Category Archives: Economics

The Times They Are A’changin’

Posted on April 8, 2020 by Jim Wheeler

COVID-19 has already changed lives radically, but it remains to be seen how much change we’ll see long-term, but some change seems inevitable because it’s happened before.  Its easy to see why people say “bless you” when someone sneezes. Will … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Culture, Economics, Healthcare | Tagged , , , , , | 9 Comments

Faith-based Politics

Posted on August 27, 2014 by Jim Wheeler

Dang. I know it’s not polite to brag, I told you so, but I just can’t help it. For most of the last four years I’ve been blogging, progressives (a group I admit having joined in the process) have been … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

On Money

Posted on February 4, 2014 by Jim Wheeler

Money is something we take for granted, but economics is complicated and it’s not as intuitive as it seems. I’m no economist, my background is engineering, but since I’ve been blogging on politics I’ve realized that misconceptions about money and … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

There but for the grace of God . . .

Posted on September 22, 2013 by Jim Wheeler

As readers of this blog with an interest in economics will know, the Republican-controlled House recently passed a bill slashing funds for the food-stamp program by $40 billion over the next ten years.  The reasons given by conservatives included “costs … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

What The Future Looks Like

Posted on September 7, 2013 by Jim Wheeler

The future is getting closer all the time, and it looks like . . . machines.  And something else, which I will get to later on here. The development of machines to expand productivity is of course an old story.  … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Major Economic Oops!

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Jim Wheeler

Who was right and who was wrong about the Great Recession and how to deal with it, Republicans or Democrats?  Henry Blodget has an opinion on that, an opinion buttressed with facts. Blodget is a former senior equity research analyst … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

The Chargemaster

Posted on February 24, 2013 by Jim Wheeler

One of the several magazines I subscribe to is Time. It’s skinnier than it used to be and it doesn’t provide as extensive a coverage of the nation’s culture as it used to aspire doing, but it does produce writing … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Healthcare | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 52 Comments

The Morality Of Debt

Posted on August 19, 2012 by Jim Wheeler

Debt.  The common view is that it’s reasonable to incur some debt during the journey from adolescence to dotage. “Anonymous” called my attention to the subject when she commented this afternoon on a post The Erstwhile Conservative had about it … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Politics | 42 Comments

The Dismal Truth

Posted on July 18, 2012 by Jim Wheeler

Economics, the “dismal science”, is at the heart of our national political distress these days.  Each party has its version of what is right, but is either one what is best?  It isn’t, I know it isn’t, and on my … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Said Butch Cassidy to the Sundance Kid

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Jim Wheeler

As is my wont of late I was listening to a pod-cast at the gym this morning and to my astonishment I heard an economist opine some of the same things I’ve been saying about the budget and debt crises. … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment