Articles
The Looming AI Column Collapse Looks Familiar
The current AI-related bubble in financial assets increasingly echoes warning signs from the global financial crisis
Fighting the Wrong Enemy
The fact that China is America’s greatest geostrategic challenge is now so obvious as to have become cliché.
War, Liquidity, Fed Rates, Japan, AI
Equity markets are still in an AI pipedream.
The Unaffordable Automobile
The automobile market does not signal a healthy economy, but rather one on borrowed time.
Fed Chairman Warsh Caught Between Rock and Hard Place
Let’s hope our hero finds the compass pointing towards a neutral interest rate
SpaceX and the Timeless Tale of Technological Bubbles
As SpaceX begins its life as a public company, the historical record offers both encouragement and restraint.
The Iranian Ceasefire is Dead. Long Live the Ceasefire
Where does this end?
Economic Warning Lights Flash Red
If the economy were represented by a dashboard, the warning lights have been switching on one by one over the past month.
How Regulatory Kabuki Theatre Grounded Spirit
For shame on the entire cast of characters who played a role in this disaster for their own political gain.
Big Tech Layoff Headlines Mask Once-in-a-Generation AI Transformation
Big Tech is Larger, More Profitable, and Spending More Than Ever
How Student Loans Trapped a Generation in Debt Slavery
The problem was never primarily about whether to cancel student loan debt.
Poland’s Renaissance and Why it Matters
The Trump administration has recognized Poland’s importance, characterizing Poland as a model ally.
The Iran War Already Hit Retail Fuel Prices. Food and Agriculture is Next
For American consumers, the impact will be real but delayed and partial.
How Two Wars Broke the Global Gas Market
The deepest lesson here may be structural rather than tactical.
What Can Iran Do After the Infrastructure is Gone?
Iran has a nascent but real overland lifeline that its patrons have strong independent incentives to maintain.
Gen Z: Not Apathetic But Divided — And Looking for Meaning
The hour demands resolve. Gen Z is not lost; it is being sifted.
Navigating a Wartime Economy
A wartime economy is no longer a hypothetical future scenario to contemplate.
Whatever Happened to the Fort Knox Gold Audit?
In the midst of this environment, it would be a modest comfort to receive confirmation that the U.S. indeed still holds what it reports on paper.
Protect Your Borders
When Satan wants to disrupt and eventually destroy a godly body, he introduces foreign DNA hostile to God’s creation and plans.
Gold Investors: Remember 1933
Investors have been rightly impressed by gold’s remarkable run, which in dollar terms has doubled in price over the past year.
Make Homes Affordable Again
The only answer lies in addressing the growing income and wealth inequality plaguing the nation.
Four Investment Themes for 2026
The remarkable equity bull run of the past couple of years is unlikely to stall
Expect the Precious Metals Rally to Continue in 2026
2025 was an extraordinary year for precious metals.
Labor Market Sends Mixed Signals
Capitalism works best when workers and consumers share in the nation’s prosperity.
America’s Healthcare System Is Terminally Ill
The healthcare system is itself a terminally ill patient that should be taken off of life support.
The Computing Arms Race of Cold War 2.0
NVIDIA spelled backwards is AIDIVN, which, as AI divine, encodes the suggestion of the god of Artificial Intelligence.
Inflation Gnaws at America’s Wealth
Inflation remains materially above the Federal Reserve’s target annual rate of two percent. This difference matters more than would appear.
Brazen Theft of French Crown Jewels is Nothing Next to Macron’s Heist
I couldn’t help but think how this brazen robbery of French treasure is symbolic of a greater theft of national wealth which has been permitted under the government of French President Emmanuel Macron and his allies.
The Charade of Federal Budgetary Showdowns
The United States government, unable to reach agreement on a budget for the new fiscal year, has been officially shuttered for well over a week.
We’re Fighting on Three Fronts
America is fighting a war on three fronts.
When Discourse Ends, Violence Begins
Charlie Kirk represented everything that is good about America.
Faith Before Technology
How should Christians, in light of their faith, think about the recent explosion in the application of artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and other rapidly advancing technologies?
The Hope and Peril of AI
O Technology, we will always have you with us. There is no going back.
The Robots Will Take the Ostriches First
Humanoid robots, long a staple of science fiction, are today a reality.
