Mitch McConnell health mystery recalls similar senatorial cover-up around Las Vegas

Posted on by July 7, 2026
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senatorial cover-up

Key Pittman

Washington, D.C., is aflutter with rumors that Mitch McConnell, the senior senator from Kentucky and former Republican majority leader, is seriously ill or even worse. The 84-year-old, who has had a string of health problems in recent years, hasn’t been seen in public in weeks, amid news accounts suggesting he had a serious heart attack at his Washington home on June 14 and even unconscious for a time. Yesterday, the political trade pub The Hill, accidentally published–and retracted–what seemed to be an obituary. McConnell’s aides haven’t had much to say other than he is receiving “excellent care.”

McConnell is leaving the Senate in early January, but his illness has occasioned a fair amount of political speculation and even intrigue. If he can’t serve out his remaining term, it’s possible under convoluted Kentucky law there would have to be an open all-comers race for a short-term seat, the results of which could pare the narrow GOP margin in the Senate or even flip the seat. Clearly, Republicans have every electoral motive to keep a lid on news about McConnell’s medical condition.

Sort of like Nevada Democrats did in 1940 for one of their own. Continue reading →

From Las Vegas: boom, bubble, bust–250 years of American history in just three words (Part 4)

Posted on by July 4, 2026
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boom bubble bust

Big birthday card

Our 250th national birthday celebration is tomorrow. So I’m concluding my four-part overview from the New To Las Vegas world headquarters of the entire financial history of the United States. In my opinion, this history can be captured in just three words: boom, bubble, bust. I recently described in Part 1, which you can read by clicking here, my perspective of the first century of American independence to 1876. Part 2, which you can read by clicking here, covered the next half-century to 1926. Part 3, which you can read by clicking here, got us up to our 200th birthday in 1976.

By the time of the bicentennial 50 yeas ago, the U.S. had experienced 33 boom-bubble-and-bust cycles consuming, with recoveries, about two-thirds of its then-200 years of existence, one cycle every three years. For better or for worse, financial volatility was firmly baked into our culture.You might ask, where are things heading right now? Keep reading. Continue reading →

From Las Vegas: boom, bubble, bust–250 years of American history in just three words (Part 3)

Posted on by June 25, 2026
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boom bubble bustThere’s less than 10 days to go until our 250th national birthday celebration on July 4, so I’m running out of time. This is my continuing overview from the New To Las Vegas world headquarters of the entire financial history of the United States. In my judgment, this can be summarized in just three words: boom, bubble, bust. I recently described in Part 1, which you can read by clicking here, my perspective of the first century of American independence. Part 2, which you can read by clicking here, covered the next half-century to 1926. This is Part 3, getting us up to our 200th birthday in 1976.

By the time of the bicentennial, the U.S. had experienced 33 boom-bubble-and-bust cycles consuming, with recoveries, about two-thirds of its then-200 years of existence, one cycle every three years. For better or for worse, financial volatility was firmly baked into our culture. Continue reading →

From Las Vegas: boom, bubble, bust–250 years of American history in just three words (Part 2)

Posted on by June 14, 2026
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boom bubble bust

Birth announcement

As we race toward our big 250th national birthday bash on July 4, I’m continuing my review from the New To Las Vegas world headquarters of the financial history of the United States. In my assessment, it can be summarized in just three words: boom, bubble, bust. I recently described in Part 1, which you can read here, my perhaps-contrarian view of the first century of American independence. This is Part 2, covering the next half-century to 1926.

The big ups-and-down started early–in 1775, just three years after the Declaration of Independence, to be exact. I ran out of room at 1876, by which time the still-young country had experienced 12 BB&B cycles covering about 58 years. Less than half the century was not part of some economic rock-and-roll. We celebrated the Double O smack dab in the middle of the Long Depression, where I left off. The volatility didn’t lessen after that. So here we continue. Continue reading →