John Ganz is a trending young writer on the left with a history bent, and his new book from Farrar, Straus and Giroux, “When the Clock Broke,” is largely a political recapitulation of 1992 in the U.S. His angle is that the populist resentments of today’s MAGA America were present in that late-recessionary year, inContinue reading “Review of ‘When the Clock Broke’ by Ganz”
Category Archives: General Blog
Home Prices Tend to Level Out, If Not Off
Wait long enough, and many difference in residential real-estate prices get arbitraged away. That’s one takeaway, at least down to the metropolitan area, from this week’s data release from the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). It shows several instances of catch-up by areas of the country that have been less favored in recent decades. MaybeContinue reading “Home Prices Tend to Level Out, If Not Off”
Last Shot at New Golf in Greater Hamptons
When an 18-hole golf club—private and exclusive—opens in the next couple of years at the controversial Lewis Road luxury development in East Quogue, it will mark the latest and probably the last of 135 years of links building on and around the South Fork of Long Island. This will bring to 20 the number ofContinue reading “Last Shot at New Golf in Greater Hamptons”
Ruptured Democracy? Add a Think Tank
A full-page advertisement (there are still a few!) in today’s print New York Times salutes an act of philanthropy but is full of ironies. The gift is $59 million from the HMO fortune of Leonard Schaeffer and his wife to the University of Southern California, for establishment of a (named for him) Institute for PublicContinue reading “Ruptured Democracy? Add a Think Tank”
A Twilight Strategy on Hong Kong
The grim progression of bloody autocrats in major as well as lesser quarters of the globe can make for personal and political paralysis here in the U.S. When Alexei Navalny is snuffed out in Russia and Vladimir Putin grinds on to occupy Ukraine, or when Xi Jinping stamps out dissent in greater China and pursuesContinue reading “A Twilight Strategy on Hong Kong”
He Comes to Bury the Tax Cutters
Michael J. Graetz long ago established himself as a nettle in the side of those who promote lower tax rates for economic growth–in recent times what’s known as a “supply-side” agenda. Today Princeton University Press publishes the Ivy League law professor’s book chronicling the last 45 years of that cause, “The Power to Destroy: HowContinue reading “He Comes to Bury the Tax Cutters”
Hamptons Farmland: A Death and a Legacy
A significant but underappreciated aspect of the South Fork of Long Island land-preservation story is the role that old farming families have played. This is particularly true of the Polish clans that so prominently figured in the agricultural belt below the moraine that runs along the Water Mill to Bridgehampton stretch, some of the mostContinue reading “Hamptons Farmland: A Death and a Legacy”
Was Hamptons Democrats’ Sweep a Clean One?
Election of Maria Moore as supervisor of Southampton town on Long Island was said by her backers to be a “green” triumph, but the Democrat got a big financial boost from a golf course mogul who masked his support.
Long Island’s East Is Far from Red
Despite Ed Romaine’s victory in Suffolk County, New York, Democrats achieved significant wins in Long Island’s elections. They dominated in East Hampton, presumably clinched a victory in Southampton, and tied in Southold. These gains, especially in Southampton, reflect a shift from its historic GOP stronghold status, highlighting the increasing strength of the Democrats, amidst changing demographics and policy preferences.
Come 2024, the Kitchen Table Issues Reemerge
When wide attention refocuses on the economy, the political importance of GDP, inflation, income stress and grievous inequality will return to the fore. It won’t be any clearer which way all the data are cutting. There’s no question that “Bidenomics” made many people better off, at least until price increases worked through the system. TheContinue reading “Come 2024, the Kitchen Table Issues Reemerge”
Tim W. Ferguson 