South By North Strategies, Ltd.

Editor’s Note

Policy Points is taking a few days off to celebrate the Independence Day holiday. Posting will resume on July 6, 2012. Thanks for your interest in the blog

Around The Dial – July 2, 2012

Economic policy reports, blog postings, and media stories of interest:

• The New York Times reports on unemployment in the Eurozone.
• The News & Observer analyzes job growth in North Carolina.
• Economix explains “the price tags for parents.”
• Joseph Gagnon argues that “the Fed shirks its duties.”
• Simon Johnson flags more problems at the New York Fed.

The Impact Of “Obamacare”

A recent infographic from the Center for American Progress explores “how Obamacare impacts people of color.”

Skip The Fourth?

Naked Capitalism takes down the annoying tendency to attribute social and political outcomes to popular attitudes while ignoring the roles of structures and propaganda in producing those attitudes in the first place.

So while there is no easy way to turn to regain control of a cultural commons so throughly under the sway of well heeled corporate interests, perhaps we can start to engage in small acts of reprogramming. While I am not telling you to skip Fourth of July fireworks, it might be time to recognize key events that help us look at our history with fresh eyes. Perhaps we should quietly celebrate what we still have of the America our founders envisaged, say on the anniversary of the signing of the articles of Confederation (a protracted affair, with the last signature affixed on March 1, 1781) or their replacement with the Constitution on March 4, 1789. But regardless of how individuals go about it, the more we recognize how cultural memes are created and propagated, the more hope we have of freeing ourselves from them.

Around The Dial – June 29, 2012

Economic policy reports, blog postings, and media stories of interest:

• Brad DeLong explains “the perils of prophecy.”
• Working Economics points out how “Apple’s shine is fading.”
• Off the Charts analyzes the most recent state budget trends.
• Fed Watch is still frustrated and waiting.