So stock markets laid an egg again Friday. They’ve rolled back to last-November levels. The S&P just had the worst week in two years. The Dow, too. Bay Street has shed 6% this year. Investors finished the week looking for tables to crawl under. Bonds went up. Gold, too. Volatility spiked.
Thank goodness for those with a balanced portfolio. Stock cowboys? They’re getting gelded. With bolt cutters.
What’s going on? Well, here are the major ingredients of the current mayhem. See if you can connect the dots.
- President Trump, against advice, announces steep tariffs on imported steel and aluminum. Experts warn this will save no US jobs and raise consumer prices, hurting the economy. He ignores them.
- President Trump announces surprise tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese goods. Business leaders warn this will raise prices, inflame a major trading partner and raise consumer prices. He does it anyway.
- President Trump is warned by world leaders, including those in Europe, that he threatens inciting a global trade war which will impale growth and hurt everybody. He Tweets “trade wars are good, and easy to win.”
- President Trump’s moves against China are met with retaliatory actions as that country’s leaders say they will impose their own tariffs, boycott US goods and possibly stop buying US debt, upon which the American government relies.
- President Trump’s 2016 election campaign, it is revealed, used vote-swaying data from a company that Hoovered 50 million personal accounts on Facebook. People are outraged. Facebook stock is hammered for a $50 billion loss. The tech sector tanks. The Nasdaq loses over 7% in a week.
- President Trump fires his august, respected and leveling Secretary of States, Rex Tillerson, in a Tweet. The ex-oil executive leaves town in shock.
- President Trump fires his national security advisor, Gen. H.R. McMaster.
- President Trump fires the deputy FBI director two days before he is set to retire. Trump is also rumoured to be ready to fire Robert Mueller, heading the Russia probe, igniting a Congressional crisis.
- President Trump calls Russian leader Vlad Putin to offer personal congratulations on having won an election during which the main rival was arrested, then banned, and in which evidence of vote-stuffing was widespread. His advisors strenuously ask that the president not do this. He ignores them.
- President Trump makes it clear he’s not going to honour the Iran nuclear deal, and likely reinstate heavy sanctions, including shutting off Iranian oil exports. Crude prices spiral higher as a result, increasing costs of businesses and consumers, helping drive stocks lower.
- President Trump’s serial infidelity to his wife, Melania, is displayed in nationally-televised interviews with a former Playboy bunny and cinematic porn star who offer evidence of lengthy affairs while he was married. Trump’s lawyer paid one of them money not to talk. The other says the man offered her cash for sex on their first date. She cried. The news trends wildly.
“A Horror Week for the Dow,” the Bloomberg headline Friday night read, “has Investors Begging for Trump Respite.” Of course, you can add in rising interest rates. The Fed raised its benchmark Wednesday and indicated there are five to seven more increases coming in the next two dozen months – thanks in large part to the Trump-fueled stock rally and the Trump-created tax cuts.
Trump, Trump and more Trump. All Trump all the time. Observers now worry there are no adults left in the White House, with a quixotic prez randomly firing key figures responsible for national policy with global implications. The trade war this week was the last straw. Protectionism, barriers and walls lead to nationalism, tribalism and jingoism. They choke off the free flow of capital, making everything more expensive, less efficient and lowering the global standard of living. It’s what turned a financial event (a stock market crash in 1929) into an economic disaster (the Depression).
Moreover, Trump’s tax cuts – celebrated by investors who foresaw romping corporate profits as a result – are not coming with spending cuts to match the revenue loss. Economists say flatly deficits will grow like weeds and the federal debt explode. If China is no longer willing to buy US bonds – since Trump is jamming tariffs up its wazoo – guess who loses?
When elected, Trump stood for politics unusual, an end to the insiders club, a voice for the voiceless and a saviour of that dispirited throng – middle-aged, under-employed, pissed-off white dudes. In a world of rapid change and migrating jobs he said whoa to globalization, giving hope to the deplorables and savaging the elites. He made it okay to discriminate, disparage, bully and taunt. It was just fighting back. Supporters love him for common sense and overlook the ego and giant character flaws. Donald Trump is the improbable evidence that a TV-enhanced, bunny-philandering, property billionaire can stand for the downtrodden.
But he’s also proven – this week at least – to be the single most dangerous man on the planet.
Let’s hope Melania spanks him good.
232 comments ↓
Those conspiracy theories that the government is really run by a shadowy group of shadowy figures and the president is just there to distract attention?
I really hope those theories are right
Nice to know the President lives in your head rent free:)
What did that T-Shirt say?
Elect a clown
Expect a circus.
Slow moving train wreck with world wide implications.
Uber ego meets reality.
Wont finish his first term.
Impeached in disgrace.
Pardoned by the new prez.
Mar-a-Lago…..here we come.
