The Previous Sole Superpower: From the Opium Wars to the Origin of the Species
The Opium Wars illustrate the brutal effectiveness of Great Britain’s use of a particular notion of freedom as a means of conquest.
Read more...Category Archives: Social policy
Changing Economic Factors and the Rise in Obesity
Obesity is fast becoming a prominent global health issue. This column presents new evidence tentatively suggesting that variables related to the costs of eating – particularly whether there is a big discount warehouse nearby – are leading drivers of the rise in obesity occurring since the early 1980s. These findings should help policymakers work with businesses to find the best solution to tackle obesity.
Read more...Sharp Pencils vs. Sharp Politics: The 2015 Social Security Trustees Report
Social Security does face long term demographics issues….as will any approach to making sure retirees have income.
Read more...Social Security: What Would Happen If the Trust Funds Ran Out?
The answer to a widely-discussed Social Security scenario is not as tidy as has been assumed.
Read more...The Augean Stables – How Corruption Has Amended the Constitution
The institutionalized elements of corruption in America are so powerful that they’ve been able to gut the Constitution.
Read more...John Helmer: What is the Price of Suppressing the Truth in the Info War Against Russia?
Most people don’t think too hard about the fact that there is a price for secrecy, and when the truth is dangerous, the price is high.
Read more...De-Industrialisation, ‘New Speenhamland’ and Neo-Liberalism: Government Subsidies to Low Wage Employers
Efforts to reform social welfare programs in England operated on the assumption that lack of consistent work (as in periods of unemployment) and overly large families were the big drivers of poverty. But the majority of poor now are working poor, and as in the Speenhamland days, social welfare programs are helping to subsidize below-living-wage pay levels.Similar factors are in play for US employers like Wal-Mart and McDonalds.
Read more...Why Don’t Americans Take More Vacations? Blame It on Independence Day
On Independence Day’s roots as an “Americanization” propaganda project to increase acceptance of immigrants who competed with native-born workers.
Read more...Tsipras Accepts Most Creditor Terms as Merkel Insists on Referendum
Post-bailout expiration dynamics are likely to produce even worse outcomes for Greece than it had on offer from the creditors last month.
Read more...Affordable Housing Crisis Grows Across the Country as Apartment Rents Skyrocket
An update on where and how tenants are being squeezed by rising rents versus stagnant to low wage growth.
Read more...How Institutional Conflicts of Interest Exacerbate the Anechoic Effect – the Example of ASCO Fearing “Biting the Hand that Feeds You”
Ancien regime levels of corruption wherever you look.
Read more...Detroit: A Case Study of Oligarchs and Vigilantes Taking Over Public Safety in a Big City
In Detroit, safety is a privilege enjoyed by the white and wealthy.
Read more...Who was Alexander Hamilton? Militarism, High Finance and Checking the Democracy.
Alexander Hamilton, often held up by liberals as the most admirable Founding Father, was not the man you probably thought he was.
Read more...The Bankruptcy of America’s Elites
Why America’s elites have failed.
Read more...The Decline and Fall of American Public Space as Shown in #BlackLivesMatter Tweets
Looking at the backgrounds of #BlackLivesMatter images shows America’s decaying infrastructure.
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