Would You Invest in America?

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It may seem an odd question, at least in some sense: Since we are all “investors” every time we pay taxes.  But what is seldom asked – and there’s no one really advocating – directly for shareholders – is the simple question: “What are we getting for our money today and how does that compare with times in America’s past?

No. I don’t usually put on the forensic economics hat, and I am not doing this exercise out of spite or malice.  But the question does come up from time to time either in conversations over drinks, chit-chat with people in general, or when I have to cut one of those quarterly tax payment checks.

Today, therefore, we’re looking into how Americans have been long-term victims to what is arguably the most long-running, pernicious, and evil of all financial crimes, dating back to when “money changers” were kicked out of temples in Biblical times.

Like then, the question today that keeps coming up is “What’s really going on with our money?”

First, a few headlines pre Fed announcement and, as always, our ChartPack view of things…

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34 thoughts on “Would You Invest in America?”

  1. (“The Donald Trump “hate industry” is alive and well. With today’s trip being Stormy Daniels: Took Money So Trump ‘Couldn’t Have Me Killed’.”)

    now that there is funny…Larry the cable guy ..

    https://youtu.be/RFlCD5CYAcU?si=gyYNIgBmP7i87T4B

    everyone that ever complains or was to give testimony against Trump is still alive..writing books on tv bitching ..
    how many people that was to give testimony on wicked witch of the NE is still alive..

    so we read about stormy she was a sex worker not trafficked or under age being coerced into it as a business. she is a sure thing for money .. and of a legal age by her own choice not being trafficked at all except for them over paying for the extracurricular activities I don’t see how this is a big deal.
    except for the embarrassment of his wife discovering that he sought the pleasures of her while his wife drop dead gorgeous ready willing and able. I am sure that was a shock to her..

    • Probably not a shock to his wife, she seems bright, she had to know who she was marrying. Certainly embarrassing for her. I still consider Trump a scumbag for putting her through that. Though culturally these days not having any control of your desires is acceptable for politicos.

      What deal with the devil did we make where these two clowns are our choices for a leader.

      • Dr. Ben Sobel: What happened with your wife last night?
        Boss Paul Vitti: I wasn’t with my wife, I was with my gumar.
        Dr. Ben Sobel: Are you having marriage problems?
        Boss Paul Vitti: No.
        Dr. Ben Sobel: Then why do you have a girlfriend?
        Boss Paul Vitti: What, are you gonna start moralizing on me?
        Dr. Ben Sobel: No, I’m not, I’m just trying to understand, why do you have a girlfriend?
        Boss Paul Vitti: I do things with her I can’t do with my wife.
        Dr. Ben Sobel: Why can’t you do them with your wife?
        Boss Paul Vitti: Hey, that’s the mouth she kisses my kids goodnight with! What are you, crazy?

        https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=gumar

      • There is no law that says we have to choose from those two. RFK jr. is far from perfect but makes more sense to me than DOJO

        • So, you don’t like money or guns? RFK is a “tax and spend, anti-Second Amendment” Liberal — he’s just not a communist nutjob. He is also likely to be part of the Trump Administration, should DJT be elected.

      • “What deal with the devil did we make where these two clowns are our choices for a leader.”

        Indeed, there is a 3. choice; Don’t vote !
        Let both of ‘them clowns’ feel it !!!

        • “don’t vote”,,, then what? just bitch?
          choice to stay blind is a choice, I used to think of Trump as another clown, but his actions as President changed that. I dared to take a look. We do start to look at stuff differently as we age, do we become a fine wine or an old bottle of vinegar?
          soon you will be gone to the beyond, but what about those who remain , surfing this wave of life?

          JUST A LITTLE REMINDER TO THOSE STONE CASTERS WHO POSTED ABOVE,,, Joe, gees
          GOD’S MEN IN THE OLD TESTEMENT WERE IMPERFECT BUT WERE GOD’S CHOSEN, you want to over rules God’s choices? David was imperfect but God used him to slay the giant Goliath,,, you who reject what God has sent, YOU, who are without sin, go ahead and start casting stones ,
          might want to take another look see,
          https://rumble.com/c/JUANOSAVINPRESENTATIONS
          I do not know if Trump did the stripper or not, but the news media keeps saying he did and the lame stream news media has a proven history of lying
          RUSSIA RUSSIA RUSSIA and oh ya don’t forget the russian prostitute pee pee tape, and he also beat up his SS limo driver ,,,
          all I know and I do see that big shit is happening, it appears to be Biblical and has echos of money changers being driven from their temples as we see that all the wars are by the elite bankers against anyone who has banks they don’t control,,,
          Satanic Rothchilds ? anybody?

