13 Comments

A bit of inflation has been well worth avoiding all the other far worse outcomes from the pandemic. I’ve also learned more about how Modern Monetary Theory describes our post-Bretton Woods monetary system.

Expand full comment

We need to come to grips with the notion that white nationalists (AKA, the Republican Party) do not think life is worth living if white folks aren't in charge. The GOP is now at a point where they'd rather see the country blown apart rather than let Democrats succeed and allow Americans of any color other than white to rise and flourish. We should believe Mitch McConnell and his minions when they say they won't increase the ludicrous "debt limit" this December and will be quite content to plunge the world into utter financial chaos. We are headed for a Showdown at the "Not OK Corral."

It is astonishing that Donald Trump is not already behind bars. If Democrats lack the gumption to throw him in jail, then I'm afraid all will be lost to the forces of evil.

Expand full comment

I feel it is very inconsiderate to Stephanie Kelton bring racial polcies & accusations onto her ecomonic platform.

But since you have:

I assune you are talking about the far left wing narratives (which I consider to be misleading) about CRT & schools & uni.

Have you considered that you exist in a strong echo chamber on this topic? I don't think i do, i do listen to people whi make such claims as you do.

If not, have you ever listened to the many "People of Colour" & better critics such as Coleman Hughes who try to invite people of the CRT related movement Priestly Class like X Kendi onto their YouTube Channel for a discussion?

The most powerful & privileged people in the "its not really CRT Movement" always seems to avoid this. When they do not, it doesn't go in their favour.

The opposition to the "thats not CRT type" Movement being practiced in schools & Uni is precisely due to:

(A) The sneakiness & lying about what is taught to their children.

(B) Not honouring Consent of Parents, as if teachers own the students.

(C) Practicing & Teaching students to be racist & see each other exclusively through the lens of racial or racist ideology, instead of discussion & various viewpoints once the students are old enough to think & argue for themsleves.

(D) The notion that an ideology should be put first ahead of the variety of human experince.

That is a form of gas-lighting.

Expand full comment

(E) The racist notion that you Americans seem to have in particular, that everything should be seen through the lens of race by default, not evidence for which explanation fits the data or facts.

(F) The prejudiced & sometimes racist(depending on a person's position of power & priviledge) notion that we should hold ppl to double standards based on their skin tone.

(G) The easily disproven belief that all group discrepancies must be due to racial prejudice (but ignored when the data that directly contradicts this, such as some non white & also African descendant groups out perform so called "white people".

Basically I consider you a racist, and you probably consider me a racist, because I believe equality of opportunity/access & equality of ethical standards, instead of an enforced racial hierachy - even if affirmative action would be applied consistently, without racial double standards.

So, why do you accuse me of "racism", why do you believe that?

Or is it simply a manipulative technique being used by you or on you?

Growing up as a white liberal progressive, I often saw it used as the latter, for power, superiority or to shut down inquiry.

Thanks =^)

Expand full comment

I assume Stephanie Kelton wants her blog to focus on Economics anyway.

Btw Republican Leaders who are not light skinned like Larry Elder just get racist epithets thrown at them because the far left considers them "race traitors". IMAGINE if a black democrat had someone in a gorilla mask do the same (Larry Elder). Do you acknowledge the massive double standard that your own media subjects people to based on Party Affiliation?

Btw i am a fan of Yang & Forward Party, neither Dem or GOP.

Expand full comment

Well, you're open-minded enough to read Stephanie Kelton's work, so I suppose there's still hope for you. A good starting point for your further education would be Ta-Nehisi Coates' June 2014 Atlantic article, "The Case for Reparations." Good luck.

Expand full comment

Just curious, but what was it about this post that made you think race was brought into it?

Expand full comment

Any response that addresses our economic stalemate MUST be seen through the prism of white nationalism (AKA, the Republican Party). It doesn't matter how persuasive the MMT take on things is to the rest of us, the reason the Republican Party won't agree is because they fear that American politics will be overwhelmed by People of Color. Now this is NOT to say that these folks will automatically line up politically with Democrats. I am arguing that Republicans' worst nightmare is that People of Color will take over the Republican--as well as--the Democratic Party. In other words, Blacks, Latinos, Asians, Indians, Native Americans and Muslims will be running the country, regardless of their party affiliation. And then where will the white nationalists go for solace? Ask yourself this: Why is Russia (and Putin) suddenly so attractive to the right wing? Well, there about 75,000 citizens of African descent living in Russia--out of a population of about 144 million. American white nationalists look at this and proclaim: "That's what I'm talking about!"

BTW, how can any discussion of the American economy NOT involve a critique of our racial history?

Expand full comment

Good to know. BTW we're all of African descent.

Expand full comment

We're ALL of African descent!

Expand full comment

Thank you, Stephanie, for the bright side. It is true that the supply chain will reconfigure eventually. I still think the real estate prices should be included into inflation metrics. The are a lot of "house poor" and "insurance poor" people whom the economists consider to be middle class.

Expand full comment

Hi Stephanie, great piece! Do you think at some point you could write about the various measurements of inflation (CPI, PCE, "core CPI"), which ones matter most, and why they variously include or exclude food, energy, and housing? Thx!

Expand full comment

+1 on this.

Expand full comment