Tag Archives: Washington DC

Current Events

A Time to Heel

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Another great article from my friend Greg.

By: G. Maresca

Joe Biden’s “time for healing” and “stop treating our opponents as our enemies” speech was anything but Lincolnesque as the most divisive, volatile election since the Civil War has put many in doubt.

One teacher’s union has already demanded that Biden oppose any charter school expansion, while putting an end to school choice for Washington D.C.’s low-income families.  This is the same city that Biden won 93 percent of the vote.  With such gaudy numbers, Democrats must believe that everyone is as easily manipulated.

Biden’s Chief of Staff Ron Klain is a former lobbyist for Silicon Valley titans Google, Facebook and Twitter, so forget about restricting their monopoly of social media censorship.

For at least two generations, Democrats have amplified how politics is not about compromise, but unadulterated power.  Any opposition is accused of being racist, homophobic, and xenophobic bigots, who must be subdued by any means in a nation where once Judeo-Christian principles governed our hearts and minds.

Turning a jaundiced eye toward Biden’s platitudes after tens of millions of Americans remained convinced the election was stolen isn’t difficult.  Biden’s plea is political virtue-signaling in the first-degree. Leftists in government, media, sports, big-tech, and entertainment continue to wage a relentless smear campaign against Trump and those who voted for him.

Democrats arrogantly called themselves the “resistance” saying Trump was an “illegitimate” president before he was even sworn in.  So, after four years of character assassination, anti-Trump hysteria and impeachment, race baiting, rioting, looting, and arson Democrats now want healing.

In Biden, speak healing is code for tax dollars that will subsidize abortions, mask and vaccination mandates, open borders, Green New Deal, reparations, and tax increases.  Such actions will only exacerbate conflict and constitutional disputes.

Healing should include exposing any election fraud, no?

Reconciling will occur when the unbridled slaughter of the unborn ends, and when the Little Sisters of the Poor and every other faith group’s conscience is protected.

With healing comes truth and transparency.

How did Biden retail his influence as vice president to the Chinese, Russians and Ukrainians?  What about the police and business owners who were killed, injured and looted?   Are the blacks who supported Trump still black?  Are the nearly 74,000,000 voters for Trump still “systemic” racists?  What about AOC’s call for persecution of them?   What about Biden’s silence on the Gen. Flynn cabal, the Mueller decapitation, and the Steele dossier, knowing they were all a pack of lies?  The left has not only opposed Trump’s policies; they have opposed his very existence.  And now after such debauchery, they insist on singing a chorus of kumbaya’s?

Provided Biden is serious, he will get plenty of flak from his own party. And don’t forget Kamala Harris beacons a heartbeat away.

The healing Biden desires only happens after amputations.

Healing and unity for Democrats is a one-way street and only applies when they are in control, which is why the runoff senate race in Georgia on Jan. 5, 2021 is pivotal.  Provided the GOP is victorious, Biden will have no choice but to govern from the center at least for the first two years of his administration.  That is provided the political mooring of Mitt Romney, Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins, refuse to stand fast.

“There are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by the gradual and silent encroachment of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpation.” Biden like Obama will soon occupy the same White House as James Madison, the owner of that quote and father of our Constitution.  Obama and Biden never knew him, but Madison clearly knew them and those like them.

Unifying the country by a career politician like Biden is wishful at best.  If Washington D.C. is the swamp, then the 78-year-old Biden is its version of the swamp fox.

Our fundamental divisions concentrate on a demise of traditional, moral values.  They are essentially spiritual schisms which evolve from our relationship, or lack thereof, with God.  However, divided we used to be by political ideology, the nation always historically managed to circle the wagons around our shared Judeo-Christian roots, where its foundational virtues and conventions were passed down from generation to generation.

Authentic healing will only come through the grace of Divine Providence, not ersatz political bipartisanship.

Postscript. News is out about Mr. Mattis’ association with an organization not too friendly to the current US policy towards rogue nations. So what’s new with this fellow who says he is a Marine, but thousands of real Marines have disowned this skunk of a general (small caps for him). I find it astonishing that my post entitled “An Open Letter to Mr. Mattis” was posted on 9 June and to this very day it still gets views, EVERY DAY e.g. four today. That post has literally gone viral all over the world; keep it going. I would be willing to bet money he gets some kind of a posting from biden (small caps again).

Hope you are having a wonderful Thanksgiving and enjoying family and friends. Stay well and stay safe. Semper Fi; Jim

Originally posted 2020-11-26 10:52:29.

Current Events

All Dollars and Little Sense

3 Comments

Good day fellow patriots and conservatives. Haven’t posted in a few days as I have been overwhelmed with tales from the swamp creatures and their devious ways. The trial is over, and as we expected he was was found guilty, albeit with Joe and the b**ch from california ( I refuse to capitalize the name of that foreign land) spouting off at the mouth there is lots of ammo for an appeal. Let’s keep praying for it to happen..