      • WE didn’t make any deal with the devil.

        The devil dealers put our leadership options on the table, same as ALL W.Civ nations.

        The Owners of The People do the devil’s work.

  2. (“the number of people getting entitlement money from the government has gone up and this increase in entitlements is shocking.”)
    its the modern business model..low wages you get the federal programs to subsidize what employers no longer offer or help with.
    in the sixties and seventies..mom stayed home with the kids.the adult presence today mom has to work and daycare takes most of her paycheck. .. then de-regulation of essential services.I remember when car insurance went from fifty every six months to fifty a month.. the night where I was tired needed gas it was 67.9 nothing special.. I decided to wait till morning. eating goulash.. and the president announced deregulation.. next morning gas was1.09.9 …now if I’ll daily since I know that they aren’t dumping from the strategic reserve anymore..price is edging up ..
    the young teller.. she has to seek out federal programs.. she makes 2.00 A week clear as a bank teller..
    compared he’s. no longer offer health I durable or retirement benefits..if you have kids it takes a paycheck for daycare and the adult in the home is now gone..

    • Indeed, we (or most) voted for this. See what
      I mean by “continuing to vote, or NOT ?”
      Your 3. choice !! Don’t vote. let them know. ;-(

  3. “Invest in America”/”China taking Taiwan”

    Let’s think outside the box and change the balance sheet of the U.S. by managing global resources.

    We know the West likes walls, Berlin had one.
    We know the East likes walls, China had a great one.

    Biden and Xi make a secret agreement allowing the U.S./NATO to first strike Russia.

    In the agreement, for whatever reason to satisfy the historic record, China stands down and Moscow leadership is eliminated by the West. China then swoops in claiming everything East of the Urals while the West claims everything West of the Urals. The world has a new wall. Another Cold War for a generation allowing the agreement time to blow-over then relations begin to unfreeze.

    After the elimination of Moscow both countries are flush with new, clean resources to exploit and collateralize. Win/win.

  4. I was at the podiatrist yesterday.. took my guy down to get his treatment from the Kanzius machine.. less than a minute..takes longer to get in the gown.. dam I would love to see that in action..
    anyway the young lady and I mentioned I had to pick up groceries.. and she was talking about wanting a wheat grinder.. that she loves to bake bread..I said dam young lady.. what kind of wheat grinder do you want.. I have several.. ( the year I ground grain with a rock… I have one or two to many grinders LOL just like my coffee pot collection) she said oh you don’t have to bring me in one.. I said I sure would.. she said she is going to bake me a loaf of bread..LOL I said I will bring you a bottle of wine..she said wine you make wine.. yup.. during a bad spell the wife said I sure wish I had a little wine.. so I learned how.. I don’t know if I am any good at it.. it is definately better than the first couple batches.. they tasted like diesel fuel
    now the wife picks out which one she wants and can have the cup of wine once in a while..LOL
    I am putting in elderberry.. seems we ran out of elderberry wine..

    • Living in the country in Wisconsin as a child, the whole family would cruise the country roads with buckets, picking wild elderberries from the bushes along the roads. Mashed in earthenware crocs in the basement, my dad made elderberry wine. First taste I had I was only 3 or 4 years old. I still remember it. Supposed to be good for the immune system and fighting virus, too. Hard to find commercially now.

    • “They’ve already shown that the Kanzius machine can heat nanoparticles and cook cancer to death in animals. Dr. Curley with rabbits, and in Pittsburgh, Dr. David Geller demonstrated to 60 Minutes how he used nanoparticles, made from gold, to kill liver cancer cells grown in rats.Apr 10, 2008”

  5. Mr Jungle,

    https://youtu.be/rgLxt_ca9Ps?si=2dDz8LaqQm8VxVvE
    https://youtu.be/woSbMRUIwL4?si=utJ4jqRtwFsCU3KC

    Interested in the America / Russia Spread, 1 to 1 .

    Sell One Share America SHORT and Buy One Share Russia LONG.
    also like a “local” Spread Sell SHORT One Share Washington DC and Buy One Share Moscow LONG.

    (2) Dark vs Light Spreads.

    The cleanest, safest, CHEAPEST modern City in all the World – Moscow! thats even with occasional lone wolf drone slipping thru to hit a apartment complex.

    How many illegals you figure been slipping into Russia the past 3 years? How much sovereign Debt you figure Mother Russia is on the hook for ? Who do they depend on for Supply Chain ? Themselves! imagine that, G eniuses.

    ? Trust their public numbers phyz GOLD, Oil, Grains ? Do you Trust US govmint Numbers on ANYTHING ?

    Still trying tell peeps military backing USD ?

    ..no wonder its tanking.