Stocks down, GVR SF homes up.
Melania spank Trumpee….doubt it. She is layered under tons of prenup and non disclosure agreements. Wait till he is out of office. And you thought the story ends there. Wouldn’t surprise me if Melania’s gloves come off and all hell breaks loose. This goof has got to go!
“Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned” lol..
Cheers from the Hinterland.
I said it before and I’ll say it again… Cadet Bonespurs is a moron. Draft dodging chickensh-t lowlife piece of garbage. Trump ire neccesse est.
TRUMP, TRUMP, TRUMP!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeLpCOHZiX4
Ah…that is some good fun right there : )
Beyond any doubt whatsoever …. the toad-in-chief is an imbecile. Or, as Mr. Tillerson put it more succinctly … “he’s a f****** moron.” I almost hate to say it but at times, I find myself praying for a whack job with a AR-15 to put an end to this gong show.
Lets hope Melania walks. Lets see what he does about that. I hope she has some self respect and does the right thing.
“The trade war this week was the last straw. Protectionism, barriers and walls lead to nationalism, tribalism and jingoism.”
Earth to Garth: China has various barriers on imports.
Not that I approve of Trump’s actions, but tariffs are common and still imposed in various forms by all countries. China is heavily protectionist in various respects, restricting external investment in real estate, corporations, etc etc. Go on, try to purchase farmland or vast tracts of commercial real estate in China.
As for Tillerson and McMaster, they were pretty much despised by the GOP voting base. The same goes for Paul Ryan, who you seem to think is a conservative (he is not). You have a really weird view of the Republican party and the schism that is dividing it.
The rest of the laundry list of Trump PR disasters is superfluous. There is precisely 0 evidence that the market cares about Trump’s extra-marital endeavours, Tillerson, McMaster, etc etc.
More likely this is about a potential trade war, the Facebook data sharing scandal, and the obscene 1.2+ trillion dollar spending bill passed by Congress and signed by the orange-hued buffoon.
I would stick to talking about Canadian politics. You don’t live here in the USA and it is obvious that your only exposure to politics within the Republican party is the hack job that appears on Canadian news stations.
I suggest you read one of the various conservative news sites to see the anger from the conservative base at Trump’s signing of the recent spending bill. It might educate you that the world is more complicated than your simple model might suggest.
I respect your opinion, but you denigrate your views by belittling me. Juvenile tactic. – Garth
He will lose both houses in November and will likely be impeached in 2019. Much of what he is doing needs to be done. Cheap goods are not much comfort when you’ve lost you job to countries that don’t play by the rules. As for Iran, what dumbass made the deal where they get to have nukes in 10 years. Clearly dangerous.
especially well written today
Not too worried about the Orange Octopus.
More worried about Smoking Man coming down to San Diego.
Gonna build a wall at Legoland…
M43CA
I thought you said this wasn’t 2008? No news is driving this, it is all herd behaviour….
No comparison to 2008. – Garth
Can Melania spank me too ? Ive been a bad boy : )…
I mean a bad citizen .
These tariffs are the best news I’ve heard in years. I just hope Trump increases the tariffs on China and all the other countries.
I wonder if Trump poking the bear (China) with these tariffs may cause the Chinese government to re-examine their holding over $1.2 Trillion of US debt?
https://marketrealist.com/2018/01/countries-hold-us-debt
But will she spank him like the playboy bunny?
Funny my couch potato with about 23% bond is down like 1.6% ytd.
No crash yet
Well I will be in the basement…with the trumpocolyse guy.
But Lotusland RE values stand strong in this chaos – the only asset class under the moon in entire history of people-kind you can trust. Facebook will go out of business, US government will be shut down, US dollar will be cheaper than Venezuelan bolívar… yet Lotusland RE will keep raising because it is different here and everyone in the universe wants to live here.
You forgot not only did Trump cheat on his wife…but he also cheated on his mistress! Whatta guy!
Agreed. Things are bad. Trump is a black swan event as defined by Taleb. Prognosticators like George Ure predicted the drop on Mar 22 many weeks ago in line with Elliot wave theory predicting another depression like 1929 and now you – Mr. Turner use the D word. Oh my aching portfolio! I assume we keep fiddling while Rome burns. I am prescribing myself a single malt and dog walks.
PPPLEASE GARTH!
IT WAS COMPLETELY DEBUNKED THAT THE RUSSIANS MEDDLED WITH THE ELECTIONS AND IT WAS A MEMO SPONSORED AND PAID FOR BY THE DEMOCRATS THAT STARTED THIS PROPAGADA AND FUELED BY THE DEEP STATE…AND NOW THE SAME PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO BLAME FACEBOOK……HAHAHAH! IM GLAD HE’S STARTING A TRADE WAR AND IMPOSING TARRIFS….TRADE DEALS WILL NOT COST CONSUMERS BECAUSE CONSUMERS NEVER SAVED TO BEGIN…IT ALL WENT INTO CORPORATE POCKETS AND THATS WHERE ITS GOI G TO COME OUT OF AS WELL….JUST MORE PROPAGANDA
Stop yelling. – Garth
Huh…that Book of Revelation is starting to make sense now….
