MB221

Stock Market Investor Depression

"Yes, I believe it is time to lose faith in the equity markets. At least in one sense. They are not responding rationally, so you can’t use them as an indicator of future earnings discounted for risk. Case in point, the market doesn’t move on earnings reports anymore. It moves on government bailout news."

You hit the nail right on the head... sorta. The equity markets are indeed acting irrationally and volatility is through the roof. Why? The market moves on government news instead of particular sector/company news, like it should.

It's time to lose faith in government interventions, not the equities market. Stakeholders don't know how to move, because they don't know if/how the game will change tomorrow because of some new government "regulation" or "bailout" that may come to light. As long as the government seems to believe it can intervene and save everyone, the volatility in the marketplace will persist.

The government needs to get the F*** out of the game and let the marketplace clean itself up. Big Brother may have good intentions, but he's making all the wrong moves, just by making moves! Less is more...

Stock Market Investor Depression

"I wish I could give your comment a few hundred thumbs down.

Where in the wide world of sports do you find a better economic system than the free-market system? I've studied history intensely (have an MA and did most of the work toward a PHD in it before I decided on other pursuits) and the capitalist system is the only one that even comes close to working long-term. I'm no Pollyanna but things could be a LOT worse."


I couldn't agree with you more. The comment above yours seems, unfortunately, like the mindset of many Americans right now. They seem to believe we actually have a pure capitalist system in our country, and that it's the problem. In reality, we are much closer to a fascist state, where the public and private sectors are much too intertwined to even be considered true capitalism. Capitalism is NOT the problem, the government interventions in the marketplace is the problem. PLEASE DO NOT LET THEM FOOL YOU! We need LESS government regulation, not more!!!

Bank Bailouts vs. Loans: The Myth

Socialism cannot compete! pretty much hit the nail right on the head as far as income taxes go. I STRONGLY recommend checking out the history of the income tax in the U.S. -- what you find will likely surprise you (Example: The U.S. SUPREME COURT decided in 1895 that the Income Tax was UNCONSTITUTIONAL. The constitution hasn't changed since then.... so what mad the government decide it was OK to be unconstitutional in the name of prosperity?? Answer : Greed.)

I firmly believe a restructuring of government revenue is in order if we hope to reduce its ever-growing power (and not surprisingly its ever-growing debt). Abolish income tax altogether and possibly increase sales tax on a marginal basis (say higher rates for more expensive and "luxurious" non-necessity goods/services) to keep both the government AND consumer modest in their spending practices and thus increasing economic stability. Although this may sound great in theory, I believe the reality is that we are past the point of no return and nothing short of a revolution would change the minds of the current governing body.

Type in "History of the income tax" at your favored browser and do the research yourself.