If you’ve heard the phrase “class war” in twenty-first-century America, the odds are that it’s been a curse spat from the mouths of Republican warriors castigating Democrats for engaging in high crimes and misdemeanors like trying to tax the rich. Back in 2011, for example, President Obama’s modest proposal of a “millionaire tax” was typically... Read More

Listening to Linda Wertheimer on NPR this morning gushing over the selection of Paul Ryan as Romney's running mate, I thought of another Paul Ryan, a radical, communist poet and labor reporter for the People's World, who wrote under the name of Mike Quin. Following the murder on July 5, 1934 of two dockworkers, Nick... Read More

According to a new report by the BEA, personal consumption expenditures (PCE) increased by $69 billion (7 percent), while personal income rose by only $38 billion (3 percent) in February. So consumers are back to their old ways again, spending more than they earn? Well, not exactly. The truth is, consumer spending is slowing down... Read More