  7. Yo G,

    might be time to get a better grip on Ure BONER meds knowledge.

    Seems recent study indicates Preventive Properties against Alzheimers. Is that great news or what..you will never forget where those little Blue pills are! Let alone why there is a mask, cape and bodysuit with a big S on the chest hanging in Ure closet..

    “Oh honey – its time for our memory medicines, again!”

  8. Gold
    In 1978 I was paid 25 ‘Rands for a job I did in Thailand
    Gold at that time was just under $200 an ounce = $5,000
    Not too bad for four days ‘hard work and a couple of stitches’, especially in 1978.
    As of this morning those same 25 Krugerrands are worth $53,750 [ +/- ]
    So.., I have made roughly 16% a year – compounded annually.
    Which is way above the annual inflation rate, or any bank rate.
    Yes., I could have done better Day Trading., but I had neither the time, nor inclination., nor knowledge to attempt trading stocks /options. That came much later.
    So.., a buy and hold forever investment did OK. [Though I didn’t spend a penny for the initial investment.]
    .
    Where will gold go from here? I have no real idea. It is being so controlled and manipulated that it’s historic numbers [ rise and fall ] are no longer of any real use. Though Elliott Wave is making some interesting suggestions.
    “Why gold.., you can’t eat a Krugerrand !” – Oh, shut the hell up, rookie ! Yes, you can.
    Last year during the round up I walked into one of my trading partners neighbor’s office. Cattle ranch office. We talked for a few minutes and I flipped a ‘rand onto his desk. The next day I drove away with a whole butchered cow, double wrapped, labelled and flash frozen. [Couple dozen pork chops and huge smoked ham – as a bonus Thank You. Paid in cash.] We had a couple of beers, great conversation and made a new friend. It was absolutely worth a ‘rand.
    – Should you invest in Gold right now? I have absolutely no idea.

    • Gold is not an ‘investment’. It is a store of value… as you so well illustrate. One old friend once described it as ‘portable real estate’. That definition worked well for me.

  9. Poker
    Received an interest email from “Lady Fingers” [ our ‘Third Thursday’ poker game dealer. Tomorrow night.]
    We will have a ‘guest player’. I asked a few question before I said OK.
    “Well, I’d have to say he is a lot like you. A gentleman at the tables. I think he is better than you though.” Lady Fingers.
    I have a feeling that she invited him to teach me a lesson. Or, possibly to get me onto the playing circuit. He plays the pro circuit around the country. We’ll see…,
    The game tomorrow night will mark the sixtieth year since my first real poker game. On my 15th birthday my Dad took me to smoke filled backroom of a Jazz Club. [ He packed a 45 and played alto sax. They loved him.] He paid the Buy-in. I didn’t do to well in the first hour., but eventually settled down. Left the table, up $55 [ plus the Buy-in.] I got to keep the $55 ! [ ., and every player at the table shook my hand.] .., and I have been hooked ever since.

  10. Antony Blinken, the U.S. Secretary of State, is embarking on his sixth visit to the Middle East since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.
    During this trip, he will meet with Saudi leaders in Jeddah and Egyptian leaders in Cairo to discuss ongoing talks.
    Noted: The language of his efforts has changed. It is no longer “seeking a cease fire” – instead they are using – a “temporary pause”.
    Also: No talks with Israel., or Hamas – are scheduled.
    Outcome?; Only political ammo for Biden to use this as a talking point – “See.., we are trying to save the world !”
    Comment? : Shuttle diplomacy is dead. Useless today.

    • “Comment? : Shuttle diplomacy is dead. Useless today.”
      Always had been USELESS, IMHO !! But profitable for the individuals involved. It’s their chance to really living it up, @ Taxpayer’s expense.

  11. “For example, the number of illegals now in America, while debatable, is somewhere between 10 and 40-million.”

    ‘Twas estimated at 38 million in 2010.

    Our government has become infamous for cooking books. Why would you (or anyone) assume they’re not also doing so WRT illegal aliens, since the Party in-power has a vested interest in having as many invaders bum-rush our borders as is possible?

    I estimate the number of illegal aliens currently in CONUS (+Alaska) at about 72 million, and I consider that to be a conservative estimate…

  12. “Is there a line we should be in that no one told us about? Yes, the Social Security is dwarfed by the cost of healthcare: “In 2023, the federal subsidies for health insurance, including Medicare, are estimated to be $1.8 trillion, which accounts for approximately 7.0 percent of the gross domestic product.

    Next comes the unanswerable: Are we getting our money’s worth?”

    As some here know, I spent a few days in the hospital less than two weeks ago, for a silly infection I couldn’t kick, and didn’t want to develop into sepsis or gangrene. On my release papers, I noticed nine MDs were credited with contributing to my well-being.

