An Unheralded Force Shaping US Policy

My Comments: I’ve been registered to vote since about 1960. During these 55 years, I’ve managed to cast a vote in almost every election held for which I was eligible. Some of the time, my votes have been positive and others negative. But I’m convinced my participation was meaningful and remains meaningful today. This article …

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Hump Day – New Disease Identified

My Comments: Mindful that life is short and it’s too easy to take oneself seriously all the time, it occurred to me that each Wednesday, or Hump Day, it might make sense to share something not so serious. With the GOP debates tonight on CNN, keep this in mind if you plan to watch them. …

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Fixed Indexed Annuities: Good, Bad or Ugly?

My Comments: In many circles, a FIA, or fixed index annuity, is an evil thing. As a professional retirement income planner, I believe they can be a lifesaver for many people. That billions of dollars flow into FIAs annually tells me nothing; we have less than sophisticated buyers being sold stuff by self-serving salesmen just …

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Capitalism Can Defeat Economic Inequality

My Comments: I came across this the other day and failed to note the source. As an economist interested in the sustainability of the economy and sensitive to the growing divide between the haves and the have nots in this country, it caught my attention. I'm not saying whomever wrote this is right. I think …

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Plutonium Is Unsung Concession in Iran Nuclear Deal

My Comments: I think I’m beating a dead horse here but I’m going ahead anyway. This new article points out something I’ve missed in every single argument I’ve read that argued either in favor of or against the agreement on Iran. As a financial professional, I often hear arguments in favor of or against the …

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A Global Recession Underway?

My Comments: The ability to accurately predict the future is something I cannot do; if I could, you wouldn’t be reading this blog post. On the other hand, I’m OK with saying an economic downturn is very likely already under way. The writer below suggests it will bottom out sometime in 2017. So, do we …

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5 Reasons the Fed Shouldn’t Raise Rates

My Comments: You've already read my comments about the significance of interest rates. They are going to start going up; when is the big unknown. By Akin Oyedele, September 9, 2015 Larry Summers is convinced the Federal Reserve will make a huge mistake if it raises interest rates next week. Two weeks ago, Summers wrote …

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5 Events of Significance

My Comments: Students are back in school, the morning air is fresher, a stray dog showed up yesterday, I have no doctors appointments this week, and we’re having a garage sale on the 19th. Not significant enough you say? Well, here are five more that confirm my faith in my fellow countrymen. Yes, there are …

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TAX ESSENTIALS

My Comments: I think I found this article published in Medical Economics some months ago. I apologize for my inability to provide accurate sourcing. That aside, all of us have a ZERO obligation to pay more in taxes than absolutely necessary. Just remember, the IRS has a responsibility to collect taxes. It’s up to us …

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Major Bond Warning

My Comments: A recent letter to the editor of the Gainesville Sun suggested there was a conspiracy afoot, run by the US Government, to whit “How was it possible for anyone to survive when banks were only paying 1% on Certificates of Deposit.” While the question itself is legitimate, the context implies a vast ignorance …

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