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Overdue first step’: UK reacts to gov’t ban on Israeli settlement trade – Al Jazeera

“UK bans imports from illegal Israeli settlements in strong policy move after recognising a Palestinian state last year.“

“…Addressing the UK parliament on Tuesday, Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said Israel was carrying out ‘ethnic cleansing’ (emphasis added) in Palestine and reiterated the British government’s position that Israeli settlements across the occupied West Bank are illegal under international law…”

Differences between Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing

Source: ChatGPT

Sunday, September 6, 2026

Israel emptying West Bank refugee camps could be crime against humanity: UN – AFP

Israeli settlers’ weekend hike: Palestinian teenager killed, home torched, windows smashed – Haaretz

The Israeli government (Ben-Gvir and Smotrich eg) makes sure that Israeli settlers are armed and that West Bank residents are not — then routinely watches as the settlers harass, attack, burn, and kill. Congress and the president give Israel billions of US taxpayer dollars each year while driving our country deeper into debt. Why are we sending this money to a country that does what Israel does to unarmed people trying to make a living on their own land?

Federal Social Safety Net Programs: Millions of Workers, Including Many Employed by Large Employers, Continue to Rely on Medicaid and SNAP – GAO

Millions of American adults earn so little that they rely on federal programs to make ends meet, such as Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program… We found:

  • About two-thirds worked full time
  • Most worked for private sector employers
  • Workers were largely in transportation, restaurants and food prep, and retail sales jobs
  • Some employers in selected states had thousands of beneficiaries on their payrolls

Bond bust – Michael Roberts

“…For now, the bond bust or the apparent crisis expressed in rising bond yields mainly reflects rising inflation, along with the risk that central banks will increase the cost of borrowing by raising rates in an attempt to control inflation. 

“If and when inflation subsides, so will bond yields.  In the meantime, there will be no bust in the sense of any government in a major economy defaulting on its debt. Instead, the rise in yields will be used by bond ‘vigilantes’ and pro-business governments to justify further cuts in government social spending and increased taxes on working people to improve what they call ‘fiscal space’ – space to be used to increase arms spending and subsidies for industry.”

How to raise the Social Security retirement age while protecting the poor – Stanford University

An elegant solution to the problem that raising the Social Security retirement age (again) would cut benefits for lower income workers the most on a lifetime cost/benefit basis because they live shorter lives than higher-income workers. The higher that Congress raises the Social Security eligibility age, the fewer low-income workers will ever receive a check.

Politically, however, this complex solution would be difficult to engineer. That’s because higher-income folks would get big benefit cuts (in more than one way) to make up for slightly higher benefits at bottom to compensate for lower life span while bringing the program into financial balance. In 1983, when Congress last refinanced Social Security, raising the retirement age from 65 to 67 was inserted during conference committee. When conferees meet this time, they will be getting a lot of phone calls and emails from AARP and constituents with high and middle income — not so many from the lowest-income workers who always hold less sway with lawmakers. So a complex solution like this to the age differential problem could be used as a smokescreen to shaft low-income workers at the last minute.

Immigration Court Interpreters Unionize in North Carolina – Payday Report

“…Calderón also said that a manager in the interpreting services division informed officials in several counties by email that the strike had already affected 15 Superior Court trials. If that pace continues, he estimates that by November there could be about 45 unprocessed cases.

“Arredondo also mentioned a recent case in Wake County that, she explained, she learned about through third parties and that illustrates what is at stake when a person does not have timely access to an interpreter. ‘The man had been in jail for three years, and then they held the trial. He was found not guilty. So that is the delay of justice. And that is also a constitutional right: a speedy trial. Those rights are being violated every day because of a lack of interpreters, among other things,’ Arredondo said.

“For the interpreters interviewed, the lack of professionals can result in much more than a postponed hearing: It can also mean months or even years of delays, multiple court appearances and financial losses for people who have to miss work each time they return to court…”

Wages are lower in “right-to-work” states – EPI

“These states have lower unionization rates and more anti-worker policies.”

“…workers in RTW states are paid 6.7% less on average than workers in non-RTW states—more than double the 3.2% wage penalty we found in 2015. That means the RTW wage penalty has increased in recent years and now translates to over $4,000 less per year for a median full-time worker in a RTW state…”

Missouri Gov. Kehoe signs bill repealing paid sick leave – Missouri Independent

“Business groups lobbied heavily to overturn the measure passed by 58% of voters, arguing it would cost jobs. The bill also repeals annual inflation adjustments for the minimum wage, in effect since 2006.”

