I’m feeling under the weather, but the beat goes on.

* Steve Malanga recounts the history of a retirement perk at Public Sector Inc.

* Matt Yglesias writes on the dangers of “make-work liberalism,” and he offers an instructive look at the trajectory of occupational safety in the U.S. There’s been a mini-vogue for anti-neoliberal commentary, and for seeing the kind of public policy exchanges we have in this space as more of a class struggle exercise than as an effort to figure out stuff. I’ve been impressed by Matt’s willingness to engage these arguments frequently and directly.

* Uri Friedman offers a useful summary of the cocoa crisis.

* Casey Mulligan argues that consumer spending might not be as central as Keynesian economists suggest.

* A great post by Will Wilkinson, riffing on Ezra Klein’s fascinating interview with Tom Vilsack. The interview is a wonderful illustration of the clashing worldviews that lie beneath the surface of our various awkward political coalitions, a subject I hope to revisit. Will also links to a thought-provoking post on patriotism as “status socialism” that is well worth a look.

* Are the rich democracies running out of fiscal space?

I should note that while I haven’t waded into the comments, but I do read them and I’m grateful for your time and attention.