In my long investment career, nothing has worked harder against my success than the negative compounding effect of inflation. Every year inflation reduces the value of the money I have worked hard to save, and impedes my progress in reaching my investment goals. In March of 2010, I explained to readers the effects of inflation I had seen in my lifetime. I wrote: Nickels & Dimes You may have had a similar experience growing up to the one I’m about to tell you. The early 1950s was a great time to be a kid, even more so for me in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, with Paul Brown and Otto Graham … [Read more...]
Archives for May 2019
Will MMT Be the “Millennial Monetary Theory?”
Is the Modern Monetary Theory becoming the Millennial Monetary Theory? Textbooks teaching MMT have sold out. Colleges and universities are adopting the unorthodox theory into their curricula. It's quite possible the next generation of students will be influenced greatly by MMT. Bloomberg's Enda Curran and Katia Dmitrieva report: If book sales are any guide, then Modern Monetary Theory is gaining traction. The unorthodox doctrine, which says governments have spare capacity to borrow and spend, has won attention on Wall Street and enemies (as well as a few friends) in Washington. Now, it’s … [Read more...]
New Jersey Taking Small Steps to Pension Reform. Is it too Little too Late?
America's pension systems are in trouble. Here's a little sample of what's gone wrong: Illinois: New Governor, Same Old Pension Pyramid Scheme Is Your State’s Pension System about to Collapse? Pensions are Still Hiding from the Truth Connecticut: Big Government Utopia Begins to Crack Broke States Trying New Tricks to Wrangle Lending California Pensions Continue to Make Headlines Pensions in a Load of Trouble Fuzzy Math Can’t Hide This State’s Pension Trouble Anymore In light of the pension troubles facing New Jersey, politicians are finally starting to take steps … [Read more...]
GE Stokes the Yellow Vest Fire
In Paris recently, I saw the sad but determined looks on the faces of the Yellow Vest protesters. They are angry about France's decreasing competitiveness, and that their jobs are being threatened or eliminated. Every Saturday for months now they have assembled in France's cities to mark their discontent, and they have received little in the way of a response from the Macron administration. The influence of the Yellow Vests and other unhappy Frenchmen was apparent in the recent EU parliamentary elections, in which President Emmanuel Macron's party was trounced by that of nationalist … [Read more...]
Possible Fed Nominee Questions Dual Mandate
Judy Shelton, a possible nominee for the Federal Reserve board of governors, has questioned the Fed's dual mandate, that is, to target full employment and stable prices. Traditionally the two goals are thought to be at odds with one another. Shelton isn't the first to question the dual mandate, and I agree with her that it does seem unworkable. Bloomberg reports on Shelton's comments here: Judy Shelton, a conservative economist being considered by the White House for a spot on the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors, isn’t convinced the goals set for it by Congress are relevant for the U.S. … [Read more...]
Can Brick and Mortar Stores Ever Catch Up Online?
In response to Amazon's complete revolution of the retail industry, many companies with traditionally brick and mortar operations are racing to catch up online. Many are acquiring smaller online startups in an effort to to just that, but is it enough? Tige Savage reports at Revolution: Many top retail and consumer products companies are now facing the moment when their leadership is at peril as consumer behaviors permanently shift away from store-based buying and faceless packaged goods to online-oriented consumption and authentic brands. The megadeals everyone was talking about in 2016 … [Read more...]
China’s Rare Earth Threat is a Symptom of the Problem Trump is Fighting
Bloomberg has reported that China is threatening to restrict the supplies of rare earth metals as part of its ongoing trade war with the United States. This isn't the first time China has used rare earths as a tool in its diplomacy. People who know the history of China's rare earths dominance should understand instantly why such a threat is indicative of why America must get tough on Chinese trade policies in the first place. China didn't come to dominate rare earth metals because of its natural endowment, but instead because the country subsidized production in order to eliminate … [Read more...]
Are Your Tax Dollars Paying Ghost Workers?
There are ghosts among us. No not supernatural beings from beyond the grave, but ghost workers. These are employees who spend their time working on union business, but get paid by taxpayers like you and me. These workers are a drain on government resources, and quite possibly illegal in many cases. According to the Rhode Island Center for Freedom and Prosperity's Mike Stenhouse, ghost workers are driving up property taxes and appear to be illegal. He writes: Providence, RI-- One of the most objectionable schemes of collective bargaining contracts with government unions are provisions not … [Read more...]
Illinois Goes Back to the Trough
Illinois politicians, led now by Governor J.D. Pritzker, are aiming to end constitutional protections of taxpayers in Illinois, and to raise taxes on the wealthiest in the state. Naively, those politicians pushing for the increase in taxes presume that the move will prevent future deficits. Raising taxes hasn't seemed to do that in the past, so it is hard to imagine why that would work now. It seems more likely the tax increases will lead to a faster flight of Illinois' remaining wealthy citizens. Bloomberg's Elizabeth Campbell and Amanda Albright report: Illinois lawmakers paved the way for … [Read more...]
885 Million Financial Records Exposed Online
When I discuss financial security with clients and investors, I always encourage them to be proactive. The only person who will ever make your security the absolute highest priority is you. As part of my never complete efforts to protect myself from financial fraud, I have signed up for LifeLock (I am not a paid LifeLock advocate, I just believe in the product). Recently LifeLock users were warned of the exposure of 885 million financial records from First American Financial Corp. The company emailed users: On Friday, an independent security journalist revealed that First American … [Read more...]
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