The Iranian People Must Decide
The Iranian people should freely choose the future they want to inhabit.
Recession or Inflation: Can we have neither?
We should all hope for a Goldilocks like solution, where the porridge is neither too hot (inflation) nor too cold (recession).
How the first generation of English settlers shaped the future of a nation
How the first generation of English settlers shaped the future of a nation
Moody’s Inconvenient Reminder
Tax Cuts are Revenue Cuts
The Day After Liberation Day
Last week was the worst week for the U.S. stock market since the “COVID crash” of March 2020.
Stablecoins: Liberty’s Gift or Trojan Horse?
It used to be that if you lived in a remote village in Africa, or for that matter, Southeast Asia, Latin America, or even behind the Berlin Wall in Eastern Europe, you had desire and need for U.S. dollars, but no easy way to access them.
What Oil Prices Reveal About the Economy
Energy prices are falling, but perhaps for the wrong reasons
The Cost of DOGE
Austerity has a price … worth paying
Expect Gold to Shine in 2025
Precious metals prices are on the move
DeepSeek or Deepfake? What to Make of China’s AI Initiative
Only time will tell whether the threat is real
The Diamond Cartel Panics
Lab-grown diamonds are cannibalizing the overpriced luxury market
U.S. Retailers Say Good Riddance to 2024
2024 was a challenging year for U.S. retailers. Will 2025 be any better?
Trump’s Crypto Policy Matters for All of US
Trump has the opportunity to Make Crypto Great Again here in America.
China Expands Trade War with Critical Minerals Restrictions
China has upped the ante in the trade war with the U.S. by imposing stringent export restrictions on critical minerals essential to U.S. semiconductor and defense industries.
Ninety Seconds to (Nuclear) Midnight
One mistake, one misjudgment, one miscalculation, and events can escalate beyond any human power to roll them back.
Bitcoin’s extraordinary rise may be far from over
While the recent rapid rise of BTC prices seems extraordinary, we may have only begun to see the ascendant power of Bitcoin as digital gold.
What Might We Expect from the Trump Economy?
The incoming administration faces an enormous challenge, and is moving at breakneck speed to confront it.
When All Else Fails, Cancel the Election
Could we witness something unprecedented which derails November’s vote?
Another Example How CPI May Underreport Inflation
Retail pharmacy sales trends indicate much higher price increases for prescription drugs than CPI indicates
Another BRICS in the Wall
The introduction of the UNIT represents a new phase in the long, if slowly evolving, decline of the U.S. dollar as the global reserve currency.
Could Tariffs Replace Your Taxes?
The U.S. imports about $3.1 trillion of goods from other countries.
America’s Dwindling National Wealth
What is a rich country?
China’s Government Panics Over Economy
The risks of a financial crisis in China extend beyond our economy and our financial markets, though those risks are grave enough.
Will Lower Rates Be Enough to Save the Banks?
The Fed is playing catch up with a deteriorating labor market and an exhausted consumer.
The Clash of the Dollar General vs. Ferrari Economies
The financial stress on American households is increasing with each passing month. A crisis is brewing.
It’s not Left vs. Right, but Freedom vs. Servitude
Labels of liberal/Left and Conservative/Right no longer mean what they used to.
Where Did All The Jobs Go?
The latest large correction begs the fundamental question, how could the BLS get it so wrong?
U.S. Banks Adopt the African Model
These depository institutions are public banks in name, but in practice are funding tools of the State.
Financial Strain on American Households Hits Retailers Hard
American consumers are rapidly running out of firepower, and now so too are the retailers which depend on them.
Trump and GOP Go Full Crypto
How the world turns.
“Stonewall” Cheatle Resigns With Questions Unanswered
When one pulls on a loose strand of cloth, one never knows where it will lead or how much of the entire fabric will unravel.
Happy Bastille Day? Not For Many French Then or Now
America’s revolution was the inspiration for France’s. Occurring within the same generation, the outcome of the world’s two most famous revolutions are starkly different.
Cracks Appear in U.S. Economic Foundation
Gross domestic product is the yardstick of economic activity. U.S. GDP growth has been decelerating for three quarters.
How Crypto May Swing the November Elections
Even if you care nothing about crypto, it is important to recognize that crypto voters have now mobilized into a powerful and increasingly unified political force
CBDCs and Privacy
While CBDCs present new risks, the status quo is no better.
