The Rise of Liberal Intolerance in America

My Comments: I’ve been a registered Democrat since I first registered to vote back in 1962. Back then you had to be registered as a Democrat if you wanted to participate in the primary elections. Republicans only showed up on the November ballot. Democrats lay claim to a higher level of tolerance for those whose …

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The 19 Most Productive Countries In The World

My Comments: Computers and the internet have been the major drivers of worker productivity across the planet over the past three decades. Here in the USA, we think of ourselves as being the best and throw scorn on anyone who suggests otherwise. And like with so many things, we don’t let facts get in the …

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Don’t Expect To Make Any Money In The Market For The Next 7 Years

My Comments: I have no idea whether this will prove to be true or not. But it sure enters my thinking whenever I talk about money with clients and how they are going to pay their future bills. And how I'm going to pay my bills. John Mauldin,  Economics,  Jul. 28, 2016 The next recession …

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The case for ETFs in 3 charts

My Comments: As is true in all life, evolution happens. This includes investing your money for the future. A major evolutionary step was the introduction of ETFs. They are as significant a step as was the introduction of mutual funds in the early years of the 20th Century. It’s in your best interest to understand …

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Will You Regret Taking Social Security ASAP?

My Comments: Too many people choose to take early benefits. If you need the money, hate your job, don’t have a job, plan to die soon, or simply don’t have confidence in your life, then maybe it’s OK. But it usually turns out to be a mistake. There is a do over, but you have …

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A DIVIDED AMERICA: Rural vs. Urban

My Comments: Economic reality drives most lives today. It shapes our ideas about politics, about family, about national security, and our fears. Almost all of us agree that life is better with more money than with less money. So where you live has a huge influence on your economic reality, and as a result, how …

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Growth Stocks vs. Value Stocks

My Comments: If you believe, as I do, that some of your money needs to be working harder than, say a Certificate of Deposit, then your likely solution is some kind of mutual fund or brokerage account. Most of us are not sufficiently sophisticated financially to explore other options, so for new, let’s assume you …

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The Economy Is Adding Jobs, But The Divide Between The ‘Haves’ and ‘Have-nots’ Is Bigger Than Ever

My Comments: I’ve been railing for some time about the income divide between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’. If a remedy is not found, my fear is that my grandchildren, perhaps my children, will see rioting in the streets. It’s increasingly profound, and it’s contributing greatly to the political divide in this country. It’s …

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Brexit: Why Most Commentaries Miss The Point

My Comments: I found this a couple of days ago and it really helped me understand what happened in Great Britain the other day. If Brexit concerns you, this might help. It appeared in a news feed I follow written by a Tom Dispatch, if I have his name correct. 06/26/2016 Economist Robert Kuttner has …

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Secondary Market Annuities (SMA)

My Thoughts: Last month I posted about having stock positions in your retirement portfolio and how much was appropriate. This post is about another option where there are no stocks at all, only a promise by an insurance company to return all your money to you, over time, at a guaranteed rate of interest. Typically, …

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