Friday, December 9, 2016

Boom and What Comes After

A lot of people are excited about the current stock market run.  It's pushing toward 20,000 on the Dow.

I can't get over the nagging feeling that it is a really big bubble about to burst.  I don't think the economy has been doing that well.  We have far fewer people in the work force than the manipulated unemployment numbers indicate.  We are operating with very low interest rates and have been now for years.  We have never really come out of the recession and most of the job growth has been in government -- which produces nothing and is mostly parasitic.  In order to continue funding the cancerous growth in government, we have doubled our massive debt load in the last eight years.

I'd like to be more positive, but the situation does not appear to me to bode all that well.

I think the Fed will raise rates -- because they have to.  I think the markets will crash.  I think the media will immediately lay it all on Trump.  We'll start seeing more realistic statistics about the state of employment and economic growth than what we have been fed by the ministry of information news media for the last eight years.

It is possible that Trump will be able to cut actual government expenditures.  That might be sufficient to stimulate genuine economic growth.  I would say no tax cuts without spending cuts that more than offset the loss in revenue.  We need to end deficit spending and bring the debt back under control.  My hopes for this happening are not high.

My plan? I will offer a few out-the-wall ideas.  Frankly, I would start with military cutbacks.


  • End our interventionist foreign policy.  That means the American military and the American taxpayers will no longer pay in blood or dollars for the privilege of being the globalists' police force and bully boy.  That saves us billions and appeases a boatload of whiners.  
  • Get rid of the TSA.  Or just move them to the borders.  Turn security and screening over to the airlines.  If anyone claims they are being profiled or discriminated against because they are Muslim, gay, fat, or whatever, remind them that the airlines are private entities and reserve the right to refuse service to anyone for any reason.  Make air travel great again.  
  • As noted yesterday, a moratorium on immigration of all kinds from all countries.  No more refugee resettlements.  Enforce the borders.  
  • Punish employers who hire illegals.  Remove all government aid and services for illegals.  We won't have to worry about deporting them.  They will do it themselves.
  • End the war on drugs.  Period.  No more DEA.  No more ATF.  Let the states use the money for drug and alcohol treatment and rehab.
  • End federal involvement in education.  Not just with Common Core and the Department of Education, but with federal court decisions that, now, decades after Brown vs. Board of Education, still control "equitable funding" issues in many southern states.  Last I checked -- it's been a few years -- the Kansas City schools in Missouri were still funded by state revenues under court order.
  • I know most none of this isn't is going to happen, so I will throw in a real fantasy: do away with Medicare and Medicaid. Allow more competition in health insurance and health care. 



2 comments:

  1. means test social security...if household income is 400% of the poverty level, social security payments will not be made until the income falls below that level .. then it will make up the difference up to the maximum payment
    in other words, if you invested wisly and are making 50K a year off stock dividends, you don't need or will you get social security UNTILL the stock market goes bust and you are making 10K in dividends...then you get to collect on what you paid in.
    sunset social security..
    if you are 55+, nothing changes .. you keep paying 6% into the system, matched by your employer, and you will get 100% of what you are "entitled".
    if you are 45-55, you will start paying 4%, matched by your employer paying 4%. both you and your employer will be required to put 2% into a 401K, which you will not be able to access for any reason before you are 65. this 401K will be in addition to any other retirement plan, and will follow you if you change jobs.
    if you are 45-55, at age 65 you will receive 66% of what you would have received under the "old" system.
    if you are 35-45, you will contribute 2%, and your employer 2%, with 4% going to the 401K.
    if you are 35-45, at 65 you will receive 33% of what the "old" system would have given you.
    if you are under the age of 35, you will not "donate" to the present social security system.
    6% of your wages will be placed into a 401K, your employer will match this 6%, again in addition to any other retirement plan, and even if you are working part time for minimum wage. at age 65 you will draw on this fund instead of receiving "social security"
    unlike the existing system, if you die before age 65, this fund will be given to your benificeres, or your heirs to use as they wish.
    again, this will be a mandated replacement for social security and is NOT intended to be a workers sole retirement income.

    ReplyDelete
  2. "Make air travel great again." - Hey, I'd vote for that. Even here in NZ the lines at the scanners are getting longer, the public grumpier. Everyone knows its just window dressing.

    I'm hoping some of those things at least are on Trump's radar. I share your concerns about the US (and world) economy. Ladies and gentlemen, please fasten your seatbelt, and watch the safety briefing....

    ReplyDelete