Who Can Afford to Live in America?
Apparently, most Americans cannot.
Lessons from Lockdowns
Much will be debated in the years to come about the efficacy of lockdowns, travel restrictions, vaccine passports, and other steps put in place to combat COVID-19.
Japan’s Warning for America
It wasn’t so long ago that Japan was the envy of the world.
Stock Prices Defy Economic Weakness
While main street is suffering from a weakening real economy, financial assets continue to grow in price, if not in intrinsic value.
Why Gold Will Go Higher From Here
Gold is up 14 percent year-to-date, but most of the price action has occurred in the past week. The question is, why?
America’s Minsky Moment Approaches
America may be on the brink of its Minsky moment.
Why the Biden Administration Wants to Kill Crypto
When a powerful interest holds a profitably monopoly, it will fight tooth and nail to defend it.
Is the U.S. Headed for More Inflation in 2024?
The last few days have produced a bumper crop of disappointing news on inflation.
No Political Freedom Without Monetary Freedom
There have been many legitimate concerns raised about the potential tyranny and abuses that would result from the U.S. government’s issuance of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs).
U.S. Banks Should Beware the Ides of March
In the ancient Roman calendar, the Ides fell around the middle of the month, specifically the 15th of each March.
Biden Administration Tax Policy Proposals Hurt U.S. Competitiveness
The Biden administration’s tax policy proposals are a disaster for U.S. competitiveness, for families and the employers who hire them.
Rising Housing Costs Punish American Families
Home ownership has been a foundation of the American dream for generations.
American Households are Entering a Debt Trap
American households seem to have short financial memories.
A Soft Landing is a Fairytale
The market believes that the fight against inflation has been won. This is a fantasy.
The War on U.S. Energy Independence Continues
The Biden administration has been at war with American energy independence from day one.
China’s Scramble for Africa
Africa has become center-stage of China’s global ambitions as a neo-colonial imperial power.
War is Always Inflationary
While the United States is ostensibly not at war with anyone, our government is spending taxpayers’ money as if it were.
Incontinent Biden Administration Relieves Itself on the U.S. Constitution
U.S. bombings of Yemen required Congressional approval
The Banks Are Not OK
Banking crisis? It is as though it never happened.
Market Implications for 2024
2023 caught the experts by surprise.
A Selection of Some of Last Week’s Worst News
Asking the CEOs of the U.S.’s largest TBTF banks their opinion on crypto was like asking the wolves to vote on whether the fences should be removed from around the sheepfold.
U.S. GDP Stats Belie Economic Reality
Low quality economic growth is masking the looming debt crisis. It is a chimera that enables us to pretend that everything is fine, at just the moment when it clearly isn’t.
Milei’s Challenge is Slaying the Dragon
To recover the stolen loot and rescue the fair maidens held in the dragon’s lair, the heroic knight must first slay the dragon.
“We the People” Rise Everywhere…Except in America
Conservative movements are on the rise around the world, and increasingly taking political power in predominantly liberal, Leftist, and socialist leaning countries.
The Danger of Iranian Theocracy
Iran’s official policy is the elimination of the Jewish state of Israel, and the hard-liners are determined to develop nuclear weapons capabilities to achieve it.
Is America Still Paying the Price for JFK’s Assassination?
Is it possible that in the second decade of the twenty-first century, America is still paying the price for this unresolved national crime from six decades ago?
Distraction: The Strategic Folly of the Biden Administration
The Biden administration has fallen into a dangerous trap.
Why the Bitcoin Bull run?
There has been a noticeable change in market sentiment in the past few weeks
Countering the BRI’s Next Move
The United States needs to get serious about the threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its primary geopolitical tool, the BRI.
Lessons of FTX and the SBF trial
Sam Bankman-Fried, commonly known as SBF, goes on trial later this week for his role as founder and CEO in the collapse of crypto exchange FTX, in what prosecutors allege was a $40 billion fraud.
U.S. Government Shutdown is a Warning Sign
Observers will scratch their heads and ask, how can this much disfunction exist in the government of the United States of America?
Oil: The Hidden Motive Behind the BRICS Expansion
Much of the commentary on the motives behind the expansion of the BRICS trading alliance announced last month has been centered on the anti-American bias of the coalition.
