economics - Dr. Andrew Joseph Pegoda

Beto’s War Tax is Wrong (A Once Lost OpEd)

Back in June, I wrote the following article, intended to be an OpEd in a major publication but something happened, and I forgot about it until now. I’m sharing it here, as is, so the writing doesn’t go to “waste”! Beto O’Rourke’s proposed “War Tax” is noteworthy because it longs to go beyond Republican’s lipContinue reading “Beto’s War Tax is Wrong (A Once Lost OpEd)”

Notes on Invisible and Unpaid Labor

I regularly think about invisible labor and unpaid labor–it’s everywhere. For invisible labor: We don’t see the people who empty our office trash cans. We don’t know the people who pick our fruits and vegetables and who deliver them to our local stores. What if grocery stores had a picture of who picked our fruitContinue reading “Notes on Invisible and Unpaid Labor “

Big Business and the Media that Facilitates Its Lies, Chick-fil-A Edition

In September 2019, Chick-fil-A opened its first location outside of the United States in Toronto, Canada. The problem — this is a lie. Chick-fil-A actually opened its first location in Canada in the mid-1990s but was unsuccessful. Chick-fil-A attempted another, also unsuccessful, entrance into Canada in 2014. In addition, Chick-fil-A opened at least two (possiblyContinue reading “Big Business and the Media that Facilitates Its Lies, Chick-fil-A Edition”

Unemployment data is a distraction.

Despite rhetoric from businesses and governments, unemployment/employment statistics do not provide useful information. And worse, whether about the Great Depression or about today, they are a distraction. Unemployment data says nothing about: what work or employment mean what jobs pay available “benefits” how many jobs a person has how many hours a person works underemployment unofficial economiesContinue reading “Unemployment data is a distraction.”

Increasing Budgets, Empty Rooms, and Missing Representatives

As a graduate of Brazosport College and as a citizen who pays taxes to the Brazosport College Taxing District, I enjoy keeping up with some of its activities when/where possible. In 2007, voters approved a $70,000,000 bond. This bond included a number of items but two new buildings and various remodels accounted for the bulkContinue reading “Increasing Budgets, Empty Rooms, and Missing Representatives”

On the Limits of Poststructuralism

Of course, representations always matter. Both choices and implications. Disregarding the author and his/her/their background and intent (see, for example, “The Death of the Author”) is typically important when analyzing culture. Humans are generally blind to their own circumstances and why–truly why–they make the choices they make. Only with time can we begin to seeContinue reading “On the Limits of Poststructuralism”

Modern Life and the Problem of Memory

Several days ago, I was on the way to Houston to teach and suddenly had a fear that I had forgotten to put deodorant on that morning! (Luckily, I had put deodorant on, even though I never could retrieve that memory.) And this got me to thinking: We have a lot to remember each dayContinue reading “Modern Life and the Problem of Memory”