Daily Musings — Thoughts on News of the Day
December 22, 2020
Half of Americans call 2020 a ‘personal financial disaster,’ plan to change priorities in 2021
Seven in ten say their financial priorities have changed from the start of 2020 to now. For 63 percent, this year has permanently changed their financial priorities.
It will take months for vaccines to help the economy
“In the meantime, the end of year holiday season will soon be upon us with the risk of another surge in Covid-19 cases and the possibility of yet more confinement measures.”
The next stimulus deal will be even harder to get
The first issue is the Senate, now controlled by Republicans who tolerate deficit spending when a Republican is in the White House but become fiscal hawks when a Democrat is president.
The Supreme Court might be finding its way to overturning ‘qualified immunity’
In a historic decision, the Supreme Court not only embraced damages as an appropriate and traditional remedy for violations of constitutional rights, but also rejected the government’s invitation to consider policy arguments in order to deny plaintiffs their day in court.
During crucial holiday season, US consumer confidence slumps
The December reading of 88.6 released Tuesday by the Conference Board is a sharp decline from last month, which was revised downward to 92.9, and it is far worse than economists had expected. It may be an ominous sign for an economy in which consumer spending accounts for 70% of all economic activity.
US public school enrollment dips as virus disrupts education
“I would like to hope that many of them are from homes where their parents have taken responsibility on their own to provide for their education…My fear is that large numbers have simply gotten discouraged and given up.”
Hollywood Boulevard Struggles Amid Pandemic: “75 Percent Is Boarded Up”
According to the Hollywood Partnership’s third-quarter report, 185 businesses remained closed in the area as of September.
Should We Worry About Older Workers With Nontraditional Jobs?
To answer the question, this brief synthesizes the findings of four recent Center studies on nontraditional jobs and older workers, a group that could be particularly vulnerable without employer benefits.
Read more at VicNapier.com and my Medium.com page.
Links may lead to sites where the author has an affiliate relationship.