Inflation Accelerates on Higher Oil Prices from Flawed Policies
Anyone who filled up their gas tank in the last couple of months could see this coming.
We are living in a death cult
We’re living in a death cult. When official corruption runs rampant and whistle-blowers are imprisoned and assassinated, we are living in a death...
How Green Fanaticism and the Sanctions Regime Destroyed the German Economy
The German economy, the fourth largest in the world, has ground to a standstill.
High interest rates benefit the wealthy (and hurt everyone else)
Wall Street and the wealthy complain about rising interest rates, yet they are finding ways to benefit from them, while ordinary Americans suffer in multiple ways.
Commentary: Will America ever renounce empire?
In the years following the Second World War, the leaders of a victorious and confident United States exchanged the God of their Puritan forefathers for the gods of fortresses, war, and imperial ambition.
We’ve Entered the Deficit-Debt-Inflation Doom Loop
We have passed the point of no return with regard to our national debt. From here, we enter a dangerous and spiraling vortex.
Note to Democrat Party Operatives: You Should Have Let It Rest
Note to Democrat Party Operatives: You Should Have Let It Rest
Should We Fear WorldCoin?
The WorldCoin Foundation is trying to solve the problem of PoP, but some critics aren’t buying it.
Alarm Bells Ignored As Debt Crisis Looms
Have you ever been in a hotel or office building where the fire alarm is blaring, but everyone ignores it and goes happily about their business?
The Weaponization of Your Bank
The war on conservatives and traditional values has expanded to a new and threatening front.
Is Inflation Over? Ask your Pocketbook
While the reduction in headline CPI to three percent from last June’s 9.1 percent was certainly welcome, discussion about the “end of inflation” is at a minimum premature and quite possibly misses the point altogether.
2023: A Year of Surprises
Bank failures, an AI-led bull market, persistent inflation, Euro area recession, France engulfed in riots, and perhaps the biggest U.S. presidential corruption scandal ever.
Central Bankers Prepare For Long Battle With Inflation
On the longest day of the year, the U.S. House Committee on Financial Services welcomed Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to address its concerns around inflation and weakness in the U.S. economy.
Why Has Flying Become So Miserable?
Those of us who have returned to frequent air travel appreciate just how unpleasant the process has become.
60 Years On: Why JFK’s Assassination Still Matters
June 10, 2023 marks the sixtieth anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s famous commencement address at Washington DC’s American University.
The SEC Chooses the Nuclear Option
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has just filed complaints in Federal court against two of world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, Binance and Coinbase.
Why the debate over the debt ceiling is critical
Financial markets order, economic growth, employment levels, and price stability all hang in the balance.
Forget CPI. Real Inflation is Much Higher
There is increasing evidence to support the suspicion that CPI does not represent the actual inflation that Americans face as they struggle with rising prices for everything they use, including education, healthcare, housing, food, and energy.
The TBTF Banks Are Not Immune From Deposit Runs
No bank can withstand a deposit run.
The Next Phase of the Banking Crisis
Notably, between First Republic, Silicon Valley Bank, and Signature Bank, three of the four largest U.S. bank failures of all time have occurred within the last sixty days.
The Banks are Still in Trouble
The last few days have revealed just how bad the first quarter was for the banking sector.
The SEC Has Declared War On Digital Assets
The SEC’s declaration of war against cryptocurrencies is producing a massive chilling effect on the industry, potentially harming the competitive interests of the U.S. in one of the most promising technological and financial innovations of the century.
Recession Looms as Five Percent CPI Provides No Relief
The rising cost of living, tightening credit, slowing consumer spending, along with declining real wages and retrenchment in the jobs market, are...
The Banking Crisis “Great Reset”
Governments and regulators “never let a good crisis go to waste.”
Sanctions Regime Boomerangs on the West
After one year, ten increasingly stringent rounds, and over 14,500 specific sanctions imposed on Russian individuals, companies, and institutions, the U.S. led sanctions regime appears to be hurting Western economic and geostrategic interests as much or more than their Russian target.
How to Shelter in the Financial Storm
The banking crisis, which became visible to most Americans only with the sudden and unexpected collapse of Silicon Valley Bank two weeks ago today, has not abated.