    I had two in attendance — the ER physician and the internal medicine staffer assigned to oversee my IV drips.

    The other doctors (including the hospital’s supervisor of interns) merely passed through. I await with great anticipation, my “combined invoice” to see whether each of these fine medical professionals has hit me with a thousand dollar “consulting fee” for stepping into my room for, from 5 to 15 seconds, and never even glancing at my chart…

  13. “Using the Federal Reserve’s Inflation Calculator (mid-page, here) we notice that on a pure inflation adjustment from 2001, the price of gold should be in the vicinity of, well, see for yourself:”

    So, have you figured out that the Fed’s “inflation calculator” is also “cooked,” and bears no semblance to reality?

    I use gasoline prices, with a basis of 26.9¢ per gallon in 1970, because that’s what I paid for petrol in 1970 (and ’71, and ’72, and ’73, until the embargo hit.) This is still not an accurate indicator of inflation, but it’s a helluva lot closer than the Fed’s “calculator…”

    • Ray – a leading, well known economic analyst admitted a couple of months back that he uses “Stouffers Meat Lovers Lasagna”., as one of his inflation gauges.
      .., and “gas at the pump”., not the futures market., is also one he follows.

      • I’m not surprised.

        However, IMO food is too hard to compute.

        We’ve been hit with “shrinkflation” three times in my cognizant lifetime. When the package is shrinking and the ingredients are suddenly being sourced from the bottom of the barrel, there are simply too many variables for a casual observer (like myself) to waste time on:

        1) During the “Reagan recession” (as LOOB calls it, although it began in 1973, eight years before Reagan became da Prez). This is when a “pound” of coffee went from 16oz to 12.8oz.

        2) Shortly after the onset of the Obama Administration. This is when a “pound” of coffee went to 10.9oz and frozen premades were downsized (ex: Marie Callender pot pies went from 17oz to 16oz, Ice cream went from 64oz half-gallons to 56oz “half-gallons,” etc.)

        3) Shortly after the onset of the Biden Administration. This is when that “pound” of coffee went to ~10.3oz, packaged juices and some dairy / faux dairy went from 64oz half-gallons to 53oz “half-gallons,” ice cream went to 48/46/42oz, Marie Callender pies went to 15oz, etc.

        Also with Bidenomics came the reformulation of, well, lots of things. You will be hard-pressed to find a non-kosher (all-beef) hot dog, anywhere, which is not made principally from chicken. Non-kosher hot dogs have always been a pork sausage, or pork with a small amount of chicken added. Marie Callender beef pot pies used to be very good, and reasonably healthy (for a processed meal.) The 17oz pie from 20 years ago ran 830 calories, 690mg of sodium, 45mg cholesterol; the 16oz pie which followed it ran 910, 1410, 55; today’s 15oz pie is 970, 1350, 55, has less (and cheaper, although I don’t know how you get worse than “cutters & canners”) beef, syn-gravy, TVP, and tastes like shit. It used to be a good meal for a “Mr. Mom” or a man living alone (which is why I’ve read this particular label for over 30 years.) Now my dogs won’t touch it.

        I haven’t analyzed the Stouffers Meat Lovers Lasagna because it is (was) something I purchased much less frequently. The “family size” is noticeably smaller, 4½ bucks more-expensive than it was four years ago, and greasy (which it never was when my kids were growing up) but I haven’t really paid attention because I try not to buy premade foods any more, that’ll last me more than two meals.

  14. re: “Would you invest in America?”
    feat: Ask Bill

    Folks,

    Three weeks ago Mssrs. Gates and Zuckerburg were pictured by msm attending the three day pre-wedding festivities of Mr. A. Ambani of the $100+ billionaire family, in Jamnagar India. Billionaire entertainer Rihanna was flown in by private jet to charm the guests with song. Apparently Mr. Z. holds a $5 billion share of the Indian family’s tech subsidiary. Mr. Gates was no doubt impressed by the family’s ownership of the world’s largest oil refinery in Jamnagar.

    However, let’s put that all behind us while Mr. Gate’s just-issued newsletter offers a folksy take of his visit now to the fine state of Texas. He is impressed stating Texas is the largest generator of wind power in America (insert DC joke here) with solar quickly climbing the catch-up ladder.

    Hopefully domestic Texan solar generators stay close to their phones in case a vip guest asks to tour the estate. Probably a good idea to keep some coal briquettes and matches near at hand for a genuine Texas Barbeque.

    Okay here’s DJ George on sound check under the big top. Here we go with a sizzler from Rihanna –
    “Love the Way You Lie” !

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