After Trump’s tariff announcement yesterday I placed a small order for turntable belts with an outfit in Germany.
The total with shipping is 42,67 EUR ($47.13). With the package arriving after April 5, I’m wondering if I will owe extra as the importer.
We have received your payment. (except for cash on delivery)
“Six or seven trillion dollars coming into our country.” Yet another lie he keeps repeating as if that will make it true. There will be NO money coming into the country from the tariffs. It’s a TAX that will be taken out of the American economy.
As an Economics major in college I learned that the Massachusetts State Lottery, then less than five years old, is regressive. Meaning the people who can least afford to play are the ones who spend the most money. But at least the money goes to the state, rather than to organized crime.
The Boston Federal Reserve Bank recently published an analysis of the lottery. If you don’t want to read the article, this graph shows how big the Mass State Lottery is compared to other states.
Many years ago, on a lark I once bought a (losing) lottery ticket. The lottery is a voluntary tax, and people are okay with that. Trump’s proposed additional tax cuts will require new revenue. His tariff taxes, that are supposed to go into effect today, will serve that purpose. They won’t be voluntary and they will be regressive.
Boston’s GBH presents this exhaustive history of the Massachusetts State Lottery. It’s a story of Math, the Mob, the Church and, of course, Politics.
The complete series is available as an audio podcast.
Before retiring eight years ago, one of my technical projects at work had me driving to Carney Hospital in Boston. The place is now closed, as explained in this report on the PBS NewsHour, which is continuing its coverage of the crisis in healthcare.
As expected, when a man with six business bankruptcies on his resume issues a mandate without proper planning or management, the result is a fiasco. This NYTimes article has been shared paywall-free.
How about a review of the Social Security Administration’s processes? Let’s assemble a team of experienced managers and technologists from within the administration, especially if they have concerns about how the administration operates.
Knowledgeable outsiders, including business experts and past SSA personnel, will also be recruited. Input from many beneficiaries will be solicited. After a careful review, new procedures will be recommended and a implementation plan developed for upgrading the technology.
Nah, let’s not do that. Let’s assume there is rampant waste to be found, and we’ll toss a bunch of nervy, inexperienced kids in there, with no knowledge of the existing systems or underlying technology. They’ll tear everything apart, let the chips fall where they may, and everybody will have to hope for the best, especially those who receive Social Security benefits.
