November 2016

Time Bomb Ticking

The Phenomenon. President-elect Trump has introduced a new element into the Republican party: white, working class people, many of them male, but all lacking higher education. They find themselves alongside two other already disparate elements: social conservatives, whose religious or moral scruples drove them into the party’s embrace; and fiscal conservatives, the Republican Establishment, who have long steered the party’s ideology and legislative agenda in favor of the monied interests.

CPI Jumps 0.4% on Shelter and Gas Costs

The October Consumer Price Index increased by a high 0.4%.  This is a six month high.  The usual suspects were shelter, which soared up 0.4% for the month and gasoline, which rose 7.0% for the month.  Food inflation had no change for the second month in a row.  Inflation with food and energy price changes removed increased 0.1% as shelter and medical costs are part of this measure.

Tom Friedman Is Now Another Angry While Male

It was not a good year from New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman. One of the major themes in the election was tightening up trade policy, with the candidates of both major parties promising action in that regard. This has to rankle on a prominent trade evangelist like Friedman. But even worse, the much more strident of the two candidates on trade issues is the one that prevailed. Ouch! He is now lashing out, warning Trump voters that The Donald will abandon them.

So What Was That About Trump Being a Hillary Plant?

In light of Donald Trump’s victory, I hope we can finally put to rest an argument that I, as a Trump supporter, have had to deal with repeatedly during the course of the campaign. If you are one of the conservatives who espoused the conspiracy theory that Trump was really a Hillary plant put forward to deliberately take a dive for her, perhaps you should never offer commentary on any political issue ever again. His victory exposes that theory as the absurdity that it always was.

Trump Supporters – It’s not Time to Panic

My social media feed is erupting with Trump supporters already panicking that Donald Trump is selling us out. The appointment of Republican National Committee head Reince Priebus as Chief of Staff seems to be of particular concern to many. My advice to my fellow Trump supporters is to take a couple of deep breaths and relax. Remember that the MSM is deliberately trying to sow discord among us and harm the Trump Administration before it even begins. Don't take the bait.

Consumer Credit Increases By $19.3 Billion

The Federal Reserve's consumer credit report for September 2016 shows a 6.3% annualized monthly increase in consumer credit, and 7.0% for the entire third quarter.  Revolving credit increased 5.2% for the month as well as Q3,.  Non-revolving credit increased 7.4% for September and 7.6% for Q3.  Consumer credit matters due to personal consumption being the driving force in economic growth.

 

The TAC Presidential Symposium - It’s a Muddled Mess

I recently wrote an article suggesting that The American Conservative (TAC) magazine, for better or worse the closest thing to a policy journal paleoconservatism has, should be more visibly on board the Trump Train. I realize that TAC is a non-profit and is not able to officially endorse a candidate.

15 Million Fracking Jobs at Risk; 12 Million Export Jobs Could Also Be Lost

On Friday, the US Chamber of Commerce released a report, apparently timed for the weekend before the election when a number of fracking initiatives are on the ballot nationally, which alleged that "14.8 million jobs could be lost, gasoline prices and electricity prices could almost double, and each American family could see their cost of living increase by almost $4,000" if fracking were banned in the US.

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