James McCusker

Another interest rate hike by the Fed seems likely

Is it the right move to cool inflation? The economy will tell us.

ATT wrong to hassle pensioners over accounting error

Corporations have been treated as people legally since 1886, so we would think that AT&T would have gotten the hang of it by now. Recently… Continue reading

Care about your employees and they will be productive

Care about your employees and they will be productive

Workplace experiments produce puzzling results, but may offer one vital realization.

Care about your employees and they will be productive

Lowered expectations can mean a more corrupt society

When we accept broken promises and self-dealing, we should expect the consequences.

Small business could benefit from a skunk works

Solving problems and developing new products can be done much faster outside the usual bureaucracy.

Indentured servitude re-emerges in higher education

“Unconquered,” a 1947 Cecil B. DeMille Technicolor epic, may very well be the only major Hollywood movie having indentured servitude as a central element of… Continue reading

How to build a world-class medical care system

Of course, it’s not going to happen in our politicized world.

Don’t fear the yield curve

There are always a lot of things to worry about in our economy. The yield curve isn’t one of them.

Homelessness is an economics problem

Instead of new buildings and taxes, local government should partner with charities on the issue.

First order of business for education: improve K-12 system

“Promise programs” for community college are a good step, but there are more urgent needs.

On presidential legacies and the economy

How they deal with the economy they inherit can give us a sense of their strengths and shortcomings.

Seattle mayor’s free community college idea has some merit

We don’t know how it would be paid for, but students failed by the K-12 system need a second chance.

What’s behind the NFL player protests? Control

The players want more control over their workplace and careers.

Taxes and debt stand in way of prosperity

Wise economic management can help those left behind economically.

High court did us no favors with sports gambling ruling

The odds-driven view of life is corroding our society and country.

Occam’s Razor may apply to employment-inflation puzzle

Occam’s Razor may apply to employment-inflation puzzle

The question at hand: why haven’t wages gone up as the job market tightened?

Occam’s Razor may apply to employment-inflation puzzle
Universal Basic Income idea is back, as flawed as ever

Universal Basic Income idea is back, as flawed as ever

It’s touted as a way to deal with job displacement caused by robots, but we need better ideas.

Universal Basic Income idea is back, as flawed as ever
Return policy speaks volumes about company’s values, strategy

Return policy speaks volumes about company’s values, strategy

Managers can make good policy through understanding and respecting their customers.

Return policy speaks volumes about company’s values, strategy

A new trade war won’t help us, or the Chinese

The most productive way to view the tariffs on China is that they are a negotiating tactic.

Giant power storage ‘batteries’ show promise

The systems could reduce the impact of power outages, whether they’re caused by storms or hackers.