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HomeFederal Reserve Issues a Blank Check
Posted by Larry Doyle on September 14th, 2012 7:37 AM |
Well, I gather we will not be discussing the need for a 4th round of quantitative easing down the road.
Given that the Federal Reserve’s announcement yesterday put neither a dollar amount nor an end date on its pronouncement to purchase $40 billion in MBS (mortgage-backed securities) per month as needed, the great and wondrous Fed wizard Ben Bernanke effectively pre-signed a series of blank checks.
Thoughts and questions crossing my mind this morning include: (more…)
What’s It All Mean? Disgust Not Distrust
Posted by Larry Doyle on September 13th, 2012 8:56 AM |
America, September 2012
What’s it all mean?
That age old question is often used in rhetorical fashion during times of real stress and uncertainty. Is there any question that our nation is facing just such a period right now? Why so much stress and uncertainty?
Well, there are the obvious answers revolving around our economic problems. America today faces a massive fiscal deficit. As large as that deficit is, I firmly believe that our nation faces a much larger deficit within a much larger realm.
What type of deficit?
Acts of War
Posted by Larry Doyle on September 12th, 2012 9:05 AM |
We live in a very dangerous and risk-filled world. We received fresh evidence of that with developments throughout the Middle East and northern Africa over the last 24 hours.
Strained relations with our supposed closest ally in the region are more than enough to occupy our attention. The fact that our embassy in Cairo, Egypt and our consulate in Benghazi, Libya were attacked and our ambassador to Libya was murdered is a sobering dose of reality as to how the United States is viewed by many in this part of the world.
While cooler and calmer heads hopefully will prevail during this period of stress, let’s make no mistake, the attack upon our embassies and the murder of our ambassador, Chris Stevens, are acts of war against our nation. Do you think that all eyes around the world are focused on how we respond? No doubt. (more…)
Serwinski: “Corzine May Have To Go To Jail”
Posted by Larry Doyle on September 11th, 2012 4:09 PM |
The MF Global scandal is now in the rear view mirror, right?
Not so fast.
Although I do not believe that “this” Department of Justice has fully and properly pursued or might still indict Jon Corzine and other executives involved in the misappropriation of MF Global customer funds, the intrigue surrounding this travesty has life.
On that note, let’s “get Jon Corzine back out here” so we can take another swing at this pinata. How so? Let’s go to the videotape as Fox Business’ Charlie Gasparino reports, (more…)
Won’t Have Mary Schapiro To Kick Around Anymore
Posted by Larry Doyle on September 10th, 2012 9:09 PM |
Sense on Cents first crossed paths with current SEC chair and former FINRA head Mary Schapiro in mid-January 2009.
I have often thought Ms. Schapiro – more than any other single individual – knows where more of the bones are buried on Wall Street and throughout the incestuous Wall Street – Washington circle of influence and intrigue. I have tried to be fair but aggressive in questioning Mary’s lack of transparency on so many fronts.
Well readers, if reports circulating around Washington have a measure of truth to them, we will likely not have Mary to kick around all that much longer. (more…)
America’s Ticking Deficit Time Bomb
Posted by Larry Doyle on September 10th, 2012 8:35 AM |
A few weeks back as my son was preparing to go back to college for his second year we discussed the prospects for America’s future. As with many within his peer group, he is very interested in a wide array of social and economic issues of the day.
After touching upon some of these issues, I then directed his attention toward the clock just to the left of this commentary that runs every second of every day. That clock measures our collective level of indebtedness without incorporating the costs of our entitlement programs.
I informed my son that the compounding cost of the debt was nothing more than a choke hold on opportunities for him and all of those in his generation and other generations to come. (more…)
September Employment Report: 368k Exit Labor Pool
Posted by Larry Doyle on September 7th, 2012 9:32 AM |
The September employment report was just released. Many analysts, economists, and political hacks will regurgitate the numbers 8.1 and 96k. These numbers represent respectively the current unemployment rate and the increase in non-farm payrolls.
While these numbers are of very real interest, they are not the most important number to gauge the health of our overall economy. What number is most important? 368k. What does that represent? (more…)
Barack and Mitt: America’s Unfinished Business
Posted by Larry Doyle on September 6th, 2012 1:08 PM |
Should we even have to remind them?
Do the crowds on both sides of the political aisle think Americans are this naive? Well, actually, on that note, the pols from both sides are right. Many Americans remain exceptionally naive regarding far too many issues, financial and otherwise.
The media is clearly of little help in exposing the ugly underside of the Wall Street – Washington conspiracy. That said, many Americans are now far savvier than they were a few short years ago when it comes to appreciating the rackets being run by BOTH political parties, their cronies on Wall Street, and the puppets ensconced within too many of our regulators. (more…)
Student Loan Bubble: The Hidden Reality
Posted by Larry Doyle on September 5th, 2012 10:00 AM |
America is increasingly aware that the student loan bubble is a major problem for millions of students, families, and our nation as a whole. While far too many politicians from both sides of the aisle talk in platitudes about the need for education, few if any of these politicians are willing to pull back the cover and expose the ugly reality embedded in current data on the student loan bubble.
Yes, America knows that total student debt now exceeds all other forms of consumer debt. We also know that total student debt is now approaching $1 trillion dollars. I personally believe that the cost of education at public and private colleges and universities has to adjust downward but that reality does not appear imminent.
What don’t we know about student debt and how will it hurt us? Let’s navigate. (more…)
Who’s Puttin’ Who in Chains?
Posted by Larry Doyle on September 4th, 2012 9:04 AM |
America recently suffered the indignity of a high profile politician in Washington engaging in race baiting by bellowing to a largely African American audience that a rival political party would “put y’all back in chains.” I have no interest in wasting readers’ time by even dignifying those remarks.
I do have very real interest in drawing attention to two recent releases that address what I believe is the most critical issue of the day in the hope that NOBODY in our nation feels chained.
I will allow readers to draw their own conclusion as to whether one political party or another is engaged in putting people “in chains”. Let’s navigate and review two distinct releases addressing the issue of secondary education. (more…)
