Category — Investments

NEW YORK MAGAZINE’s December feature article is a treatise on the Libertarian Tea Party.  Except the author, Christopher Beam, misses the obvious.   The Tea Party is NOT Libertarian.

The Tea Party Caucus with 68+ members in the House exists, and it isn’t the Liberty Caucus with 13 members which, of course, consists of Libertarians.  Ron Paul the outspoken long term spokesman for Libertarians is not a member of the Tea Party Caucus, and refused to join.

The Tea Party consists of American Values Voters, historically populists, who don’t have, don’t want, and don’t believe in ideologies, even those ideologies like Libertarianism that have some vague similarity to their voting values, which include, voting for candidates who are truthful and appear honest; who oppose government corruption and special interest legislation, and among other things, distrust government.

That tens of millions of American Value Voters exist, as they have existed for at least 190 years, not in NY or New England, but in rest of the US seems to be beyond the comprehension of progressive NY journalists who seem to never have taken a course in US history, of if they did, forgot US history.  This is aside from the fact they miss the obvious in the current makeup of the Congress.

Chairman Ben scares at least one viewer at Business Insider who distrusts academics.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke appeared on 60 Minutes this week to sell the Fed’s quantitative easing, print money, policy to the public just like any other politico.

Defeated Democratic gubernatorial candidates say they were not elected because Democrats are viewed by voters as “elitist” and “European.”  It is also no secret that 95% of the Obama Administration’s cabinet posts and political appointees are academics from “elite” universities .

Democrats have been unable so far to rebut this charge of academic elitism.

All nine  Supreme Courts justices are Harvard (5) or Yale (4) law school graduates.  Only Harvard or Yale law school graduates are considered as likely candidates for the nation’s high court.  But the nation has over 1200 law schools.

For twenty-two years only Harvard and Yale graduates have been elected President.

Ben Bernanke’s statement that he is “100% certain” the Fed can control inflation will be remembered.  Even if the Fed does control technical inflation, if mom’s finds groceries and products at Wallmart substantially more expensive as a result of Federal Reserve policy, then the academic economists at the Federal Reserve will get failing grades as both practical economists, and as political economists.

At stake for academics in elite universities in the US is the whole idea that academics can plan and manage the US economy, including industries like health care.  Who voters want in charge of the Federal Reserve are practical successful bankers.  Not academics.

Expect depreciation in the value of  Sheepskins if Chairman Ben and other elite academics now in charge of the US economy, legal system, and politics are unsuccessful.

The complete Bernanke’s interview on 60 Minutes is here.

TOTAL COMMERCIAL MORTGAGE HOLDINGS OUTSTANDING declined in the last quarter.   This is good.  Borrowers paid off more than new loans originated.

Cash is King.  Savings rates are soaring.

INMAN NEWS REPORTS, the 10 year T bill is stuck at 3.55%,  fixed rate mortgages are still at almost 5.5%, and the 30 year T bond at 4.44%.

With the Fed printing money (i.e. ‘quantitative easing’ by the Fed buying treasuries) and doing everything it possibly can to create inflation, people shouldn’t be surprised bond and mortgage interest are more than 6.5% higher than the rate of inflation deflation.

Message to Obama:  heh, the $2 trillion the Treasury has to borrow by selling T bills and bonds to finance the national debt, the $1.8 trillion deficit and Stimulus, only 7% disbursed, ain’t agonna happen without higher interest rates ’cause the foreigners expected to buy ain’t a’ buyin’.

An’ if Bernake keeps a’ buyin’ Ts from the left Treasury pocket ($1 trillion this year) to put in the right Fed pocket ($2 trillion more) it will provoke foreigners ta’ mutiny an’ throw the dollar in the pond, ’cause it won’t be worth nothin’.

Obama: Everyone In The Water Now!!

BUY OF THE WEEK:

THIS 3X2 1506′  SF HOME at 2404 Rinconada in Willow Glen is listed at $379,000.   It is a perfect rental home, and at $251 a square foot can’t be built today for the price.  Almost no maintenance; ready to rent.  With 20% down, monthly payments at about $1600, rent at $2350, put money in your pocket every month.  Buy it for less than the asking price.