Sound Investment Advice

Many of those offering you tips on what you should do with your money have vested interests in the product(s) they are pitching. Your own broker wants to make money from you whether you are buying or selling. These people profit from you when you buy or when you sell. Even if you are buying or selling at the worst possible times, someone will gladly take the commission. I am in no way saying that any particular individual is dishonest. I am simply saying the investor must take recommendations with a grain of salt. Shareholders can not be mercurial, whatever advice is being given. If you are a long-term, buy and hold investor, who buys shares of well-run companies, chances are you will make gains.

Protection from Correction

Many promoters have been saying we need to own gold as protection from everything from crashes to inflation. Gold has sunk like the proverbial lead balloon. Others have recommended investing in foreign markets. How has that been working for those who socked money away in Red China? Money in US banks is earning virtually no interest. I would still rather maintain strong cash positions even if holding cash yields nothing than risk losing big in stocks or commodities.

Free Public Entertainment

Tonight, I attended a "free" concert in the park. All the taxes the audience pay do not count. I would rather pay admission and have low taxes than have everyone forced to pay more in taxes for spectacles that only a small percentage of the community actually attend. Beyond the cost, another troubling aspect is that hundreds of people gathered with no visible security in this age of terror. The music was good. A number of the concert-goers danced. It occurred to almost no one that there is nothing in life that is free and by crowding in like sardines, the audience placed itself at risk.

Wall Street Pothole

I will not pretend to be able to guess the day to day direction of any particular stock. I can not fortell the direction of China's market. I will say I have no confidence in US political leadership. I think the influence of the Fed is waning. Whatever clout Greenspan and Bernanke had, Yellen has squandered. There is no room left for quantitative easing. US stocks may have a little room to rise, but it is much more likely, they will fall, perhaps precipitously.

Just a Stumble

Are US stock markets back on solid footing? Is the "correction" over? Was it a correction at all? Was the massive decline a harbinger of recession or, worse yet, a depression? A one day resurgence was certainly welcome, but is by no means proof of recovery. I do not pretend to know which direction the market will go, and I am not short in US stocks, but I will say I am maintaining a large cash position relative to my holdings.

Dead Cat Bounce

It looks like there was more cowering than covering in America's markets. I see very little reason for optimism as Red China is not improving. World markets are not stabilizing. US markets see no leadership from the Fed or the White House. How low will America's stocks go? If I knew that I would be as rich as Warren Buffet, but then again, I do not have the government granting me any concessions to build my fortune. Most are suffering in the crashing markets, except those who have a "special" relationship with the regime.

Correction or Depression

Yesterday's bloodbath in the markets may be a one-off or a harbinger of terrible things. If it is a temporary hiccup, it is one that claimed a trillion dollars or so of wealth. If it is the opening salvo of a cannonade of economic horror, it could signal the start of a panic. It could deepen recession, although manipulated figures pretend that we are not in recession. In the worst case, it could be the start of a 1929-style great depression. Time will obviously tell whether this is a blip or a catyclysm, but it will not be Washington or the Fed that saves us from anything.

A Looming Depression

With Red China's markets collapsing, is the world about to enter an economic depression? I fear it might be. Oil prices have crashed. While motorists may end up paying less at the pumps, this is not necessarily good news as widely-held oil stocks are also sinking. The US Federal Reserve is out of arrows in its proverbial quiver to stabilize the US economy. Barack Hussein Obama is clueless as to what might turn the economy around. The world was able to absorb the fall of Greece, which is a small nation with an economy that is not crucial to the world. The global economy will be crushed if Red China does not rebound.

The Obama Recession

Barack Hussein Obama is not a capitalist. Obama is a crony capitalist. Obama has made a cadre of supporters and donors vastly wealthy. Obama has done next to nothing to lift the impoverished out of poverty. If you were wealthy enough, Obama's lousy economic policies did not harm. Wages have stagnated under Obama. US stock markets have just tanked. I am surprised this decline did not happen sooner.

