Today’s job numbers came in higher than expected, with the U.S. adding 253,000 nonfarm jobs in April. Unemployment fell yet again, to 3.4%, matching a rate not seen since 1969. Black unemployment is at an all-time low of 4.7%. For Hispanics it’s 4.4%, and for Asian Americans, 2.8%. The rate for adult women is 3.1%. Average hourly wages rose 0.5%.
Readers, we are experiencing the best inspired mature government at work in a democracy. President Biden in his quiet way deserves The NOBEL PEACE PRIZE. He deserves re-election and a Congress that will support his goals... VOTE, VOTE, VOTE...
Not to fawn over the professor's work, but this letter demonstrates with many moving but interconnected parts how effective governing works. The nuts and bolts of the facts are dry but paint a complex picture of expertise and hard work that add up to remarkable progress.
All of it makes me proud and hopeful. Unfortunately, the clown-car Republicans dominate the headlines because reporting about them is easier. If only low-information voters knew what we've read here.
Heather’s post demonstrates the incredible work the Biden Administration has and continues to do for democracy. My hope is that the corruption in the Supreme Court can be rooted out before more of our rights are taken away by sold out and corrupt Supreme Court Judges. Appointed for life with no oversight except by the radical Christo fascist oligarchs that are providing their lives of luxury to do their bidding for them.
Thank you, Professor, for showing how the Biden administration values and works for both our own and international Justice. I hope someday this will not be a partisan effort, that all citizens, here in the USA, too, no matter political party, will embrace and benefit from the values Sullivan noted: “…that U.S. values include women's rights and the ability to criticize leaders without fear. Enabling populations to unleash their full potential means religious tolerance and protection of minorities. It means pressure on other countries to acknowledge freedom, and it means remaining a key source of humanitarian aid. “ It means everyone in America, as we set the example. Not just words, but action.
With a background concert of whipporwill arias, I only wish to express my gratitude for Dr Richardson's sharing of her coherent insights, space for me to add my own puny voice without checkmarks, the ability to see what others are thinking, and the best presidency in my lifetime. I voted for President Biden hoping he would manage to turn the temperature down, and I am relieved that he is doing that. I imagine other world leaders are relieved also. Mr Garland is coming through, getting results, though the pace is not what many people hoped for. I prefer to think of the progress this administration is making in the words of the snail who got a ride on the tortoise's back--- "WHEEE!!"
Thank you, Heather, Excellent Letter on what President Biden's administration is doing for Peace in the Middle East. The breadth, the depth, philosophy and the successes of the Biden agenda are staggering! Wisdom and Experience make a huge difference! The job of the rest of us is to have steady tenacity about telling everyone we meet the good President is doing for each of us individually and having a world of peace and human rights for all. We must counter the negativism of the MAGA Republicans with continuous facts and clear messaging about President Biden, his fine character, experience, and accomplishments! I loved hearing Stephanie Ruhle's interview of President Biden this evening when she asked him what is different about him from Trump. His answer was "EVERYTHING!!" So let's erase Trump and his negativity and chaos from our minds and vocabulary and ignore him and the MAGGOTS and use all our oxygen to talk about a campaign of accomplishment. wisdom and vision. We, the People, all of us this time!
What a wonderful letter with facts, verifiable data and the wide range of progress made by the hard work of competent, knowledgeable and honest members of the current administration. After surviving four years of chaos, with impulsive, irrational and irreversible foreign and domestic policy blunders, I realized upon reading tonight’s letter that I actually have hope for my country again, faith in its leadership enlightened by highly respected professionals and a white haired fellow who has restored our standing in the world, strengthened global partnerships with our allies and been around long enough to know how our political system works, and how it doesn’t. Thank you, Heather. I needed every word of your outstanding letter tonight.