When One Zombie Eats Another: Why UBS’s Rescue of CS Changes Nothing
Translation: even though UBS is issuing some $3.3 billion of its own shares to acquire Credit Suisse, it’s the Swiss government that is bearing much of the risk, and Swiss taxpayers who will ultimately pick up the tab if things go wrong.
The Costs and Consequences of the SVB Bailout
Banking regulators, along with the board of directors and management of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), each failed to see or prevent the problems that destroyed in less than a week one of the largest banks in the country.
Is Your Bank Safe Now?
The banking system is tottering, and the shriller the voices become insisting that everything is fine, the more we know we’re in trouble.
Is Your Bank Safe?
Is the broader banking sector at risk of contagion? This is the issue we must face as a matter of urgency.
Inflation Cannot Hide on Amazon Prime
I have often heard it said that the first step in recovery from addiction is to admit that one has a problem. Well, I’m not afraid to admit that...
One Year Later: Are Sanctions Against Russia Working?
Following the launch of Russia’s “special military operation” and invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Joe Biden and EU leaders confidently asserted that Western sanctions would bring the Russian economy to its knees.
What I Got Wrong (and Right) This Past Investment Season
One of the most important disciplines in investing, whether personally or professionally, is to look back on investments made and take stock not just of how they performed, but why.
Woke Policies Backfire on Wall Street
The rapid rise and near dominance of the ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) agenda in corporate board rooms and executive suites is one of the more remarkable business transformations of the twenty-first century.
The Coordinated Attack on Your Money
Like many governments around the world, the Biden administration seems determined to limit Americans’ monetary freedom by taxing it away, and by manipulating and controlling how they store and spend their money.
The U.S. Media Blackout on Ukraine
Americans are under a near total media blackout regarding the Russian position on the Ukraine conflict, whereas the French, agree or pas, are at least hearing and seeing both sides of the debate and conflict.
Double Digit Rise in Electricity Prices to Continue in 2023
There have been many sighs of relief exhaled across the United States in recent days as inflation continues to slow. New data shows that Consumer...
What is the Future of Money?
Like most transitions in life and in history, the monetary system’s transformation is occurring slowly, then suddenly, in that the changes are almost imperceptible but then, like all cataclysms, will eventually be impossible to miss.
Lessons Learned from House Speaker Election Drama
After a week of chaos and name-calling, the lower house of Congress can now carry on its business, including finally installing the newly elected representatives from the class of 2022, and maybe even get back to basic lawmaking.
Twelve Predictions for 2023
2023 is poised to present some equally challenging circumstances. Here are twelve trends, events, or surprises that may come to shape and define the year ahead.
Venal Congressional Leaders Slip One Past the Goalie
While most Americans were busy preparing for holidays with family and friends, the retiring leaders of the Senate and House spent their final days before Christmas wrangling through Congress the $1.7 trillion Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023.
FTX Dust Settles, Soiling Everyone
After weeks of speculation as to whether former billionaire now hapless adolescent actor Sam Bankman-Fried would be arrested for fraud surrounding...
Lumps of Coal in this Year’s Christmas Stockings?
As Americans anticipate the arrival of the holidays, it appears that many households may struggle to fill their family’s Christmas stockings this year.
When Did Congress Vote To Go To War with Russia?
We’re already engaged in a proxy war; and we are now tempting the dogs of war to slip off the leash well beyond our ability to control them. This is both extremely dangerous and foolish.
Why China and others are selling dollars and buying gold
Central banks are on a gold buying spree, and they are using their U.S. dollar foreign reserves to fund it.
Five Reasons I Moved to Florida
“Why, after three decades of life as a New Yorker, did you move to Florida?”… I’m often asked this question with a mix of wonder, as if I’d just traveled across Mongolia on horseback, tainted by Upper East Side disdain.
The Incredible Shrinking American Wallet
Americans are under increasing financial pressure, and the stress is beginning to show across multiple fronts.
U.S. Housing Markets are in Turmoil
The housing markets are in trouble, which means that Americans themselves are at risk. Moreover, the turmoil in the housing markets appears to be getting worse.
FTX Collapse Illustrates Dark Side of Technology Revolutions
With its most recent valuation pegged at $32 billion, and as much as $10 billion in client funds misappropriated, the collapse and bankruptcy of FTX has turned into a bloodbath for the crypto industry.
