farmer448

Putting Deficits into Perspective

The only problem with the analysis is we have things like TIPS and cost of living adjustments. People forget that in the inflation of 1973 through 1980 the middle class was again hosed. Thus the use of inflation as a hidden tax was greatly reduced.


Congress has a lot of tough issues on its plate. It is time for the electorate to force congress to act or do not re-elect them.

What Leads to Market Bottoms?

Mr. Banks,

The most important thing that happened after 9/11 is the FAA mandated the locking of cockpit doors.

The last time this happened was in the 1970s when the PLO was hijacking. And as Gomer Pyle used to say, Surprise Surprise the hijacking stop.

Yes searching at a gate is important, but the Theater of the TSA searching is gone to the absurd.

So when you are thinking about terrorism, how do you keep hijackers out of the cockpit of Planes, Trucks and Trains....

Friday Market Recap

Gee could it be Friday was also triple witching....

Deflation Is Just Around the Corner

Deflation is everywhere. Stocks, home prices, Commodities, Confidence in out government.

Wall Street Breakfast: Must-Know News

Citigroup and Wachovia the two ethical banks. So Wachovia made an agreement with Wells Fargo. No Problem, Managements in banks do not have to keep their word. Another reason to doubt the credibility of Wall Street and to realize, Agreements between Mnagements are just so much toilet paper.

No Wonder the $700 Billion Bailout 'Deal' Failed

For you older folk I liken Paulson to Bullwinkle the Moose. Bullwinkle would be on stage as a Magician and say "Watch me pull a rabbit out of the Hat". And Bang out would pop a lions head.

This whole charade is nothing but misdirection with the results being unpredictable, and probably just as bad if not worse then the course we are on now.

If the credit markets are seizing, which credit markets. Short term financing (30-90 days)? Intermediate term (3-6 years), or long term?

If you don't have the data as to what is wrong, then how in the world are you to craft an appropriate solution? Washington has a huge "Credibility Gap" with the public and they are not helping matters here. The perception (right or wrong) is throw money at Wall Street.

In my experience, throwing money at a problem very rarely solves the problem.

The Fannie/Freddie Bailout: Consequences to the U.S. Taxpayer

Hey whats a few hundred billion added to the 10 trillion of national debt.

Laissez-faire policies screwed us in the 1920's, in the savings and loan debacle of 1985 and now for the first economic screwup of th 22d century. Regulation is setting the rules that economic players must adhere to. Checks and balances in our society keep it from going off track. Lately both Governmental and Economic Checks and Balances have been eliminated by the "True Believers" leaving the practical practitioners twisting in the wind.

So how do you like the new Casino called Wall Street. You cannot trust what anyone says anymore.

Bracing for Another Round of Credit Related Woes

You want to look at a similar time, look at the runup to th 72 elections where the fed pumped the economy. Commodities were inflationary and stagflation was born as a term. I believe while studying the oracles bones that this will not be a short recession.

Why Core Inflation?

Of course it always helps when you jigger the numbers to make your supposed inflation outcomes look better.

The numbers are supposed to give policy makers the information they need about the economy to make good decisions.

So throwing out energy costs has had the effect of allowing imported energy to become to important to our economies success. In the microeconomic sense it is like being captured by your sole supplier of critical components

And golly gee fed folks how hard is it to track median home costs to median income. So what could it possibly mean that the median home costs move from 2.5/3 to more than 5 times median income. (especially when your talking credit/pricing/ inflation)

So get out of your models and your office, and walk around in the economy you are trying to manage

Weekly Street Sentiment: The Fed Never Got Gramm’s Memo

So according to Aggie Phil Gramm the matrix is real and we are all in suspended animation.. Whoopee

PPI: the Numbers behind the Numbers

Please wake up. Core versus full PPI is meaningless. Fuel has been volatile in only one direction, up.

Bankruptcy Reform Act Finally Blows Sky High

THe banks forgot two impotant principles:
1. TINSTAFEL, first law of economics, there ain't no such thing as a free lunch.

2. What goes around comes around. Trust is a very strong commodity. So when you make your customer part of a hugh sting on the bond market, don't be surprised when your customer acts like you and declares bankruptcy.

Hardball in Vallejo, California

So it is time for Cities and states to take a play from the Continental Airlines playbook. Abrogate your labor contracts in Bankruptcy court.

Now if only the citizen could have the same options but the Banks Own congress and limited access to bankruptcy. Maybe Corporations and Cities should also go to credit counseling before declaring bankruptcy like citizens.