Thanks Dr. Richardson. The last six years have been cartoonish especially when looney toon ideas are actually enacted into law , in a number of states. It is both laughable and frightening and I am waiting, somewhat impatiently , for the cartoon to end with a big “ that’s all folks!”. Yet the twice impeached, now indicted, former POTUS is the front runner for 2024. ( with more indictments likely) Incredible.
The considerate, compassionate and intelligent efforts by the Biden administration gives me hope for our future - even as the incomprehensible and foolish rhetoric of the GOP, oligarchs and white not-christian nationalists strikes terror.
Professor, thank you for the economic data as the necessary update for President Biden's Tuesday budget clash. Per Stephanie Ruhle's interview of Biden on 5/5, the President is fully aware of the 14th Amendment tools to deal with US accounts payable now.
For those following Leonard Leo's dark money scams & his continuing 501(c)3 shell games, see wikipedia.org essay on the fact that the "Judicial Education Project (JEP) & Luxury Yacht Tours and the Judcial Network Crisis (JNC) & Free Rentals FreeTuition & Free Amicus Briefs have been jetisoned for the "85 Fund" and the Honest (sic) Election Project. Go to the "85 Fund " on Wkipedia.
I don’t know, I mean, I’m not so sure that banana republican talibangelicals, who think all sorts of magical sky dude hootenany in the name of religious oppression of others is both desirable and possible, as well as those who actually think “thoughts and prayers” will fix gun violence *and* help their team win the Super Bowl -- don’t also think that “good economic news comes from nowhere” and isn’t due to hard work. So why vote for results when you can vote for prejudice and avarice?
And, I have a new phone and needed to teach it “hootenanny” and “talibangelical.” Thanks.
And if I was the Fwee-dumb Kawkuss, I would be deeply pondering the interview Biden did today with Stephanie Ruhle, how he answered her question about whether he was prepared to use the power of the Fourteenth Amendment to solve the debt ceiling crisis: "I'm not there.... yet."
If Biden invoked the authority of the 14th Amendment and the markets accept the move - with whatever increases in interest rates it will take - it will neuter the Fwee-dumb Fucks and make them irrelevant. 2024 may yet see the destruction of the New Confederacy.
I really appreciate your periodic comments about how well the economy is doing, and how the improvements are actually achieving Biden's stated goals of addressing the economic imbalances that have grown since the 1970's. I am continuously frustrated by the economic press, particularly in what are viewed as main-stream sources.
I am an engineer by training, so I am forever frustrated by the hyper-focus on year-over-year inflation numbers, which are really meaningless. Anyone who has ever designed a control system knows that what's most important is not the static level, but the rate of change... and the rate-of-change of the rate-of-change. If the Fed were to try and design airplanes as they control monetary policy, those planes would all fall out of the sky.
Recent data that I have seen implies that the major component at this point to the year-over-year inflation number is in the Service sector. No one seems to want to explore whether this year-over-year change might actually be a reflection of something positive... a growth of wages at the lowest end of the economic ladder. A trivial example... if in the restaurant industry, a sandwich is now 20% more expensive than it was a couple years ago, but the people back in the kitchen now have health insurance and can feed their children, then that inflation means a reasonable rebalancing of the economy is taking place.
One of my only frustrations with the Biden approach is his high cutoff for increasing taxes--the $400K number. My household income is substantially less than that number, yet I would have no problem paying a bit more in taxes. The two presidents (since Lincoln) who have most increased the national debt as a percentage of GDP are Bush and Trump... by cutting revenue while boosting spending. One can cool off an economy by extracting money either by increasing costs (raising interest rates), or by raising taxes. Raising interest rates hurts lower sectors of the economy by raising credit card interest and mortgage interest... pumping more money from workers to bankers. Restoring taxes on those who can afford it... and I include myself at much less than the $400K tames the deficit while having similar impacts on inflationary pressures.
Your letters and a cup of coffee are how I start each day.... Thank you again for your efforts.
Readers, we are experiencing the best inspired mature government at work in a democracy. President Biden in his quiet way deserves The NOBEL PEACE PRIZE. He deserves re-election and a Congress that will support his goals... VOTE, VOTE, VOTE...
