You Think Your Vote Counts. Think Again!

Repeat Performance

Japan has a debt-to-GDP ratio of 280%. China is at 300% debt-to-GDP. China has over $34 trillion of debt, and its banking system is flooded with bad loans. The best estimate is that China banks have $11 trillion of bad loans . That $11 trillion is the annual GDP of China.

In addition, Europe, Latin America, and Russia are in big trouble. Also, you have OPEC in deep financial trouble because of the depressed oil prices. No, I did not leave out the United States. Its economy is bad, national debt-GDP ratio of 104%. However, relatively speaking, its economy is simply the strongest of the weakest, which is one reason why I am bullish on the dollar. Strengthening of the dollar should continue as the sovereign debt crisis unfolds.

Where is the Hair, Hollande?

"Hollande is a socialist to the core; he claims to hate the rich, yet spends taxpayers’ money like nobody else. He spends $14,500 for haircuts. Sorry, but they charge me $11 for a haircut at “Great Clips,” and I give a $5 tip. I cannot imagine anyone ever spending that much to have their hair done monthly. Only a socialist would spend that much on so little hair."

What "Rule of Law?"

FBI Director Comey has presented his findings and Clinton will not be indicted. Please read "18 U.S. Code 793 (f and g)" after reading Comey's findings and ask yourself if we still have a "Rule of Law" here in the United States.

Haven't the Last Eight Years Been Great?

Marcionism

Marcion (85-159 CE): Denied the validity of the Hebrew Bible for Christians. He wished to separate Christianity from Judaism.  He taught that there were two Gods: Yahuah, the cruel God of the Old Testament, and Abba, the kind father of the New Testament.  He completely rejected the Old Testament, and any New Testament scriptures that favored the Jews.  As a matter of fact, he deleted any references to Yahusha's Jewishness.  

What Would You Rather Have?

Did Barron's Just Jink the Market?

The Forgotten Depression Of 1921: "The Crash That Cured Itself"

Whole Lot of Truth

Forty-Five Percent of Americans Pay No Federal Income Tax

That is right!  According to the Tax Policy Center, 45%, or approximately 78 million households do not pay any federal income taxes.  "Roughly half pay no federal income tax because they have no taxable income, and the other roughly half get enough tax breaks to erase their tax liability, explains Roberton Williams, a senior fellow at the Tax Policy Center.  On average, those in the bottom 40% of the income spectrum end up getting money from the government. Meanwhile, the richest 20% of Americans, by far, pay the most in income taxes, forking over nearly 87% of all the income tax collected by Uncle Sam."

It is time for the "Fair Tax" where everyone would have "some skin" in the game.

President Harding and President Coolidge: What I Learned From Their Economic Policies

Tax cuts and budget surpluses go hand-in hand with economic growth; while tax hikes, budget deficits, and growth in government go hand-in-hand with economic disaster.  A great article to learn about such policies is entitled, "The Forgotten Depression of 1920." 

No One Really Cares About Economic Reality. Right?

Are You Sick of Taxes, Yet? Get Ready for Government is Going All In!

Here We Go Again!

215,000 New Jobs Created in March 2016

Tonight's headline on your local TV station will tout the creation of 215,000 jobs that were created in March.  However, what will not be reported is where the majority of those so-called new jobs were created.  From the above chart, the top three top sectors -- "Education & Health, Retail Trade, and Leisure & Hospitality" -- accounted for 65% of all job gains. This "growth" of minimum wage jobs took place while some of the highest paying jobs, including mining & logging, manufacturing, and transportation & warehousing all posted declines in March. But, as I stated, you will not receive this type of information on your local TV station this evening. 

Keynesian's Wealth Effect?

In the Keynesian Demand Model, personal consumption expenditures, which accounts for something like 70% of GDP, are primarily determined by one's disposable income.  Since real salaries and wages have been declining for the past eight years, this is one reason why GDP's growth has been so anemic. Realizing what has been happening to salaries and wages, the Fed has increasing relied on asset inflation (stock market) to make the consumer feel wealthier (wealth effect) and, of course, feel more comfortable with one's personal financial well being. If individuals feel wealthier due to the rise in the stock market, then, the model predicts that the consumption function, buying by consumers, would shift upward causing GDP to increase. Bad news from the above chart is that the Consumer Comfort Index is diverging from the stock market, which calls into question the positive impact of the so-called wealth effect on the economy.  

NATO's Defense Expenditures

For 2015, NATO's defense expenditures amounted to $900,473,000,000.  Our part of the $900+ billion was $649,931,000,000, or 72% of NATO"s defense expenditures.  In regard to the percentage of our GDP, that mounts to 3.62%.  I don't know about you, but I definitely believe that 27 member NATO countries should take on a greater percentage of the financial burden. (Currently, there are 28 members of NATO, including the United States.)  I am not saying that the United States should get out of NATO. Simply saying, that it is about time that 27 countries need to take on a greater financial responsibility for their own defense. Let's cut our financial support in half.  Our domestic economy could use $325 billion on its home front to defend our borders.

How Did That Turn Out for You?

Subprime Auto Delinquencies Soar Past 2008 Crisis Levels -- But, It is Different This Time, Right?