Falling Meteorite FTX Scorches Crypto Landscape
After several months of calm in the crypto industry, characterized by a role reversal in which equities were highly volatile and cryptocurrencies flat and boring, a familiar if tragic drama reminiscent of Icarus is now playing out.
The Case for a New Exceptionalism
“Why America Matters” argues that because of the multitude of crises we face, and the social disintegration that has already begun in our nation, America faces a critical choice.
Death of the American dream (of home ownership)?
Something has changed in recent years. Global financial institutions are now crowding out traditional home buyers, and they are being financed by these same government sponsored entities in an apparent dilution of their legislated mandates.
Why are we not being told the truth about Ukraine?
While I wish it were otherwise, the unpleasant fact is that Ukraine cannot win the war against Russia.
Should We Trust the Market’s Rebound?
Should this rebound be trusted as an indication that we’ve seen the bottom of the bear market, and that we’re now on the path to a true recovery?
Forget gas prices. Diesel reveals the real crisis
As the Biden administration continues to drain the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve in a dangerous gamble to suppress gas prices and win votes before the mid-term elections, another fuel crisis is brewing.
Can Inflation be Tamed?
September’s CPI inflation result came in above expectations at 8.2 percent, marking the seventh straight month of consumer inflation above eight percent. Gone is any talk from U.S. Treasury or Federal Reserve officials of price inflation being “transitory.”
So long, Saudi Arabia. Hello $10 gas
Gas prices are on the rise. Here’s why.
Something is Rotten in Denmark
Who sabotaged the Nord Stream pipelines in the Baltic Sea, near the Danish island of Bornholm?
Have the markets found a bottom?
While the fourth quarter has only just begun, the end of the year can’t come fast enough for Wall Street.
Silence Equals Compliance
The fact that EVERYTHING IS CHANGING could be missed by someone not paying attention, simply because each individual change has been marginal, apparently insignificant, or unconnected, and unnoticed by the inattentive. But these changes are accumulating and in plain view for those who are watching.
‘Magic Money’ Is Your Money
I ask the rhetorical question, “Who pays?”—that is to say, who pays for the various Biden administration programs, whether it be student debt forgiveness, the Green New Deal, inflation, aid to Ukraine, or pandemic relief payments?—the answer is always the same: you do
The Dollar’s Batteries Are Running Low
Money is like a battery in that it is a store of energy for future use. In the case of money, that stored energy is financial value. Money stored as savings is the purchasing power than Americans hope to eventually use to buy a home, provide an education for their children, or retire in security. But what happens when that battery can no longer hold its charge?
Still No Answer to the Question: Who Pays for Loan Forgiveness?
It has been more than a week, and there is still no coherent answer out of the Biden administration to the question of who will pay for student loan forgiveness, which may cost Americans anywhere between $300–500 billion by the time it’s all done.
Three Things That Could Kill Crypto
Bitcoin is up 37 percent and the price of Ether has doubled since the June lows. Prices will go up and prices will go down. Volatility will persist. This isn’t the point.
Canceling Student Debt Is Wrong on Every Level
It turns out that the idea of fairness, a concept related to justice, is intuitive from an early age. Even 3-year-olds understand that merit is fundamental to fairness.
A price worth paying
This is about liberty, righteousness, and justice. This is about whether Good wins over Evil. (Spoiler: It must, and it will.)
How to Save Our Democracy
Congress has abdicated and handed over its power to undemocratic institutions run by officials neither elected by nor accountable to the electorate. If we fix that, maybe we can fix America.
The Case for Strategic Reserves
The world is facing a looming food crisis. The Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, said at the end of June 2022, “There is a real risk that multiple famines will be declared in 2022. And 2023 could be even worse.”
Russia Sanctions and Central Bank Policies Backfire, Hurtling America Into Economic Storm
War sanctions against Russia, along with misguided U.S. central bank and trade policies, are likely to fuel an economic storm that will catapult America into a major crisis
Three Ideas On How To Fix It
If we want to solve America’s current economic crisis, at least three things are necessary. These initiatives may only be possible after mid-terms and a new Congress, but it’s not too early to start thinking about solutions.
The Folly of Banishment
But we should remember, too, that sanctions simply aren’t going to work—in neither economic nor political terms.
Everything is fine. Except for food and fuel.
The commodities traders sitting in Geneva and Houston who buy and sell oil and gas for their industrial clients have a stern message for us. We haven’t yet seen the worse of the fuel crisis.