Courage in Action

Unarmed American servicemen in France stopped what otherwise would have been a train massacre. They tackled and disarmed a Muslim fanatic from Morroco. He was armed with a pistol, a knife, and an assault rifle. Because of their quick selfless action, no one was murdered and only three people were wounded.The gunman was knocked unconcious and detained. The natural inclination of people is to run away from an attacker. These brave men and a British civilian who helped subdue the attacker, ran toward him. We need more heroes like this.

Koreas at War

The "police action" in Korea never officially ended. From time to time, since the 1953 Armistice Agreement, fighting has heated up between the North and South. In the last few days, the Koreas have started fighting again. There is a pronounced difference this time from past flareups. This time the North Koreans have nuclear weapons. The North may be embarking on a Samson tactic. If the North Korean regime feels it will fall anyway, it may decide to take the South with it. Let us hope cooler heads prevail in the North before all Korea suffers.

Crime Against Humanity

Harvesting the brain of a baby who survived an abortion while that baby's heart is still beating is murder, pure and simple. The pattern that undercover investigators have revealed of selling aborted baby parts is repulsive. That some of those babies are alive when those organs are harvested is undeniable. Those infants obviously gave no "informed consent" to the butchers slicing them to pieces. This bestial practice of selling baby brains, hearts, lungs, livers, kidneys must end. If an abortionist has finished off a baby that survived an attempt at abortion and was alive outside the womb, that doctor or medical staffer should be imprisoned for murder.

Wiping Her Server

Hillary Clinton is the only person I have ever heard that wiped her server in the bathroom. The reason she wiped the drive is that it was too heavy for her to immerse in the bidet. Charmin makes a great product, but it is not great for erasing evidence. Hillary might have taken the server out on her driveway and had her chauffeur run over it in an SUV. Hillary could have poured a gallon of Drano on the server. Then, the FBI would have had a real hard time recovering data.

No Stinking Email

Hillary knows better than we do. She only purged communication about yoga, a wedding, and a funeral. There was nothing about Benghazi. Got it. Ms. Clinton will tell us all we need to know. That is the little to which we are entitled. We should be thankful for all her highness is sparing us.

The Cattle Call

Just about every candidate for the US Presidency has made an appearance at the Iowa State Fair. For generations, Iowans were clear-headed Midwesterners, not easily having their heads turned by empty trappings. Donald Trump has become one of the most remarked upon visitors to Iowa. Trump arrived with his haircut and helicopter. Some Iowans were evidently impressed. I would not be so taken in with the Donald. There is no doubt that he is a master pitchman. If you listen to what he is selling, he is not the answer to America's problems. I do not think Trump will ultimately triumph in Iowa or New Hampshire. I think the race is Cruz to lose. Ted Cruz has the winning ideas and right convictions.

What Lives Matter

To the abortion industry, innocent human life is not so sacred. To the citizens of certain areas of Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, and now Baltimore, lip-service is paid to "black lives matter" while the black-on-black murder rate soars. Some suggest more gun control is the answer to the urban slaughter. Gun control will not slow the pace of the homicides as almost none of them are committed by people who legally own the murder weapon. A war on poverty will not end the killing spree. FDR and LBJ poured billions into poverty programs and Obama has only increased the dole, but that massive spending has not vanquished poverty. In fact, by banishing the father from the welfare home, the government has actually exacerbated crime. I believe all innocent life matters and that the best way to combat urban decline is to push for unified families.

If Sanders Wins

If Bernie Sanders wins the US Presidency, homeless people will end up occupying my condo. This will not happen because I lost a bet. This will occur because Sanders is an outright socialist who will systematically attack the individual right of property if he is victorious. One of the reasons I will not vote for Trump is because he has had localities use eminent domain to take the property of others that Trump coveted. I believe that right to property should be as inviolate as other rights. Sanders does not agree with me and neither does Trump. I want a President who reveres natural rights, not diminishes them.

