I have been in the woodshed, as musicians like to say, studying up on the National Debt. I will report back on that topic shortly. As I anticipated, the Senate finessed its way around filibuster reform and approved a compromise modification worked out… more »

This week, the Senate is taking up filibuster reform. This somewhat arcane procedure employed by the Upper Chanber to guarantee the minority is heard by allowing for extensive debate on pending legislation has mutated into a tool of obstruction. By rule… more »

A day for the media. Barack Obama was inaugurated for his second term and delivered an address that was assertive in tone. The nation- or at least some part of it- reflected on the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King. The sports media is rampi… more »

As we approach the centennial of the ratification of the 16th Amendment, which gave the Federal Government the power of the income tax, it seems an appropriate time to consider  a hundred years of this authority   has wrought  .  Beginning with the Civi… more »

A few tidbits to munch on: Evan Soltas does an excellent job of elucidating the significance of the trillion-dollar platinum coin in his Bloomberg View post yesterday.  Annie Lowrey explores the relationship between a low-growth economy and a dysfunct… more »

An intense week of work at my day (and what seems to be also a night) job has left me little time to keep up with the recent developments that hve captured the attention of the nation's media. Without priority, here are some thoughts: I am rooting for… more »

Following up on this morning's post, in which I neglected to referencet Edward Kleinbard's op-ed in this morning NY Times. As I suspect @jbarro and @TheStalwart intended, the discussion precipitated by their advocacy of the trillion-dollar platinum coin… more »

Josh Barro and Joe Weisenthal are on a tear. Their crusade to have the Treasury mint a one trillion dollar platinum coin and deposit it with the Federal Reserve so the government can continue to pay its debts without borrowing has the various media outl… more »

Or,  scattered thoughts on a January morning. - I felt confident that Alabama would defeat Notre Dame. I did not think that ND had faced the type of speed on both sides of the ball that the top SEC teams possess. I did not think it would be a laugher,… more »

As often happens in life, results in any endeavor come through a pragmatic accommodation to circumstances.  In this light,   I dealt with my need for Internet access here at our part-time Florida residence by taking a slight step back in technology.… more »

Among 140-and-Under set, I follow a very select few. My favorite for a long time has been Josh Barro, lead blogger for Bloomberg View's The Ticker who  concentrates on tax and fiscal policy. He combines an an incisive wit with an impishness that often r… more »

Somehow, I cannot place the concept of "statesmen" and "Congressmen" into one conflation. The pitiful antics of our elected Federal legistators exceeds even the immature behavior of children. The culmination, of course, was John Boehner telling Harry Re… more »

From that purveyor of gladitorial entertainment, the NFL, these news items as the league readies us for its orgy of playoffs: The Arizona Cardinals fired coach Ken Whisenhunt on Monday, making it seven total coaches fired on Black Monday. This follows… more »