Not to fawn over the professor's work, but this letter demonstrates with many moving but interconnected parts how effective governing works. The nuts and bolts of the facts are dry but paint a complex picture of expertise and hard work that add up to remarkable progress.
All of it makes me proud and hopeful. Unfortunately, the clown-car Republicans dominate the headlines because reporting about them is easier. If only low-information voters knew what we've read here.
Heather’s post demonstrates the incredible work the Biden Administration has and continues to do for democracy. My hope is that the corruption in the Supreme Court can be rooted out before more of our rights are taken away by sold out and corrupt Supreme Court Judges. Appointed for life with no oversight except by the radical Christo fascist oligarchs that are providing their lives of luxury to do their bidding for them.
Thank you, Professor, for showing how the Biden administration values and works for both our own and international Justice. I hope someday this will not be a partisan effort, that all citizens, here in the USA, too, no matter political party, will embrace and benefit from the values Sullivan noted: “…that U.S. values include women's rights and the ability to criticize leaders without fear. Enabling populations to unleash their full potential means religious tolerance and protection of minorities. It means pressure on other countries to acknowledge freedom, and it means remaining a key source of humanitarian aid. “ It means everyone in America, as we set the example. Not just words, but action.
If asked to reduce today’s letter into a single word, that word would be “Leadership”.
Two words? “Adult leadership”.
With a background concert of whipporwill arias, I only wish to express my gratitude for Dr Richardson's sharing of her coherent insights, space for me to add my own puny voice without checkmarks, the ability to see what others are thinking, and the best presidency in my lifetime. I voted for President Biden hoping he would manage to turn the temperature down, and I am relieved that he is doing that. I imagine other world leaders are relieved also. Mr Garland is coming through, getting results, though the pace is not what many people hoped for. I prefer to think of the progress this administration is making in the words of the snail who got a ride on the tortoise's back--- "WHEEE!!"
Thank you, Heather, Excellent Letter on what President Biden's administration is doing for Peace in the Middle East. The breadth, the depth, philosophy and the successes of the Biden agenda are staggering! Wisdom and Experience make a huge difference! The job of the rest of us is to have steady tenacity about telling everyone we meet the good President is doing for each of us individually and having a world of peace and human rights for all. We must counter the negativism of the MAGA Republicans with continuous facts and clear messaging about President Biden, his fine character, experience, and accomplishments! I loved hearing Stephanie Ruhle's interview of President Biden this evening when she asked him what is different about him from Trump. His answer was "EVERYTHING!!" So let's erase Trump and his negativity and chaos from our minds and vocabulary and ignore him and the MAGGOTS and use all our oxygen to talk about a campaign of accomplishment. wisdom and vision. We, the People, all of us this time!
What a wonderful letter with facts, verifiable data and the wide range of progress made by the hard work of competent, knowledgeable and honest members of the current administration. After surviving four years of chaos, with impulsive, irrational and irreversible foreign and domestic policy blunders, I realized upon reading tonight’s letter that I actually have hope for my country again, faith in its leadership enlightened by highly respected professionals and a white haired fellow who has restored our standing in the world, strengthened global partnerships with our allies and been around long enough to know how our political system works, and how it doesn’t. Thank you, Heather. I needed every word of your outstanding letter tonight.
Thanks Dr. Richardson. The last six years have been cartoonish especially when looney toon ideas are actually enacted into law , in a number of states. It is both laughable and frightening and I am waiting, somewhat impatiently , for the cartoon to end with a big “ that’s all folks!”. Yet the twice impeached, now indicted, former POTUS is the front runner for 2024. ( with more indictments likely) Incredible.
Thank you Heather.
The considerate, compassionate and intelligent efforts by the Biden administration gives me hope for our future - even as the incomprehensible and foolish rhetoric of the GOP, oligarchs and white not-christian nationalists strikes terror.