If Bush Wins

If Jeb Bush wins, I do not think there will be an enormous difference from Clinton. Bush and Clinton both support Common Core. Bush will Federalize education just as much as Hillary. I do not believe Bush would overturn Obamacare. Bush will be just as confused on handling the Middle East, Russia, and Red China as Clinton would be. Bush is another incarnation of McCain or Romney. His accent just happens to be a tad more Southern.

If Clinton Wins

You always hear folks saying that if candidate "X" wins, I am leaving the US and moving to "Y". Some American celebrities said that if George W Bush won, they were moving to France. I do not recall many who actually did. I heard conservatives complaining that if Barack Hussein Obama won the Presidency, they were packing up and going to Costa Rica. I do not think many actually made the trip. I will tell you if Hillary wins I am going to Mexico. I will not have much to worry about at that point because Hillary will carry forward the open borders amnesty and huge numbers of Mexicans will come here. Actually, things will become so bad in the United States if Clinton does win, that Mexicans will stop coming.

Running from Office

I do not envy the next US President the mess that Obama is leaving. I would not want the burden of having to undo the many foreign policy blunders Obama has committed. I would not want the burden of Obamacare. I would not know how to deal with ninety million adults out of the workforce. I would not want to contend with the porous sieve that is the US Southern border. The next President will have a burden no previous President has had to contend with- that being all the damage caused by Barack Hussein Obama- and that new leader will need the favor of the Lord to overcome all the damage Obama has wrought.

An American Berlusconi

Could Donald Trump be the American Berlusconi? Silvio Berlusconi governed Italy relatively successfully for the better part of ten years stretched over three non-consecutive terms. Berlusconi was considered on the right in Italian politics. Trump is now billing himself as a conservative to woo Republican primary voters. Trump and Berlusconi are both undeniably wealthy. Trump gained his wealth largely through real estate while the Italian premier had a media empire he had created that helped his rise to power. Berlusconi did better for Italy than those who followed as prime minister. America can do better than Trump in the White House, but none of the Democrats currently seeking their party's nomination are as capable as Trump.

The Other Party

The presumptive nominee of the Democrat Party has some problems. Hillary Clinton was supposed to win the Presidency by acclamation but has not quite mustered the popularity that was expected. Hillary is not gaining momentum but losing support to Mister Personality Bernie Sanders. Hillary can not seem to escape her past scandals. She is also far less compelling on the campaign trail than her husband (or Obama for that matter). Hillary will probably be the Democrat nominee, even if Biden or Gore enter the race, but she is no sure thing in the general election to win the Presidency.

Trump Was Thumped

Donald Trump put his large foot in his very large mouth with his "bloody" attack on FOX News Megyn Kelly. Trump must really believe in killing the messenger. Kelly was only asking Trump about comments attributed to him. Trump sees almost everyone as an enemy. You can only fault Kelly if Trump did not say the inflammatory things about "women" that Kelly alleged. The allegations against Trump seem more credible because of the way the Donald jumped on Kelly. TV journalists are gadflies by their very nature. Remember San Donaldson? If Trump can not handle the pressure of a debate, how will he be able to deal with Vladimir Putin?

Celebrity Worship Culture

Donald Trump may bring new voters into the Republican primaries. These voters will be the kind of people who watch a lot of so-called "reality TV". They will know all about the Kardashian family but will have no idea who Janet Yellen is. The GOP has always tried to bill itself as a "big tent" party. It may now expand because of interest in Trump at a rate not seen since "Reagan Democrats" destroyed Jimmy Carter. Unlike those times, when Ronald Reagan grew the party with conservative ideas and natural optimism, Donald Trump will attract mean-spirited nativists and pop-culture-obsessed morons. Ronald Reagan strove to uphold the American ideal while Donald Trump seems to be a self-aggrandizing showman.

Trump Stood Out

For good or for ill, Donald Trump differentiated himself from the first moment of last night's main Republican debate. When the candidates were asked if lost the nomination, if they would support the GOP nominee, only Trump raised his hand that he would not. Trump apparently believes that he is bigger than the Republican Party. Time will tell if Trump actually is. I do not see anyone including Trump winning the US Presidency as an independent or representing a third party. Even if Trump does succeed at securing the Oval Office without the GOP brand, the two parties would make it impossible for him to govern. What I fear Trump would really be doing should he run as an independent, would be to tear away votes that otherwise would have gone to the Republican nominee and guarantee the Democrat (which will likely be Hillary) the Presidency.