Crypto is far from dead
…the political and economic events of the past year have strongly reinforced some of the original motivations behind crypto, including the need for financial decentralization, anonymity, and transaction immutability, along with the right to ownership of one’s data, online privacy, and individual autonomy…
Reminder: It’s not a chinstrap.
A Federal Court ruled that the Center for Disease Control’s so-called Mask Mandate was unlawful as it “exceeds the CDC’s statutory authority and violates the procedures required for agency rule making …” When the TSA quickly accepted the ruling, most Americans let out a collective sigh of relief.
The Ant and the Grasshopper
It is a parable President Biden ought to take to heart. America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) is intended for use in times of genuine emergency, not as an economic tool to lessen the blow of rising energy costs.
The Ukraine invasion was avoidable
Russia invaded Ukraine after months of preparations and years of warnings, yet the world still seemed surprised. Western leaders and media have declared Russia’s leader Vladimir Putin “mentally unstable” or “deranged,” perhaps suffering from “roid rage.” The reality is that he has been both calculating and opportunistic, and has played the imperfect hand dealt to him.
No, Prices Won’t Stabilize in 2022
January’s headline inflation of 7.5% was the highest in the United States in forty years. Consistent with previous months, the biggest driver of higher prices was energy, rising 27%, but cars and groceries (especially proteins) also pressured the numbers.
While Fed Chairman Powell had retired the word “transitory,” he and other officials have stopped short of characterizing the inflation as “persistent,” a phrase loaded with negative connotations for economic historians. Rather, what economists and business practitioners now seem to be invoking is a pricing plateau, a one-off re-leveling, resulting from the unleash of post-pandemic demand combined with a lag in supply. Because of lockdowns, travel restrictions, vaccine mandates, recently reimposed energy regulations, and other sources of supply chain disruptions, aggregate supply has fallen, but will eventually rebound.
Freedom Convoy is just the beginning
It’s all happening now. After two years of tyranny, manifesting in authoritarian response from Statist bureaucracies around the world, citizens of democratic countries have said enough is enough.
Half of Americans are domestic terrorists?
The Biden administration has made domestic terrorism a keystone priority. By domestic terrorism, they did not mean Islamic infiltration into America, illegal immigration across our southern border, or the homegrown liberal white perpetrators of the Antifa/BLM riots, but rather anyone whose ideas were contrary to the Left’s agenda and who dared to express them publicly.
On Vaccine Mandates and the “Tyranny of the Majority”
The object of this essay is to assert one very simple principle, as entitled to govern absolutely the dealings of society with the individual in the way of compulsion and control, whether the means used be physical force in the form of legal penalties, or the moral coercion of public opinion.
A word of thanks on Veterans Day
Thank you for continuing to uphold your oath to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.”
Come unto Me … all who labor and are weary (unless you’re unvaccinated – then keep away!)
How is it that our society has determined that it’s acceptable to segregate and discriminate against the unvaccinated? And, even if civil society does, how dare a supposed house of God – always and forever in opposition to the “might equals right” values of Caesar – keep anyone away for political reasons from the sacrament and the chance to humble one’s heart before God?
Happy Halloween? The ghosts of inflation have arrived
High inflationary environments benefit the elite – capitalists and rentiers (those who make money from interest and dividends, rather than their labor) – at the cost of nearly everyone else. It’s not just retirees on fixed incomes who lose, it’s the working and middle classes who suffer most from rising prices on everything from housing to food to energy, and who find that their wages simply cannot keep up.
Buyer’s Remorse
By the end of 2021, the majority of Americans, including many Democrats and Independents, are suffering from buyer’s remorse over the Biden presidency. Recent polls indicate that the majority of Americans believe the Biden administration is on the wrong track and is leading the country in the wrong direction.
Riot Fashion
We should never underestimate the politics of fashion….An entire sub-genre of Riot Fashion has emerged, with particular attention to fabrics that provide better resistance against flammables, tear gas and other chemical contaminants, and to military style yet fashionable shoes such as Doc Martins to complete the look. The purpose is multi-fold.
Let Them Eat Cake … But Make Sure They’re Wearing a Mask
The Met Gala was like watching Marie-Antionette and the luxurious pomp of the Court of Versailles fête themselves on the eve of the French Revolution.
