Steve Kelman on Politics, Culture, and Life
Steve Kelman, Harvard Kennedy School prof, moderate Dem, pro free speech/anti cancel culture, pro tax rich, pro-Israel. Research improving gov performance, China interest. Blog reprints Facebook posts
10.20.2021
Inflation worries
Both my distinguished economist colleagues Larry Summers and Jason Furman are separately quoted in the media today expressing worries about inflation.
China military preparations against Taiwan
The South China Morning Post reports that satellite images show China expanding and upgrading military facilities near Taiwan.
US state capitals not in major cities
The book I am reading on the Federalist era notes that part of the Jeffersonians dislike of cities led to a view that capitals not be areas where anything else of importance went on except government. New York moved its capital from New York City to Albany, Pennsylvania from Philadelphia to Harrisburg, South Carolina from Charlotte to Columbia. More American exceptionalism.
Establishing Washington DC
A book on the Federalist era I am reading discusses the founding of Washington DC. Louis XIV and Peter the Great had also both created new cities like this (Versailles and St. Petersburg), but both ordered people to go live there.
A victory for human decency
Andrew McCabe, deputy director of the FBI, was fired by Trump literally hours before his planned retirement for his work on the Russia investigation, depriving him of his pension. His pension has now been restored, and the record of his dismissal being expunged from his personnel record.
Clueless
Does anybody know whether the word “clueless” originated from the movie Clueless?
China expanding military facilities near Taiwan
The South China Morning Post reports that satellite images show China expanding and upgrading military facilities near Taiwan.