Blastland covered by The Guardian, shows that economics has been badly presented and mostly misunderstood in the culture and the media, leading to errors in policy that hurt workers and families in Britain and the US. Tory spending cuts in Britain have led to a lost 400 billion pounds in growth since 2010, says The Guardian citing the TUC report. Britain's GDP would be 2 trillion pounds higher today if the pre-1979 growth rate was maintained, says TUC. This editorial says about the framing of the debt and spending in the culture and media- "It is an anti-democratic bias that shuts people out of discussion about their lives and their society."

 

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Former Immigration minister Lord Kirkhope says of the riots in the UK around race and immigration that the language used by Sunak such as "Stop the Boats," as a riot chant shows the dangers of the Tories getting muddled up by moving the old party of Macmillan and other respected prime ministers in the direction it should not be in. It is clear that the Tory government with 4 prime ministers over a short period and no focus on effective action on the immigration issue was simply pandering to the issue. Lord Kirkhope said-  “Some have found it politically expedient to conflate the issues of legal migration and asylum seekers.    The current situation with levels of social unrest not experienced in this country for a very long time is deeply worrying. The role of divisive rhetoric, including by some from the previous administration, has certainly not helped the situation. ‘Stop the boats’ has been one of the riot chants and that is a most unfortunate result.” ...

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This report in the Times says there are divisions in 10 Downing Street, between Mark Sedwill, the top civil servant, and the prime minister, Boris Johnson on implementation of a coronavirus plan, Mr. Sunak the finance minister and Mr. Johnson on reopening of the economy and the spending plans. There are also frustrations among Tory MP's, women, and ministers, who are left out of the centralized decision making where only a few people around Mr. Johnson- Gove, Hancock, Sedwill, Sunak, Cummings - know what is going on.  Mr. Johnson has not rested well says the Times and Mr. Sedwill also had the virus it is reported. Mr. Hancock is not trusted by Tory MP's to execute the plan correctly for testing, tracing and isolation of clusters, crucial to controlling the pandemic and restoring confidence in the economy. Mr. Johnson also face the prospect of an inquiry into nursing homes- he responded to Keir Starmer of the Labor party in parliament that he"bitterly regrets" what happened there. More money is being poured to control this. There is a sentiment of acceptance that Brexit talks are going nowhere and Britain simply walks out with no deal.   ...