November Surprise

Given expectations of material changes in the contours of Congress after next week’s elections, it is not inconceivable that the leader of the Democratic Party, President Obama, could launch a “November Surprise.” While this is pure speculation, our hunch is that it could be related to the Afghan war which is very unpopular with the … Continued

Michigan’s Number One Export

There has been much discussion regarding the outflow of college graduates from Michigan. By some accounts more than half of all recent college graduates have left the state for a job. We’ve experienced it with our own family members, and have heard plenty of similar stories of our clients’ children heading to Chicago, New York, … Continued

Timeless Advice

Washington DC policymakers continue to grapple with measures to spur job growth. The October 12, 2010 issue of the Wall Street Journal does a service to its readers with the inclusion of one of James Madison’s 222 year old submissions to the Federalist Papers (Number 62). His observations are every bit as insightful now as … Continued

Just Another Number

The Dow Jones Industrial Average has been bumping up against the “11,000” level. While for those who are “long” stocks, the increase means their net worth has been enhanced, but there is still nothing particularly noteworthy about this level. However, investors and observers are riveted on these milestones and accept each as a barometer with … Continued

Don’t Let Your Guard Down

We haven’t talked too much about inflation here and have recently noticed concerns about inflation have been somewhat mitigated in the press and blogosphere. We get especially nervous about something when everyone else thinks it’s not worth worrying about. Inflation is a measure of a general rise in prices of goods and services over time. … Continued