In the United States, it’s tax season. While much can be said about taxes, taxation, why they’re necessary, what the rates are, who pays them and who doesn’t, and why we Americans complain about them, here we will focus on three issues: how simple some nations’ tax forms are compared to ours; how our tax […]
It’s Friday the 13th, but for many of us, that feels like a very positive date on the calendar! Despite what Donald Trump and his supporters might say and wish, they have been defeated at the polls, and it is time for him to prepare to move out of the White House (the People’s House). […]
Often when the issue of European social safety net practices is broached among Americans the argument eventually turns to the question of our racial and ethnic diversity and our large size versus other countries’ relative homogeneity and small size. The argument asserts that the US cannot (and should not) implement European social practices because our […]
For progressives, it is probably not a stretch to say that things in the US have become even scarier, more stressful and more unbelievable than they already were in the Age of Trump. The President, since the release of the Mueller Report, his impeachment, and his acquittal, combined with the undying support he has from […]
Terminology matters. As the 2020 presidential election cycle heats up, there is a great deal of banter in the air, among politicians, pundits, journalists, citizens, etc., about terms such as “socialism,” “Democratic Socialism,” “the radical left,” “welfare state,” capitalism and others. I am not an expert in economics or political science, but I offer the […]
As we noted earlier, wages of American workers have stagnated over the past 40 plus years. In these days of a generally healthy stock market, very low unemployment, low interest rates, and the fact that the overall economy has been getting steadily healthier since the depths of the Great Recession in 2008-09, we must acknowledge […]
Now that President Trump has mentioned Norway (!), let us take the opportunity to reiterate some of what we have already discussed about that very progressive nation. It is quite certain, contrary to Trump’s desires, that we will not soon see an influx of Norwegian immigrants to the US: while Trump presumably wants Norwegians primarily […]
We are fortunate in southern Vermont and southern New Hampshire to have access to the free Business Journal, published monthly and full of interesting and helpful articles about many business topics, especially small local businesses. In the July/August 2017 issue, the first page as one opened the magazine prominently featured a Letter to the Editor […]
You may have seen some recent ads on TV with a focus on tax reform, jobs, and supporting the so-called American Health Care Act (AHCA) of the Republicans. These ads promote middle-class growth, support companies being “unfettered” from government regulation, and laud supposed “choice” and freedom when it comes to health care. These stated goals […]
As much as I admire and support AARP, of which I am a member, I am a little disappointed in the recent article in AARP Bulletin entitled “Why Drugs Cost so Much” by the editors (May 2017 and online). While I appreciate the attempt to help the American public by tackling this vital issue, I […]