Common sense does not dictate national policy. Every U.S. president and member of Congress is influenced by personal experience and ingrained beliefs. If you’re president, you’re also surrounded by a…
Affordable Housing Is An Oxymoron
If you own your home, congratulations. Your children may not be so fortunate. With the unemployment rate below 4%, wages have been increasing, but at a slower rate than expected…
U.S. Economy Performing Like New England Patriots
The U.S. economy, like The New England Patriots last year, did not perform at its best during the first quarter. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew at a 2.3% annual rate,…
Inflation Almost There, But Interest Rates Are Not
The Federal Reserve Board acknowledged at its meeting last week that the rate of inflation is “almost” at its 2% target level. The last impediment to raising interest rates to…
Deflation Isn’t Always Bad
As we noted yesterday, the Federal Reserve Board’s attempt to avoid deflation has resulted in lowering income for those in the bottom 25% of the income scale. But we likely…
Fed’s Inflation Focus Hurting Average Americans
While we’ve written in the past about the perils of deflation, we’ve also noted that the Federal Reserve Board’s target of 2% inflation is random and dangerous, as the Fed…
The Ghost of Ben Bernanke
“The good news is bad news.” …
Powell Appointment Could Mean Less Regulation
If Congress approves President Trump’s choice of Jerome H. Powell as chair of the Federal Reserve Board, it could mean more of the same. But maybe not. As The Wall…
Gold Can Be Fickle
“Nobody really understands gold prices, and I don’t pretend to understand them either.” …
The Peter Pan Economy
Lowering interest rates is not necessarily a bad thing. It can make borrowing cheaper, which – at least in theory – will stimulate business investment. It can weaken the dollar,…