And of course the House voted to make DC a state. Oh isn’t that great two more leftist senators and one congressman for the swamp. I don’t hold out much hope from the senate to strike it down; too many leftist republicans in there. So, how will we arrange the stars in the flag?  That will be fun to watch.

From my tone you may wonder what is going on. Well at my ripe age, I refuse to get excited about what happens. Oh, don’t get me wrong. When the war comes, I shall man the lines as I have done before, and if anyone offers me a billet such as a battalion commander, I shall rise to the occasion, as I am sure you will as well.

Had lunch today with two old fellow retired colonels with whom I have served several times, but not seen them in a while — I really don’t know why since we are all retired.  Joining us was another local retired colonel and a retired captain. Of course the items of discussion was a few war stories and lots about the swamp. It’s always a good time when Marine brothers can get together — I miss that.

Okay, what’s the post? Well , as many of you know, I am an Economist by education and full time hobby. I enjoy playing in the market. Today’s post came from my old friend and contributor , Eric Maresca. As a market player I found the article interesting and a dire warning to those who do as I do. Read and learn

By Eric Maresca

The stock market bull rally that got underway after a giant fall last February and ushered in the COVID era has been relentless. Who would believe record highs were even possible after such a swift drop during a pandemic, followed by political turmoil and civil chaos.

After the Federal Reserve cut interest rates again and went on a printing spree pumping trillions into the economy through three stimulus packages, the benchmark S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average were catapulted to virgin territory. Likewise, we are in the midst of a cryptocurrency revolution where their hourly values run like an amusement park roller coaster.

With the M1 Money supply – the amount of liquidity available for spending – also at an all-time high at $18.4 trillion, the potential for one of the biggest economic booms in U.S. history is primed.

This optimism has predicted a strong 2021 second half.

The larger concern is 2022 and beyond.

Historically, long periods of low interest rates combined with a growing federal debt is no yellow brick road to Oz. You cannot ignore the laws of physics, gravity, or economics, as the government is spending itself into oblivion. From 2010 to 2019, the aggregate GDP growth was nearly the same Uncle Sam spent in COVID stimulus.

With so much stimulus finding their way to Wall Street, stock prices have been inflated. To underscore how pricey stocks are all you have to do is to juxtapose the price-to-earnings multiple at 31.5 and the price-to-sales at 2.9. At the peak of the dot-com bubble in March 2000, the price-to-earnings ratio was 29 and the price-to-sales ratio at 2.3. In addition, the stock market capitalization-to-GDP ratio that measures markets relative to the economy that peaked in 2000 at 140%, stands today at 190%.

Can you whisper bubble? Such a pop would result in a fiscal 9/11 and catch many nascent investors napping. Many were too young to recall the dot-com bubble burst over a generation ago and will pay dearly.

As the stock market rolls along, so does the national deficit. In fact, it seems to be about the only thing that is mushrooming faster. This should concern plenty, but along the D.C. Beltway such matters are dismissed.

 Stock trading has drawn plenty of new players armed with their “stimmy.” Rather, than paying bills, buying necessities, or paying down their debts, these emerging investors have turned day trading into gamification. With success they gain confidence and buy more shares, but the market’s present trajectory won’t last. When it drops many will see it as a fire-sale opportunity.

The stock app at center stage is aptly named Robinhood having taken its namesake from the English Democrat who robbed from the rich and redistributed their wealth. In this stimulus era of Robinhood fever and GameStop, why waste time researching good companies at reasonable prices, and then waiting years for returns to compound?

Apps like Robinhood, SoFi, Webull, and Public.com can be fun, but addictive, and a bookkeeping nightmare.

Such internet trading platforms make basic tax-abating strategies difficult to implement. Buying and selling stocks by the lot can lower your tax bill by choosing which shares to sell. However, selling specific lots are difficult or impossible to do online as sales are based on a first-in-first-out (FIFO) basis, where the oldest shares are sold first.

These time-honored tactics may be the least of their concerns when the market turns because it will. Once the public buys in, time is short and the potential for disaster gains momentum. When the melt down commences, nearly everyone will lose more on the way down than they made on the way up. Melt Downs do not end quickly, but over time. If the market is one thing – it is unforgiving.

Market peaks are clear in retrospection, but not in the moment, but the warning signs are there.

Do not confuse a bull market for brains.

As the timeworn adage rings: “Markets can remain irrational longer than you can remain solvent.” That applies for booms, too.

Mot people do not have an exit plan like trailing stops that protects your gains and prevents you from losing more money. A diversified portfolio and fixed selling points is always your friend.

In my ECON 101 class the professor told a story that I have found over the years to an absolute. “Put five Economists in a room and ask them a simple question and you will always get at least six answers.” I have been trimming my portfolios for the last two months. I have more cash than I have ever had, upwards of 30% cash, and I keep building it. I have good stocks e.g., DOW down over 300 points today and my portfolio was up 1.9%. But I keep taking some profits and paring down. I believe it is coming folks; somone has to pay the bills the swamp is piling up.  Greg is talking common sense.