Glad I am far enough south in Mexico that the nuclear fallout will blow past.
Oh look…it’s happy hour….gotta go!
You didn’t even mention the worst thing he has done. He signed the democrat budget which will add a trillion dollars in debt while interest rates are continuing to go up. It won’t be long before we all suffer.
And he’s letting that war mongering cretin John Bolton loose.
CHANGE……That’s what the people wanted.
So that’s what I will deliver.
DRAIN the swamp!!!!
Make America GREAT again
I love getting news updates from you. Though I’m a bit ashamed that’s how I get it. We’re in Nicaragua for a month as part of a RTW trip. Three older kids.
I check in regularly. For financial news especially. No time between touring around.
“No comparison to 2008. – Garth”
Agreed, 1929 is way more appropriate. Depression on the way.
Exaggerate much? – Garth
Re: #21 Brunett43 on 03.23.18 at 6:24 pm
Karen is a very attractive woman.
Garth……this is one of the best.
Wow……this really shows us as individuals who are enemy is…..a pathetic Moron…..a Con of cons….a playboy who should lock himself into a closet where he belongs.
Garth good for you…….enlightening, scarry and Trump the real estate uneducated thug just picks and discards people like garbage…..surrounding himself with “Yes people “…..required to sign non disclosure agreements….making a swamp turn into quicksand.
Democracy was fooled.
I hope his departure to Saudi Arabia is swift….but unless the elected Republicans go back to their economic principles of slow controlling changes and remove some powers from Trump as Toronto City Council responsibly did with the moron over drugged Mayor Ford….too many will suffer because Trump is out of control and a blight on democracy.
Maybe he is a Russian spy dependent on Russia for all that Russian money his son openly bragged about….because after all those planned bankruptcies……the wise American Banks turned him down….so the Trump family and son-in-law went abroad to fund their failed real estate deals. Using the White House to obtain loans…..greed…greed…..greed..at the expense of the American tax payer.
The Trump family is no more than a dishonest real estate developer..with no business in taking care of the welfare of “the people ”
Mussolini hurt Italians….and then other countries. History is repeating itself…..a dictator in the making who actually believes he Knows everything….the self proclaimed omnipotent…..fooling himself.
Garth your comments are to the bone. They tell us how one family continues to hurt ordinary people….this is about government poison in the White House.
Good for sounding the alarms…..the fire is just starting.
Inflation rising in Canada.
Interest rates going higher.
GTA housing prices imploding.
Housing sector employment disappearing.
Divorce about to skyrocket.
Men will be living in their cars.
You can delay the after effects of the 2008 financial crisis in Canada with a false economy for a while but eventually you have to pay the piper.
As a man you need to learn the meaning of no means no. NEVER EVER SUCCUMB TO THE PRESSURE TO BUY A BIGGER HOUSE!
I like the guy. Shoot me.
I see a lot of people coming to the gym I go to everyday.. Most have no idea what they are supposed to do. They come, life 5 kgs, pose, drink water, pose again, go home. Now there are a few who comes there for genuine hardwork and a few from them dunno the correct form of exercising. My heart goes out for them..
Hes kept his campaign promises and is a dramatic slap on the face to the establishment. The hippys and mlillenials dont know it yet but he embodies everything theyve been fighting for. A realistic acknowledgement of current threats, military conflicts, corporate coroption, fraud, the opioid crisis, crime, mexican cartels and you name it. His approach is vastly different than previous establishment presidents and should come as no surprise that hes tackling issues head on. I applaud the man but also despise him. I look no further than the American inner city, the poverty, unemployment, gangs, drugs and overdose and decide that something is wrong with our current system and recognize the need for his drastic approach. I believe that globalization and job loss in the US are correlated. I do not understand why the ‘left’ or anti establishment folks dont see this and what values and the livelihoods he is fighting for. No less, he is a creep, egocentric asshole who I despise deeply. His image personality and background will always hold him back and the establishment will fight him every step of the way. He just might, maybe, win. I do not understand why the ‘left’ or anti establishment folks dont see this.
Garth,
Do you really think that this recent plop in the markets is mostly about tariffs? Or is it more about the Fed trying to begin reining in a decade’s worth of liquidity? Furthermore, won’t almost every imaginable asset class be negatively impacted if the CB succeeds?
Amazing times we live in where an individual can manipulate markets with a single tweet.
Meh, just BTFD and let’r ride.