"Clint Eastwood, shooting at Mexican 'bandits?"
Here's a cartoon of Uncle Sam aghast at the flood of immigrants.
Except in 1903, "Europeans were the "Bad Immigrants"
https://forgottenfiles.substack.com/p/when-europeans-were-the-bad-immigrants
Thank you Heather, as always, for connecting the dots and revealing the prospects for peace in this worried nation of concerned citizens. 😘🇺🇸🌎🕊️
Professor, thank you for the economic data as the necessary update for President Biden's Tuesday budget clash. Per Stephanie Ruhle's interview of Biden on 5/5, the President is fully aware of the 14th Amendment tools to deal with US accounts payable now.
For those following Leonard Leo's dark money scams & his continuing 501(c)3 shell games, see wikipedia.org essay on the fact that the "Judicial Education Project (JEP) & Luxury Yacht Tours and the Judcial Network Crisis (JNC) & Free Rentals FreeTuition & Free Amicus Briefs have been jetisoned for the "85 Fund" and the Honest (sic) Election Project. Go to the "85 Fund " on Wkipedia.
I don’t know, I mean, I’m not so sure that banana republican talibangelicals, who think all sorts of magical sky dude hootenany in the name of religious oppression of others is both desirable and possible, as well as those who actually think “thoughts and prayers” will fix gun violence *and* help their team win the Super Bowl -- don’t also think that “good economic news comes from nowhere” and isn’t due to hard work. So why vote for results when you can vote for prejudice and avarice?
And, I have a new phone and needed to teach it “hootenanny” and “talibangelical.” Thanks.
And if I was the Fwee-dumb Kawkuss, I would be deeply pondering the interview Biden did today with Stephanie Ruhle, how he answered her question about whether he was prepared to use the power of the Fourteenth Amendment to solve the debt ceiling crisis: "I'm not there.... yet."
If Biden invoked the authority of the 14th Amendment and the markets accept the move - with whatever increases in interest rates it will take - it will neuter the Fwee-dumb Fucks and make them irrelevant. 2024 may yet see the destruction of the New Confederacy.
Everyone should go read this:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/05/06/president-biden-msnbc-age/
I really appreciate your periodic comments about how well the economy is doing, and how the improvements are actually achieving Biden's stated goals of addressing the economic imbalances that have grown since the 1970's. I am continuously frustrated by the economic press, particularly in what are viewed as main-stream sources.
I am an engineer by training, so I am forever frustrated by the hyper-focus on year-over-year inflation numbers, which are really meaningless. Anyone who has ever designed a control system knows that what's most important is not the static level, but the rate of change... and the rate-of-change of the rate-of-change. If the Fed were to try and design airplanes as they control monetary policy, those planes would all fall out of the sky.
Recent data that I have seen implies that the major component at this point to the year-over-year inflation number is in the Service sector. No one seems to want to explore whether this year-over-year change might actually be a reflection of something positive... a growth of wages at the lowest end of the economic ladder. A trivial example... if in the restaurant industry, a sandwich is now 20% more expensive than it was a couple years ago, but the people back in the kitchen now have health insurance and can feed their children, then that inflation means a reasonable rebalancing of the economy is taking place.
One of my only frustrations with the Biden approach is his high cutoff for increasing taxes--the $400K number. My household income is substantially less than that number, yet I would have no problem paying a bit more in taxes. The two presidents (since Lincoln) who have most increased the national debt as a percentage of GDP are Bush and Trump... by cutting revenue while boosting spending. One can cool off an economy by extracting money either by increasing costs (raising interest rates), or by raising taxes. Raising interest rates hurts lower sectors of the economy by raising credit card interest and mortgage interest... pumping more money from workers to bankers. Restoring taxes on those who can afford it... and I include myself at much less than the $400K tames the deficit while having similar impacts on inflationary pressures.
Your letters and a cup of coffee are how I start each day.... Thank you again for your efforts.
Tom Kraus