What if Reagan had acted like Biden?
Let’s run a thought experiment and imagine ourselves back in 1986. I tried to get Elon Musk to provide a time machine, but apparently he’s waiting...
To all those who say bitcoin is the new gold: You haven’t lived long enough
Generally, bitcoin investors are fun. Gold bugs are the people we avoid at cocktail parties. While they have similarities, bitcoin hasn’t been around long enough to stand the test of time that gold has.
The Colonial Pipeline Attack
Our infrastructure is terribly vulnerable, and we remain at risk of a catastrophe. We’ve recently had 2 serious incidents. Let us wake up.
China’s Digital Currency and Monetary Warfare
Today, the news is full of excitement about Bitcoin. Yet, China’s creation of its digital currency may, in the long-term, be more significant.
Election Integrity Remains In The Spotlight
We show IDs to board planes, rent cars, check into hotels and pick up baseball tickets, so why not to cast a ballot, the highest responsibility and privilege of citizenship?
The Fed vs. The Real World
There’s the Fed.. and then there is everyone who lives in the real world. The Fed’s recent statements stand in increasingly sharp contrast to the real world in which ordinary Americans live.
Biden infrastructure plan ignores jobs to pursue Democrats’ agendas
Under Biden’s infrastructure plan, I fear we are similarly on a road to nowhere.
Are masks becoming a class issue?
Beyond the cultural and political implications, mask are also becoming another unneeded symbol of class division.
Racial Violence and Identity Politics
Race or other identity based violence is always and everywhere despicable. The good news is that the vast majority of Americans of all sorts and stripes feel the same, and eschew racially-based (or any) violence as a means to address perceived wrongs. As Americans, we must unite in opposition to what we’re seeing in this country.
Inflation Will Destroy the Middle Class
Throwing more stimulus money at pork-barrel projects will not only not solve our problems but will have severe unintended consequences over the long run.
Texas as Warning: The US Grid is in Trouble
The power grid failures in Texas and elsewhere have made it clear: The electrical grid in the United States is at risk.
A Bubble Is Inflating. Where Can Investors Hide?
Let’s settle one thing up front. We’re clearly witnessing a speculative bubble in the financial markets.
The Insecurity of the Biden Administration
For a call to unity to work, there has to be a rallying point around which Americans might gather as one. This is missing from the Biden appeal.
How America Can Prepare for the China Threat
There are certain things that the US government, companies, and individuals should be doing differently in this environment to prepare for the threat of China.
Russia Did It! Or maybe not
Let’s have some healthy skepticism of the “Russia did it!” narrative. I wouldn’t surprise me to see a shocking plot twist revealed shortly.
Listen to this: Podcast appearances discussing Stormwall: Observations on America in Peril
I’ve recently been featured on various podcasts to discuss my book, the economy and more! Check the episodes out here.
The Folly of America’s Mushrooming Debt
The U.S. government has been in a long period of self-deception with regard to a 20-year-long run of deficits and growing indebtedness to fund them. The consequences of this multi-decade wooden-headedness are beginning to be revealed.
Pandemic, Insolvency and Inflation?
A pandemic, a solvency crisis and inflation may seem a strange combination. But 2020 has been a strange year in more ways than one – 2021 might even outdo it.
Is an uptick in inflation on the horizon?
I recently spoke with Newsday about the risks of inflation in the near future and what that could impact.
Decoding the coming economic crisis
Come January, the president will face the daunting challenge of sustainably reviving the US economy following what has been a most difficult year for American business.
Inflation is the election outcome Americans can count on
As both citizens and investors, now is a good time to take care and take cover with inflation on the horizon.
The Most Contentious Election Ever
It has been called the most contentious and controversial US presidential election ever. The nation never seemed more divided.
The Spectre of Inflation
For economists, tales of hyperinflations are the academic equivalent of a reading of the Apocalypse in the book of Revelation.
Winter is Coming
Winter may be coming, but there is still time for a spring-like renewal for the United States.
How Should Leaders Decide?
Today, around the world, national, regional and local political leaders, along with their corporate and business peers, are facing in COVID-19 a leadership test unseen in generations.
Will COVID-19 Derail the African Century?
We cannot permit COVID-19 to halt Africa’s progress. The continent’s leaders and its developed-country partners can and must contain the pandemic.