The Trump Card

Donald Trump will be on unfamiliar ground in the debate. Trump is not a politician polished by years of experience in earlier debates. Unlike some of his rivals, Trump is not an attorney who has performed before juries and judges. Trump has been on reality TV, but that is not real, but slickly produced, with moments where Trump may look bad left on the proverbial cutting room floor. Trump will seem like a fish driving a semi compared to Ted Cruz who is a champion debater and who has argued cases all the way up to the Supreme Court. There is also likely to be pile-on with almost all the other candidates aiming their barbs at Trump because he leads the rest of the field in early polls. I do not know how Trump will stand up to the pressure. It is also not relevant to me because I will never vote for Trump in the primaries.

Debating the Debates

I have always thought a politician's record was more important than his or her performance in a debate. While some performances are woeful (like Rick Perry in the last Presidential election cycle), that does not mean the less than stellar debater would not shine in office. Barack Hussein Obama is a compelling speaker but an awful President. There is no Winston Churchill, who could dominate the floor by force of intellect, running for the US Presidency. William Buckley was perhaps the greatest debater to ever live. Buckley ran for mayor of New York and badly lost in 1965, even though he could outperform all the other candidates in a debate. How much the debates will really mean, how much they influence votes, is debatable.

A Democrat First

Many supporters of Israel are counting on Jewish New York Democrat Chuck Schumer to vote against the Iran deal. I have no such optimism. If his vote is consequential to the outcome, Schumer will always vote with his party and Barack Hussein Obama. If it is clear that Democrats have enough votes to uphold a Presidential veto, and Schumer's vote is not needed, he may vote alongside Republicans. If there is no way Obama's veto will stand, Schumer may stand with Israel. If Schumer's vote is the difference between Israel winning (which actually advances peace and stability) or Obama winning (which gives Obama a signal achievement he thinks burnishes his legacy), Schumer is definitely going to sell out his coreligionists in favor of his President. In doing so, history will judge Schumer and his master Obama made the world less safe and actually caused Israel to have to attack Iran to preempt nuclear destruction at the hands of the mad mullahs.

Ranking the Candidates

I still hold Ted Cruz and Rick Santorum in the highest esteem. I believe Scott Walker and Rand Paul would be acceptable as President of the United States. I think Ben Carson is a great human being who would be a better President than Obama. I do not like Marco Rubio's outreach toward amnesty. I am against any candidate who supports the Common Core education standards as Jeb Bush does (or simply wants Common Core re-branded like Mike Huckabee). I would not vote for Donald Trump in the primary but if the choice in the general election is Trump or Hillary, I would gladly pull the lever for Trump. I think all the Democrat candidates are pretty rank, but find Jim Webb the least pungent. For the sake of the nation, I pray the general election is not Bush versus Clinton with Trump running as a third party to hand Hillary the Presidency, but I have a great fear that is exactly what will happen.

The Republican Debate

I think every credible early candidate should be on the main stage in one consolidated debate. There should not be two debates. All seventeen campaigners should have the chance to address the same audience on the same topics. Let the candidates distinguish themselves. Why should early polls taken before the candidates really have a chance to introduce themselves with most voters keep half a dozen candidates off the stage? Only a few candidates may have a realistic chance to win the Presidency. Let us give all 17 the opportunity to separate from the field. Someone polling less than one percent now may dominate the debate and go from last to first if they are given the chance.

The Left's Court

America's courts are not going after the infanticide industry. Those who are butchering babies and selling their parts are not being dragged into the dock. It is the organization that is exposing the slaughter that the court is silencing. When courts protect evil, they are evil. US courts have failed to protect the innocent. Now, these same courts are bending over backwards to protect the guilty.