“…Missouri House Democratic leader Ashley Aune of Kansas City denounced Kehoe’s decision to sign the bill as an attack on workers and voters. ‘The governor’s action today demonstrates the absolute disdain Republicans have for working Missourians,’ Aune said in a news release. ‘But in stripping workers of their legal right to earned sick leave, the governor and his allies have probably guaranteed this issue will be back on the ballot next year as a constitutional amendment that will place worker protections beyond their reach.’…”

AI and the profits boom – Michael Roberts

“…a key factor in driving up profits has been the general suppression of workers’ wages. While pre-tax profits as a share of national income hit 18%, the highest share since the aftermath of the second world war, employees’ share from wages and benefits fell to 60 per cent, the lowest level since the 1950s.  Inflation has outpaced wage growth, causing real hourly earnings to fall by 0.2 per cent in July versus a year earlier.

“Chief executives at America’s largest low-wage employers have seen their pay rise by 41 per cent between 2019 and 2025, while the average worker took home only 21 per cent more — that’s below the 26 per cent increase in prices over the period. As the FT put it: “Workers have been gradually losing sway in corporate America since the early 1980s as union membership has declined and companies increasingly outsource jobs to external contractors.” But the decline in labour’s share of income has gained pace since the end of the COVID pandemic and especially over the past 12 months…”

Comment: So, investors are left to choose between overpriced stocks and overleveraged debt.

Income inequality and multimorbidity patterns in China: a micro-level analysis using CHARLS – Frontiers in Public Health

“…Lower wage income at the individual level worsens chronic disease conditions. However, government income redistribution policies can partially offset this negative impact. Even when household support for individual health is considered, low income remains a significant risk factor for chronic diseases, particularly among individuals under 65 years of age..”

Related CCSE post:

Unaffordable medical costs are widening the US rich/poor mortality gap: research

Workers in China worry over being replaced as they adapt to the growing impact of AI on jobs – AP

Blue-collar workers propelled China’s rise. Now their jobs are vanishing. – msn/WaPost

“…The Chinese economy, once powered by low-cost labor, has become highly unbalanced, with aggressive high-tech innovation masking deep domestic pain for the ordinary workers — many drawn from rural, impoverished villages in the countryside — who built the world’s second largest economy. The hollowing out of the blue-collar class and rise of China’s technological prowess has led to a striking statistic: Under the rule of the Communist Party, according to some measures, income inequality is greater in China than the United States…”

How Inequality Is Undermining China’s Prosperity – CSIS

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As ACA coverage dips and medical costs rise, it’s time to revive American health policy – Karl Polzer/Center on Capital & Social Equity

Summary:  Despite major health insurance cuts by the current Administration, covering all Americans should remain the guiding long-term principle for US health policymakers. Health care costs must be tamed to achieve this goal. Comparing Medicaid, Medicare, and job-based coverage, this paper asserts that Medicare stands out for both fairness and ability to control costs.  However, in today’s system, Medicaid remains essential for covering low-income people. While discussing economic and political obstacles, it analyzes gradual expansions that could lay the groundwork for universal coverage (“Medicare for All”). These include Medicaid covering more or all kids and Medicare covering new mothers and infants.

Thanks to The Hill for running our op-ed:

Trump’s 401(k) proposal could be a major step toward retirement security – Karl Polzer/Hill

“To succeed, Trump’s proposal must meet two fundamental requirements: funds to save and invest and accounts overseen by a fiduciary. The millions of workers with no money left over from their paychecks after covering the cost of living need more than just access to a retirement account — they also need money to put in that plan, week by week and month by month. This is why, without congressional action, most low-income workers will likely still be left out…”

Thanks to the Richmond Times-Dispatch for publishing this column:

New governor prioritizing ‘affordability’ should push reforming Va.’s regressive tax code – Karl Polzer

“…It will take some time for the new governor and Democrats running the state legislature to find effective ways to make life in Virginia more affordable. Reducing the tax burden on low-income families should be part of their agenda. Meanwhile, legislators should avoid adding taxes that hit the poor the hardest.”

States Can Push Back Against Reckless Federal Tax Policy. Here’s How. – Governing

Beware of Republicans bearing cash!

