To Lobby, or Not To Lobby, That is the Question

My Comments: I admit to perverting the title to this article (Lobbyists Pervert Politics And Earn Their Infamy) which appeared in the Financial Times recently. But it points to a problem that may have no solution, at least until the clowns who inhabit our Congress feel enough pain to find a solution. But it most …

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‘It’s the Weather…!’

My Comments: The cacaphony of negative comments by Republicans about the Obama administrations efforts re the economy used to be deafening. Now, not so much. As an economist, I’m sensitive to the fact that there are too many variables at play to attribute success or failure to an individual in the White House or to …

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Dear Future Me: Please Listen!

My Comments: There's a pharase about not letting the closing door hit you on the ass as you leave the room. It's also a metaphor for life. April 6, 2015 By Bob Seawright Bob Dylan hit on a universal truth when he sang about his son and the attraction of remaining young. May your hands …

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Long-term Care Costs Fall Heavily On Women

My Comments: This was written nearly 5 years ago but the message since then has only gotten louder. As more of us get older, and we stay alive, where the money comes from to keep us alive is increasingly in question. We joke about it often, but unless we are willing to let people starve …

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The Unraveling Is Gathering Speed

My Comments: Yesterday, I posted an article that suggested what you might expect over the next six years if you are a generic investor. You have money positioned here and there across the globe in traditional investments. Today I post an article that posits further evidence that we have structural problems that need resolution. The …

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If Trees Don’t Grow To The Sky: The Next 6 Years

My Comments: You’ve read my earlier comments about whether the world we now live in is a different world. The details have changed, but the fundamentals have not. The following article will cause you to think twice if have not made plans for your money to be protected going forward. Charlie Bilello, Pension Partners, Mar. …

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Life Insurance and Retirement

My Comments: This is not an easy idea to talk about. The article came from someone critical of Dave Ramsey and Suze Orman, who argue that premiums for life insurance in retirement are an extravagance. Some of the assumptions made by the author can be questioned, but the overall theme is essentially correct. Personally, I’ve …

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Euro: Parity Like It’s 1999

My Comments: The writer featured here provides, in my judgment, the most insightful reflections on what is happening economically across the globe. It appears here without his permission, but unless and until I’m told not to share them with you, I plan to continue. March 20, 2015 / Commentary by Scott Minerd, Guggenheim Partners Europe …

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Retiree Health Costs And Employee Ignorance

My Comments: This article appeared recently in a weekly summary of articles designed for advisors whose clients are typically small businesses. At this point you need to ask for a definition of “small business”. It depends. About 30 years ago I qualified to attend an insurance conference. I was roomed with a fellow advisor from …

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Clinton And Gender Politics No Simple Matter

My Comments: Unlike many men, especially those from the Middle East and other parts of the world, I’ve never been troubled by a cultural dictum that says women are inferior. I have no problem responding to real leadership no matter where it comes from. I have other faults but I don’t think this is one …

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