Dan Albert - Yesterday, economist Paul Krugman said we're headed for another Depression. The world's new obsession with "austerity" will kill the global recovery, Krugman says, and plunge the economy into a double dip.Could that really happen? Could we really be headed for a repeat of the 1930s?
Last year, Dan Alpert, managing principal with Westwood Capital, described the huge stock market rally that followed the March lows as the "greatest sucker's rally in history." He also produced a fascinating series of news clippings from early 1930, a few months after the historic market crash of 1929, that showed that market participants in those days had no idea of what was about to hit them.
Specifically, Dan assembled headlines and commentary from the New York Times, Wall Street, Journal and other papers that showed vigorous debate about how strong the recovery would be--with almost no suggestion that the market crash of the previous fall might only be the beginning. The market rallied strongly in the spring of 1930 amid booming optimism. Then it crashed to the horrific lows of early 1932.
Dan Alpert says we have not yet addressed the core problem with our economy, which is the massive debt mountain that we have built up over the past 30 years. Until we address that problem, and fix it, the economy will struggle.
And with unemployment still at 10%, global economic indicators turning downward, and the government's stimulus efforts failing to turn things around, it is not a stretch to think that another Depression has already begun.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
48% See Government Today As A Threat To Individual Rights
Nearly half of American Adults see the government today as a threat to individual rights rather than a protector of those rights.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 48% of Adults see the government today as a threat to rights. Thirty-seven percent (37%) hold the opposite view. Fifteen percent (15%) are undecided.
Most Republicans (74%) and unaffiliateds (51%) consider the government to be a threat to individual rights. Most Democrats (64%) regard the government as a protector of rights.
Additionally, most Americans (52%) say it is more important for the government to protect individual rights than to promote economic growth. Just 31% say promoting economic growth is more important. But again a sizable number (17%) of Adults aren’t sure which is more important.
This nationwide survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on June 18-19, 2010 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.
Men strongly believe it is more important for the government to protect individual rights, while women are almost evenly divided on the question.
Fifty-five percent (55%) of whites feel the emphasis should be on protecting individual rights. African-Americans are closely divided over which is more important.
There is little partisan disagreement when it comes to individual rights versus economic growth.
Data released earlier this week shows that 62% believe politicians want the government to have more power and money. At the same time, 58% think most voters want less power and money for the government. This gap helps explain why 21% believe that government has the consent of the governed. Repairpal is a terrific idea that is likely to become even more valuable as it grows in popularity. The concept is simple a one stop website.
Getting one's car repair can be costly Repairpal is here to let consumers know the true cost of repairs. This web service provides a independent estimate of your total repair cost for parts and labor based on the make, model, year of car and geographic location and Americans feel Repairpal is very handy in finding estimates on common car expenses. Repairpal lets you know what your car repair should cost around the country. Visit Repairpal and you might save several hundred dollars because of the access to information that Repairpal gives the average American to make a informed choice when it comes to car repair.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 48% of Adults see the government today as a threat to rights. Thirty-seven percent (37%) hold the opposite view. Fifteen percent (15%) are undecided.
Most Republicans (74%) and unaffiliateds (51%) consider the government to be a threat to individual rights. Most Democrats (64%) regard the government as a protector of rights.
Additionally, most Americans (52%) say it is more important for the government to protect individual rights than to promote economic growth. Just 31% say promoting economic growth is more important. But again a sizable number (17%) of Adults aren’t sure which is more important.
This nationwide survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on June 18-19, 2010 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.
Men strongly believe it is more important for the government to protect individual rights, while women are almost evenly divided on the question.
Fifty-five percent (55%) of whites feel the emphasis should be on protecting individual rights. African-Americans are closely divided over which is more important.
There is little partisan disagreement when it comes to individual rights versus economic growth.
Data released earlier this week shows that 62% believe politicians want the government to have more power and money. At the same time, 58% think most voters want less power and money for the government. This gap helps explain why 21% believe that government has the consent of the governed. Repairpal is a terrific idea that is likely to become even more valuable as it grows in popularity. The concept is simple a one stop website.
Getting one's car repair can be costly Repairpal is here to let consumers know the true cost of repairs. This web service provides a independent estimate of your total repair cost for parts and labor based on the make, model, year of car and geographic location and Americans feel Repairpal is very handy in finding estimates on common car expenses. Repairpal lets you know what your car repair should cost around the country. Visit Repairpal and you might save several hundred dollars because of the access to information that Repairpal gives the average American to make a informed choice when it comes to car repair.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Gun Rights Must Be Honored By States, Cities, Supreme Court Rules In 5-4 Vote
Bloomberg - The U.S. Supreme Court extended the reach of the constitutional right to bear arms by saying it binds state and local governments as well as the federal government.
The justices, voting 5-4 in a case involving Chicago’s handgun ban, said that individual gun rights were among the fundamental guarantees protected against state interference through a constitutional amendment after the Civil War.
The ruling broadens the sweep of the court’s 2008 ruling interpreting the Constitution’s Second Amendment as protecting the rights of individuals, rather than just those of state-run militias. It’s a victory for the National Rifle Association, which joined a group of Chicago residents in challenging the city’s laws.
It will open a new front in the fight over gun rights, setting the stage for courtroom battles over the constitutionality of weapons restrictions around the country.
The justices, voting 5-4 in a case involving Chicago’s handgun ban, said that individual gun rights were among the fundamental guarantees protected against state interference through a constitutional amendment after the Civil War.
The ruling broadens the sweep of the court’s 2008 ruling interpreting the Constitution’s Second Amendment as protecting the rights of individuals, rather than just those of state-run militias. It’s a victory for the National Rifle Association, which joined a group of Chicago residents in challenging the city’s laws.
It will open a new front in the fight over gun rights, setting the stage for courtroom battles over the constitutionality of weapons restrictions around the country.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)