Miscellaneous And Off Topic Subjects

[iam416]

The year-over-year stuff can't keep holding in the 8s. That'd be really bad because we're starting to get into a previous 12 month months that were already really high. Lasy September it was 5.4%. Now it's 8.2%. That's not a good two-year run.

Last October was 6.2 and November was 6.8. So, presumably, year-over-year for October and November of 2022 SHOULD go down. But, I never underestimate The Chairman.

[iam416]

Ohio polling that seems about right to me:

DeWine +14
Trump +8 over Biden
Vance +1

DeWine runs furtherest ahead because Whaley is a sacrificial lamb and he has some crossover appeal. Vance runs closest b/c Ryan is effectively running as a Not a Democrat and Vance isn't a great candidate and hasn't run a great campaign.

[iam416]

Dearborn muslims don't seem all that fond of explicit "gay" books in their classrooms, either: https://www.nationalreview.com/news/...r-lgbtq-books/

[DaGeezer]

The year-over-year stuff can't keep holding in the 8s. That'd be really bad because we're starting to get into a previous 12 month months that were already really high. Lasy September it was 5.4%. Now it's 8.2%. That's not a good two-year run.

Last October was 6.2 and November was 6.8. So, presumably, year-over-year for October and November of 2022 SHOULD go down. But, I never underestimate The Chairman.

None of the data points in this report were "better news" than Wall Street consensus estimates. That is unusual. Real wages continue to fall despite the 24% raise the Railroad workers rejected. I'm predicting a rail strike after the election.

[lineygoblue]

Dearborn muslims don't seem all that fond of explicit "gay" books in their classrooms, either: https://www.nationalreview.com/news/...r-lgbtq-books/

That is something that is not often spoken about, because one thing that the left is actually scared of is an angry muslim. Christians can get angry, and its written off as bigotry and hate. Anger a muslim and the discussion becomes "we all must find ways to coexist peacefully in an increasingly global community".

[lineygoblue]

Well, at least my wife and I will get a 8% bump in our Social Security checks in January. We'll get to enjoy that bump until the Fed raises Medicare premiums, and our Medicare Advantage carrier raises co-pays. Oh yes, and when Gretch is re-elected, she'll likely go after the 162% gasoline tax increase again. So maybe we can enjoy the raise all the way into February.

I'd love to see a politician who truly cares about the lower 50% of the population. I haven't seen one in my lifetime. But, they do love our votes.

[CGVT]

Well, at least my wife and I will get a 8% bump in our Social Security checks in January. We'll get to enjoy that bump until the Fed raises Medicare premiums, and our Medicare Advantage carrier raises co-pays. Oh yes, and when Gretch is re-elected, she'll likely go after the 162% gasoline tax increase again. So maybe we can enjoy the raise all the way into February.

I'd love to see a politician who truly cares about the lower 50% of the population. I haven't seen one in my lifetime. But, they do love our votes.

It is well past time for universal health care in this country

[THE_WIZARD_]

WHERE'S JACKIE??

[lineygoblue]

It is well past time for universal health care in this country

Actually, I'm not totally opposed to that. The problem I have with it is how its administered. We don't need people waiting from 6 months to a year for a surgery to find and/or treat cancer. This is one of many problems that Canada has. And the government should have no say in who my PC physician is. Even if they are footing the bill. One of the gold standards of the argument for abortion rights is to "keep the government's hands off my body". If universal health care becomes a reality, then all the government should do is shut up and pay the bills. Let the patient and doctor decide what the course of action is.

[THE_WIZARD_]

Yes let's nationalize healthcare...because Medicare is run so well we need to expand it to all citizens...

Government...taking on problems...making them worse...and creating new problems...since 1935...

[Jeff Buchanan]

The problem with the Fed's aggressive position is that employment is still robust; not shrinking at all and I'm assuming the Fed wants the labor force to decline so that there is less income for the folks, less spending, and less dollars chasing too few goods. That's part of their strategy to reign in the wage/price spiral causes of inflation, The other part is to make borrowing so expensive that borrowing to spend on stuff (personal and commercial spending) isn't taking place. That's usually anti-inflationary monetary policy. Is this the right approach for the Fed?

I've read a lot of articles asking if the Fed's aggressive monetary policies are flat out wrong, or at least failing to consider other inflation causing factors that they have no control over but directly affect inflation in the US, e.g., the war in Ukraine and it's impact on energy and food prices. There are other global factors such as the reduced capacity of China to produce goods in the context of people with a lot of money to spend on them, not enough supply, and the ensuing inflationary price pressures.

I've also read some very shaky ideas that involve Federal Job Guarantees as a way to protect workers most affected by Fed monetary policy to reduce employment. That's just insane but it's out there among liberals. The best advice to the Fed that I have heard involves the Fed recognizing that the US economy is not the same as it was in the 70s, 80s, even the 90s as it is now. Raising interest rates to cool inflation worked (in varying degrees) during previous periods of high inflation and a hot US economy.

The main difference is the connection of the US economy to the global economy. Collective actions of Central Banks has to be taken into account. As most industrialized countries facing inflationary pressures take action to address them, their central banks are raising rates. That has a definite impact on the US economy, i.e., there is an additive and potentially destructive nature to the US economy by the collective increase in rates by Central banks world wide. Spill-over.

The next jumbo rate increase that the Fed is likely to make in the short term and another one before year's end, is believed by many economists to be overly aggressive and will cause more damage to the US economy, workers suffering needless job losses, markets tanking with no guarantee that US inflation will cool. I'm not enthusiastic about the prospect of eating cat-food in my 80s when my retirement portfolio disappears because the Fed goes, whoops, I'm sorry we over-reacted.

[lineygoblue]

Yes let's nationalize healthcare...because Medicare is run so well we need to expand it to all citizens...

Government...taking on problems...making them worse...and creating new problems...since 1935...

I have the same concerns, Wiz. I look at how the VA is administered, and its absolutely criminal how some vets are treated when it comes to just basic services. I'm concerned that if the entire medical care system is handed to the government, we'd see similar chaos. If they'd just shut up and write the checks, it might be different.

[iam416]

Actually, I'm not totally opposed to that. The problem I have with it is how its administered. We don't need people waiting from 6 months to a year for a surgery to find and/or treat cancer. This is one of many problems that Canada has. And the government should have no say in who my PC physician is. Even if they are footing the bill. One of the gold standards of the argument for abortion rights is to "keep the government's hands off my body". If universal health care becomes a reality, then all the government should do is shut up and pay the bills. Let the patient and doctor decide what the course of action is.

Trade-offs, man. There is no free lunch, so to speak. If you want universal healthcare then this is what comes with it. That, btw,s not an argument for or against. It's just point outing the costs. If the benefits outweigh them then it's an easy answer. If it's close, then it's close.

[THE_WIZARD_]

To paraphrase BHO...never underestimate the power of (Joe) the Government to fuck something up...

[iam416]

Yeah, that's my problem.