Substituting Cash for Health Insurance Can Drive Up Costs, Medical Bankruptcy – Karl Polzer/CCSE

Not! (for now)

Senate GOP health care plan fails on mostly party-line vote – Hill

As suspected, the two health care subsidy votes were performative art organized by Senate leaders setting a high bar (60/100 votes). Clock’s still ticking for millions of Americans needing health insurance they can afford.

Health Care–Related Savings Accounts, Health Care Expenditures, and Tax Expenditures – JAMA
“Conclusions and Relevance: Participation in FSAs is associated with higher health care expenditures and tax expenditures, while HSAs are not associated with reduced expenditures. Tax policy could be better targeted to enhance insurance coverage and health care accessibility.”

Why Substituting Cash for Insurance Can Drive Up Both Total Costs and Individual Medical + Financial Risk – Statement to US Senate Finance Committee

Submitted to Finance Committee Hearing: “The Rising Cost of Health Care: Considering Meaningful Solutions for All Americans”

“No matter how many adjustments the government might make, giving people money to leave the risk pool and bargain on their own with the players in health system undermines the basic concept of insurance – which is pooling risk and resources to make hard-to-predict future expenses more affordable.”

A ‘conservative/progressive’ path to negotiating Social Security solvency: Bend the cost curve, grow revenue, and protect low earners – Karl Polzer/IQInk

Updated Oct. 8, 2025

“This paper presents options – some favored by conservatives, others by progressives – as a framework for negotiating an equitable solution to Social Security’s financing shortfall.  Taken together, the changes could generate up to twice as much in savings and revenue as needed to balance Social Security’s books…

“Congress could strike a deal drawing about half the savings needed to fix Social Security through a gradual benefit reduction by changing the formula for determining initial benefit levels while protecting the lowest earners.  The rest of the gap could be filled through tax increases.  These financing options provide room for targeted benefit improvements to help the lowest income pay their bills and families raise children.”

Judge says Trump administration ‘used antisemitism as a smokescreen’ against Harvard – USA Today

Trump Administration’s Cuts to Harvard Funding Are Unconstitutional, Judge Rules – msn/WSJ

CCSE correspondence with Harvard President Garber

“Prediction: Harvard University will be teaching students from all over the world long after what remains of Trump and his brain trust rest in silence beneath the ground. BTW, White House staff could benefit from taking free public finance courses at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. Harvard has a positive fund balance. The United State government, not so much.”

No peace, no prize. – Karl Polzer

“Republican members of the US Congress, which is financing Israel’s now escalating ethnic cleansing of Gaza, have nominated President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.  It is hard to fathom the depth and irony of their fawning depravity.  The Nobel prize is clearly a trophy that he covets. But shouldn’t a peace prize have something to do with reducing conflict and killing? The US president and Congress, including a majority of Democrats, are doing the opposite of making peace.  They are facilitating Israel’s daily, systematic killing, starvation, and displacement of entire populations of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank…”

Trump ‘1-2 punch’ shifts tax burden from top onto middle-and lower-income Americans – Karl Polzer/CCSE

“Economists and business analysts increasingly agree that Trump’s tariffs are raising prices. There is far less awareness that the historic spike in tariffs – coupled with the tax cuts just made permanent by Congress – comprise a major shift in the tax burden. Taken together, these two changes promise to make the US tax system more regressive. In our increasingly unequal country, taxpayers at the bottom of the economic pecking order are taking on proportionally more of the tax burden as the well-off shoulder less…”

New capitalism III: Capital – Branko Milanovic

“Why is capital so concentrated and why so few have it?”

“The new capitalism has even in the rich countries failed to produce what Margaret Thatcher, and Friedrich Hayek before her, called ‘property-owning society’. (For good measure, Thatcher added ‘democracy’ too.) Even when we include income from forced savings that becomes pension wealth, between one-half and almost 90 percent of the population in rich countries are financial-capital destitute. That percentage becomes more than 90, or even more than 95, in less developed countries…”

Related CCSE work:

Half of Americans have no retirement savings — here’s how Congress can look after them …. op-ed

How the U.S. Retirement Saving System Magnifies Inequality – Society of Actuaries

Growing inequality has shrunk Social Security’s revenue. Revitalizing its tax base could help restore solvency without cutting benefits.

New Capitalism in America: Richest capitalists and richest workers are increasingly the same people – Global Inequality

Branko Milanovic: The World Under Capitalism – Stone Center/Toronto Public Library

Prof. Milanovic discusses two types of capitalism – “liberal capitalism” in the US and “political capitalism” directed by the Chinese Communist Party. Both systems have produced relatively high levels of income inequality.

