Pushback has many definitions, but it generally refers to opposing something, such as a change or criticism. Pushback can also refer to dissent, civil discourse, peaceful demonstrations, anarchy, or in the worst case, violence. In medicine, getting a second opinion could be considered as a pushback example. In the US, the Constitution provides for a system … Continued
On September 25, 2024, we posted a blog, “A Modest Proposal”, discussing endless political efforts to increase revenues and the contrast between current income taxes and the very modest initial goals of the Federal income tax. Now comes the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), that has filed a ballot initiative for the November 2026 California … Continued
Least-worse refers to choosing the option that is the least negative or detrimental among a set of unfavorable choices. There are many other expressions with a similar message, such as, “don’t make perfect the enemy of good” and, in medicine, “first, do no harm.” In the realm of decision making, the concept of “least-worst” refers … Continued
Week of August 29, 2022 Price stability is essential for a modern economy. One need only consider Germany’s Weimar Republic in 1923 and the destructive nature of that hyperinflation. Fed Chair Jay Powell was resolute in suggesting last week that the central bankers would be vigilant in taming inflation. This is a long-term strategic benefit … Continued
With a likely profitability recession looming, the valuation on the S&P 500 is now less favorable (green to yellow). China and India are building new coal fired electric plants while Germany recently announced it is restarting its plants. This could influence energy policy in the US and the rest of the globe as energy security … Continued
The Tariff Act of 1930, commonly known as Smoot-Hawley, was a law that implemented protectionist trade policies in the US. Protectionism is the economic policy of restricting imports from other countries. Proponents argued that protectionist policies would shield US producers, businesses and workers, while opponents believed that implementing protectionist policies would adversely affect consumers, and … Continued
And the well-known Frank Sinatra song continues, “sitting on a rainbow got the string around my finger.” If Mr. Putin sings in the shower, this might be his favorite melody, as he watches the West dangling at the end of his string (gas pipeline). If you’re looking for a solution here, you can stop reading … Continued
The whole process of simply paying employees has become increasingly politicized with competing agendas shifting the focus away from the fundamental idea of a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work. We have advocates for a higher minimum wage, federal, state and local versions, for a competitive wage, for a living wage and so on. … Continued
Over the last several quarters we have seen an increase in market activity by individuals who seem to take pride in how much they don’t know about the stocks they are trading. This is not investing. Perhaps it is trading, wagering or just plain “rolling the dice.” Over the short run, this may not be … Continued
China is putting forth a vision of continuing economic growth in conjunction with a reduction in greenhouse gas pollution. The plan calls for a peaking in carbon dioxide emissions by 2030, and net carbon neutrality before 2060. This may be difficult. We have previously discussed China’s dependence on coal. (See our blog dated 2019-2-13). China’s … Continued
While there are a number of specific strategies that can be considered to be momentum investing, the simple definition can be summarized as, buying stocks that have been going up and selling/shorting stocks that have been going down on the assumption that the existing trend will continue. It’s a little like being famous for being … Continued
In order to accelerate demand for electric vehicles (EVs), the world’s governments have been handing out a wide range of subsidies and incentives. But in nearly half of U.S. states, driving a battery-powered car now requires paying an additional fee. To date, 24 states have imposed special fees on EVs, usually through higher registration charges, … Continued
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