~ Today’s Water Cooler: Politics, Syndemics ~
Thursday, February 20, 2025
Guantánamo, Donald Trump’s “Immigrant Problem,” and the Rest of Us
Trump’s methods for dealing with immigrants with less than solid visa status are often cruel. That is almost certainly a feature, not a bug.
Musk Is Lying About Waste and Fraud in Social Security to Have an Excuse to Kill It
Musk wants to cut your Social Security benefits and then have Congress use the savings to give himself a gigantic tax cut.
EU Consumers Don’t Trust US Goods: A Look into Trump’s Trade Deficit Claims
Why trade deficits can’t always be solved by price, as in tariffs or currency manipulation.
Charles Kindleberger, the Dollar System, and Financial Crises
On Perry Mehrling’s Money and Empire: Charles P. Kindleberger and the Dollar System, including how some of his key ideas have been borne out.
2:00PM Water Cooler 2/19/2025
~ Today’s Water Cooler: Politics, Syndemics
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The Bazooka Diplomacy of Trump’s Tariffs
A look at theory and practice as far as tariffs are concerned, and what that means for Trump’s threats and plans.
BRICS, Boers, and Preparing for Conflict With China in South Africa: Examining the US Pressure Campaign
In addition to Greenland and the Panama Canal, Washington is doubling down on efforts to “dominate” naval theaters in a conflict with China.
“What Is the Mainstream Media Missing About Elon Musk? He Is Instituting Technocracy”
A discussion of the regime that Elon Musk and his tech bros are in the process of implementing.
2:00PM Water Cooler 2/18/2025
~ Today’s Water Cooler: Politics, Syndemics;
Trump’s No-Prisoners Approach to Iran-China Oil Crackdown
The US plans further sanctions on intermediaries like tankers and broker that facilitate Iran oil sales to China. Will they work?
