One of my earliest childhood memories was my grandmother and me bringing home groceries in my wagon. I’ve never forgotten her ranting about rising grocery prices. She seldom raised her voice, but over dinner, she let it out…. “I’ve never been able to carry home $25 worth of groceries. We had to use the wagon […]
U.S Investments
How to Outperform 98.8% of the S&P 500 With Dividend Stocks
For 2020, the S&P 500 index returned 18.40%, so if you didn’t earn almost 20% in your stock portfolio, you might be wondering what happened. But just because the overall returns are high, it doesn’t mean all stocks are performing the same way. For example, Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A, BRK.B) managed to earn just […]
MMT – Modern Monetary Theory –or– Magic Money Tree?
The politicos are hawking Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) to finance their reckless spending. Investopedia explains: “Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) is a heterodox macroeconomic framework that says monetarily sovereign countries (that) spend, tax, and borrow in a fiat currency they fully control, are not operationally constrained by revenues when it comes to federal government spending. …. […]
What Happens When All Our Wealth Is Gone?
When I was dating my wife Jo, her 10-year-old daughter Holly learned I was a glutton for chocolate chip cookies. This adorable little lady grinned, loaded in the chocolate chips and baked an entire batch by herself. As she put the cookies on the cooling rack, I began to devour them. They were soft, moist […]
Restocking The Swamp
America is going through a regime change, out with the old, and in with the new. Oh really! With the entrenched political establishment, the faces may change, but the swamp remains. Pundit Bill Bonner recently wrote, “Bush, Obama, Trump…and presently, the hack from Delaware…all share the same goal – to keep the elites in power, at […]
What’s Going To Happen To The Dollar?
I was not surprised when the Wall Street Journal reported, “Senate Moves to Confirm Trump Fed Nominee Waller, but Shelton’s Candidacy Hits Likely Dead End.” Waller is an insider, currently working for the St. Louis Fed, while Shelton is an advocate of returning to the gold standard. Ms. Shelton was described by some senators as […]
Will Market Volatility Return This Year?
2020 is in the rearview mirror, and I think we can all agree that it’s a good thing. While last year was certainly interesting for investors, I don’t think anyone wants to relive the other parts of 2020. The year is, of course, marked by the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. But let’s not forget […]
The Fed Doesn’t Have A Problem With Fake Money – America Does!
I chuckled when I read the Wall Street On Parade (WSOP) article, “Congresswoman Katie Porter Tells the Fed that It’s got a ‘Big Problem’.” She asked Randal Quarles, Vice Chairman for Supervision of the Fed: “The Fed is largely responsible for dispensing the $500 billion Congress provided as a bailout for corporate America – the […]
PhD Economics Versus Common Sense
Nobel Prize winner Paul Krugman is at it again. He recently wrote, “US needs a really, really big relief package to keep its economy afloat.” Mr. Krugman’s opinions vary, depending on the political landscape. In late October 2016, anticipating the election of Hillary Clinton, he wrote, “Debt, Diversion, Distraction”. “Are debt scolds demanding that we slash spending […]
Do Annuities Fit Into the Perfect Retirement Plan?
My wife Jo had some CDs mature. If we renewed them at the current .4% rate, she would take an 80% income cut. She remarked, “That’s not enough income to pay the bills. We don’t want to tap into the principal each month to make ends meet.” What would be a perfect retirement plan? I […]