Robert Reich: the cause of today's inflation in the US is a lack of competition. Businesses raise prices even though they are making great profits already, because there is nothing to stop them.

The Federal Reserve's chair, a Republican that Biden reappointed in the teeth of progressive demands not to do so, is using that inflation as an opportunity to cool down the economy. That will hamper unionization — surely a Republican's goal.

However, the Omicron variant is likely to cool the economy quite a bit in January. Even if few get badly sick from Omicron, many will have to stay home. Many businesses will have to reduce service. So will hospitals; people will die from that, including people with diseases other than Covid.

Peng Shuai made a recorded announcement that she never accused a high official of some sexual crime. We know this is false — people saw her statement. She did accuse him.

For a ruling organization that has contempt for truth, such as the Chinese Communist Party or the Republican Party, it is perfectly acceptable to flat-out deny what people know. In China, hardly anyone dares contradict an official lie. Republicans have convinced tens of millions of cultists to believe lies willingly when they come from the cult's leaders. Partly because they expect to be drummed out of the cult if they ever disagree.

I don't see any description of what Peng said the official did, other than "sexual assault", which is not specific. It covers a wide range, so we don't know what kind of act she is talking about. However, in this case I expect it had to be rather grave, to motivate her to take such a risk.

*New York Times Reporting on Airstrikes Should Give Daniel Hale More Credit. And call for Biden to immediately pardon him.*

Tories plan to ask retired British teachers to fill in when the regular teachers are out sick with Covid-19. Here's what the request would look like.

*More than 167,000 US children have lost a caregiver to Covid.*

The wrecker and the Republican Party are to blame for making it so many.