A week ago, I promised (threatened?) to share a few inconvenient facts. Here they are, and they’re all about taxes. They were sent to me by my friend, wealth manager Kris Garlewicz. (Note – this data is from 2009, which I guess is the most recent available.) Taxpayer Share of Share of Effective Income Segment … Continue reading Inconvenient Facts
Category: Politics
Disingenuous
A week ago, I described hearing an economist put the cart before the horse. I happened to see his name in yesterday’s newspaper, right next to the phrase “Nobel Prize winner.” Oops. Undeterred, however, I’d like to describe another case of an economist getting it, if not backward, then at least sideways. A few weeks … Continue reading Disingenuous
Choose Your Pet
A week or two ago, CNN published a column by Republican consultant and pundit Alex Castellanos in which he got the upcoming election right. Obama, he said, squandered 20 years of New Democrat centrism and led like an Old Democrat. He left it to Bill Clinton to remind America what a centrist Democrat looks like, … Continue reading Choose Your Pet
Would My Healthcare Solution Work (and Other Bits of Unfairness)
In the two weeks or so since I proposed a simple, comprehensive fix to the healthcare mess (see previous post), I’ve been given three reasons why it wouldn’t work. It’s politically implausible, either because it involves too much common sense or because it would gore the ox of a large, well-entrenched industry. I’ve lived inside … Continue reading Would My Healthcare Solution Work (and Other Bits of Unfairness)
Healthcare Solved – Really!
I’ll get to healthcare in a minute, but before that, a couple of digressions, which by now you should expect from me: First, my daughter Julia, who graduated from high school in May (a year early, no less) is now on Day 5 of her Latin American adventure. She will be in San Pedro Sula, … Continue reading Healthcare Solved – Really!
Random Thoughts – From Pleasure Centers to (Wannabe) Presidents
OK, I know I promised that I wouldn't post more than once a week. I'm far too polite to say "Bite me." I had these thoughts rattling around in my head, and they had to go somewhere. Harvard on pleasure centers Every week, I get an email newsletter called HBS Working Knowledge from my graduate … Continue reading Random Thoughts – From Pleasure Centers to (Wannabe) Presidents
Maytag Repairmen and Ponzi Schemes
Last week, I met my friend Jeff Bishop for early morning coffee at our local Starbucks. Jeff has a remarkable talent for making other people feel better about, well, pretty much everything. I’m tempted to say that he should bottle it and sell it. However, while that would make him wealthy, it also would make him … Continue reading Maytag Repairmen and Ponzi Schemes
Pin the Tax on the Donkey
The latest Time magazine arrived yesterday. John Roberts is on the cover, staring knowingly into the distance. He must be looking ahead to all of the Federal mandates that will be passed as a result of his ruling last week on the health care law. A few friends have asked me what I thought of … Continue reading Pin the Tax on the Donkey
Let’s Make a Deal!
A few more snide remarks and hairy eyeballs under my belt, I’m going to take one more shot at this healthcare thing, after which I plan to go back to whining about air travel. If you are healthy today, there are precisely three things that can happen to you over, let’s say, the next 12 … Continue reading Let’s Make a Deal!
That Gravity, She’s a Mean Little B%&*#!
A month or so ago, I had my appendix taken out. It’s impossible for me to know how much the hospital and assorted doctors will actually be paid for this, but the face value of the bills for that little adventure came to $25,000. That seems like a lot for what I actually experienced. On … Continue reading That Gravity, She’s a Mean Little B%&*#!
Carp Diem 