Comparing United States and China by Economy – Statistics Times

2025 Social Security groundhog day:

US needs $28 trillion more over 75 years to pay promised benefits

“A few months after the Trump Administration chain-sawed Social Security’s leadership and staff, four newly installed senior officials overseeing the program released the annual report on its declining financial condition.  This year’s actuarial forecast is a bit gloomier due in large part to a benefit expansion enacted by the previous Congress.  However, in the big picture, not much has changed.  Social Security’s looming insolvency remains…

“As I have pointed out to the Senate Budget Committee, the process of spending down Social Security reserves already is increasing overall federal spending and pushing up annual deficits. Drawing down reserves in the Social Security trust funds requires the Treasury to sell bonds (or find other sources of revenue) to raise cash to pay the program’s 74 million beneficiaries.

“On pp. 51-52, this year’s report estimates that Social Security will draw down $181 billion from the combined trust funds in 2025 with the amount rising to $405 billion in 2033. As a result, the federal government is gradually moving to finance part of the program’s benefits through newly issued debt substituting for now-insufficient payroll taxes...”

More on these issues can be found in these CCSE articles and testimony:

‘Trump kids accounts’ in budget bill would drive up inequality and raise the national debt – Karl Polzer/CCSE

“Helping young people learn how to save and build up money for college and adult life are worthy goals. But new ‘Trump kids accounts’ embedded in the massive Republican tax and spending bill before the US Senate not only duplicate existing programs.  They also would widen financial gaps between families in our already very unequal country.  In addition, tax subsidies for money invested in Trump accounts would go mostly to well-off families and push up the national debt…”

Failure to prosecute and jail law-breaking employers is wasting $$ billions in the fight against illegal immigration – Karl Polzer/CCSE

“The federal government has had authority since 1986 to criminally prosecute individuals and companies employing workers not legally in the United State, but it has rarely used that authority regardless of the administration in office. A one-year snapshot taken during Trump’s first term found that no company was criminally prosecuted for having workers not authorized to be in the country, a Syracuse University study shows…

“Changing the equation to incentivize employers to help enforce, rather than skirt, the nation’s immigration laws does not mean subjecting them to cruel and unusual punishment.  No need to suspend billionaires and entrepreneurs in cages from a tower or use branding irons.  It does mean applying and stiffening laws against hiring illegals and tax avoidance.  Financial penalties, public shaming, and loss of contracts could be a start.  If that isn’t sufficient, start putting law-breaking employers in jail.  They are lining their pockets by stealing jobs from American workers, both native born and those immigrating legally.”

Thanks to the Virginian-Pilot for running our op-ed:

Many questions, few answers about exempting tips from taxes – Karl Polzer/Virginian-Pilot

“Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s proposal to exempt tipped income from state taxes — like President-elect Donald Trump’s on a national level — could help some low-wage workers.  However, it also poses risks for others and raises complex issues facing scrutiny as the state legislature begins its work…”

To provide access to all readers (the newspaper’s op-eds are gated), below is the original submission including links to sources:

Youngkin pitch to exempt tips from taxes could benefit some.  A better option is raising the $2.13 tipped minimum wage.

Statement to 11/20/24 US House Appropriations Committee hearing on Social Security:

A way to ensure Social Security can meet short- and long-term promises to American workers and their families: Bend the cost curve, grow revenue, and protect lower earners – CCSE

“As keeper of the federal government’s purse strings, the House Appropriations Committee plays a part in maintaining Social Security’s commitment to American workers, their families, and taxpayers.  First, Committee members can weigh in as Congress and the Treasury find hundreds of billions of dollars annually in cash outside the appropriations process to draw down Social Security reserves.  The Committee can also help ‘leave room’ in future budgets for revenue increases that might be necessary to keep Social Security solvent as it coordinates with House Ways & Means, Budget, and other Committees on tax and spending issues.”

A ‘conservative/progressive’ path to Social Security solvency: bend the benefit cost curve, grow revenue, and protect lower earners – CCSE

The next President and Congress will face daunting fiscal issues.  In the shadow of historic levels of national debt, lawmakers will be bargaining over trillions of dollars of taxes and spending as they deal with expiration of the Trump tax cuts.  On top of that loom major Social Security financing gaps.   Paying promised benefits will require the government to raise more than $2 trillion in cash over the next eight years and more than $24 trillion to achieve long-run solvency.

This paper presents policy options – some favored by conservatives, others by progressives – as a framework for negotiating a solution.  Taken together, the changes could generate more than twice as much in savings and revenue than needed to balance Social Security’s books. 

Four ‘low-budget’ ways Congress can help working-class families raise more children – Karl Polzer/ Washington Examiner op-ed

– Expand the child tax credit to help more working-class parents and grandparents raising kids.
– Provide Social Security credit for unpaid work raising young children.
– Update/improve SSI so more people with disabilities can work, save.
– If taxes must go up, hold the working poor harmless.

Click here for longer version including references and related articles.

It’s Social Security ‘groundhog day’ as trustees repeat annual forecast of declining finances

“…The trustees’ report, however, neglects to mention how Social Security already is impacting the overall federal budget.  As pointed out to the Senate Budget Committee, the mechanics of spending down Social Security’s reserves require the Treasury to draw funds from general revenue and issue new debt to the public.  As a result, Social Security is gradually and organically moving to paying for current benefits through debt substituting for now-insufficient payroll taxes that it traditionally relies on.”

Missing the obvious: life expectancy in the U.S. is closely related to income – Karl Polzer

“The underlying theory is simple:  More income and wealth allow people and governments to support more years of life.  Fewer resources put them at a disadvantage.  Some politicians who see the connection may be leery of talking about it.  Doing so would lead to awkward questions about improving working and living conditions for millions of Americans and dealing with growing economic inequality.

“The strong relationship between income and longevity is clear when comparing states… (E)ight of the nine states with the lowest median household income also are among the bottom nine in longevity.  Similar clustering occurs comparing the highest ranked states across the two categories. Seven of the nine states with the highest median household income also are among the top nine in life expectancy.   

“Realizing they are rowing in the same economic boat could prompt states to join forces on policy changes, particularly Mississippi, West Virginia, Louisiana, Arkansas, Alabama, New Mexico, Kentucky, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Tennessee, and others ranking at or near the bottom…

“Presidential candidate and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley strongly proposes raising the program’s retirement age on the premise that increased life spans are undermining Social Security’s long-term solvency.  If long-held assumptions about longevity were challenged, and potential losses to low-income workers and low-income states caused by raising the eligibility age came to light, would she change her position?  Republican candidate Donald Trump, by the way, opposes cuts in Social Security as do most Democrats…”

Thanks to the Washington Examiner for running this op-ed:

Senate minimum wage bills make bipartisan compromise possible – Washington Examiner

For longer version with references, see:

Senate minimum wage bills make bipartisan compromise possible.  Now for the political energy to get it done. – Karl Polzer/CCSE

Previous work on this issue:

One way to make living easier in Virginia – letter to WaPost

Yes, raise the minimum wage, but don’t stop there – op-ed

Analysis: Considerations on Raising the U.S. Minimum Wage To Help Workers and Families While Minimizing Negative Impacts

The US should take a hard look at the Netanyahu government’s brutality before giving it more weapons – Karl Polzer/CCSE

“More Americans are rightly asking if Israel could neutralize Hamas without massive destruction and loss of civilian life.  Indiscriminate air attacks by the Netanyahu regime already have killed and injured tens of thousands of Gazans with no end to the violence in sight.  To put this in perspective, imagine how Washington, D.C., would look if a foreign government with the power to fence in the District of Columbia dropped a comparable number of bombs here while shutting off access to water and food and destroying most of the capital area’s housing and medical system.  UN officials say conditions in Gaza are catastrophic.”

Thanks to the Washington Post for publishing our letter to the editor:

One way to make living easier in Virginia – Karl Polzer/letter to WaPost

“Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) told reporters he is ‘concerned about the cost of living in Virginia and we’re continuing to evaluate how best to address that,’ as reported in the Nov. 26 Metro article ‘Budget battle looms in Virginia. Facing a tighter fiscal environment and Democratic control of the legislature, Mr. Youngkin and fellow Republicans could help working families without denting the budget by making an expected Democratic push for a higher minimum wage a bipartisan affair.

“The GOP has been trying to attract more minority and working-class voters. However, party leaders have stopped short of addressing core economic issues, such as supporting higher wages and better benefits, and mainly stress cultural issues…”

Background Information on these issues provided to Virginia legislators

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