Hope you’ve kept your duration long and strong, the next BoC move is a cut!
I just hope the women bring him down. That’s what he really deserves.
……..but the WOW factor is yuge and he is entertaining as all get out. We will recover.
Don’t forget his invisible F-15’s and his pledge to increase their nuclear mite!
Trump may have bitten off more than he can chew by getting into a trade war with China , only time will tell. China owns almost 1.2 trillion dollars in US debt . That’s almost 20% of US debt owned by all foreign countries combined. There could be some real turmoil in the financial markets if China decides to retaliate by drastically scaling back or sitting out the next US Treasury auction .
Very astute entry today and #10 Jim should be more respectful. One more for your list: Trump appoints John Bolton to be his new National Security Advisor. He has some truly frightening ideas.
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/03/john-bolton-named-national-security-advisor-its-time-to-panic-now.html
https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2018/03/mcmaster-trump-north-korea/555752/
…where are those blog posts again, where you cname-call Trudeau for not doing something to combat the wildly stupid and inappropriate corporate tax cuts that the brilliant world leader in the above post “Trump”eted?
Just seems like a bit of a cheap shot is all.
Rise in interest rates and the Fed has plans to reduced its balance sheet by 4 trillion over the next few years. We don’t here much about it the news cycle.
The paper waste land has been propped up for the last 9 years. A recent study shows that fifty percent of Canadians are $200.00 dollars away from not being able to meet monthly bills.
Gas is 1.50 a liter on the west coast. The global economy cant function on expensive oil.
Garth talking about American politics isn’t shocking, what’s shocking is the amount of people beyond the Northern Wall that read this blog lol
I doubt Melania would be willing to go near that fat, droopy, pale, pimply butt now
I respect your opinion, but you denigrate your views by belittling me. Juvenile tactic. – Garth
What the heck do you call referring to someone as Mr. Dressup? Hypocrite much? Wow.
After India, Mr.Dressup is an accurate description. Please note I did not show anything but accuracy and respect to Donald Trump in the post. You have no point. – Garth
Seems to me the Americans are trying to blame anyone and everyone but themselves, Facebook, Russia, that they elected the biggest moron in the history of the world as their leader.
There are no investor safe havens, just take it on the chin for now.
DELETED
Well that certainly was a pretty scary composition today Garth.
Unfortunately, it is hard to dispute.
My only hope is that much of this is just his opening offer in a proposed negotiation. Sort of like how he was going to destroy North Korea last year and this year he’s going to attend a summit for talks. He negotiates like a car dealer. Nobody pays the sticker price but that’s where it starts.
And I’m glad he congratulated Putin on the win, it would have been undiplomatic not to. It’s the 3rd most powerful post on the planet. Doesn’t matter if there was ballot stuffing it’s their process to supervise not ours. And with 76% of the vote I don’t think whatever stuffing was done affected the results.
Obama congratulated Putin last time he won and nobody thought that was odd.
The Cambridge Analytica thing is interest because Obama did a very similar thing in 2012 and nobody thought that was weird, they called him “crafty” and “tech-savvy”. Also Facebook does the very same thing every single time they show an ad or make a recommendation. So does Google. This is well known. So the question this raises is more who should have access to that data and what should they be allowed to do with it, including Facebook.
It’s pretty remarkable what they can do with the data you enter into those sites. I read an article explaining how by the time you’ve entered 300 “likes” they know you better than you probably know yourself. They can cross reference everything by subject. It’s amazing how much they can glean from your activity. What you “like”, who you know, what articles you’ve read, what you watch, where you go, where you work, where you live, your political views, your personality, your education, your IQ, they know it all. I’m sure if you are having an affair Google knows about it just from their location tracking. They’ll be able to figure out which cell phones are coming together and when. It’s truly stunning what they accidentally created. I suppose it was a natural outflow of the information age but this level of monitoring wasn’t even envisioned by George Orwell and we set it up voluntarily and inputted the info and paid for it ourselves.
As for the serial infidelity, I think it probably happened. If I had a billion dollars I think I’d probably end up with the odd indiscretion myself. Anyone remember Tiger Woods? The super rich have a very different idea of morality than the rest of us because they face no real consequences. Remember when Tiger Woods divorced? He lost about $80 million to his ex wife in the settlement, but he was worth $1 billion! I don’t think it affected his retirement plans. On the other hand if you are a working man and you lose half your pension in a settlement it is devastating. Sure, Tiger had his “year of shame” where he lost all his sponsorships and grovelled a lot and basically lost face, but he’s back on the tour (and the whole tour is like that) now and probably still rolling bimbos every night. We have short memories. And we are not as moral as we think when freed from consequences. I think everyone intuitively knows this at some level which is why we are so quick to forgive the indiscretions of the rich and famous. Oh well at least Tiger learned his lesson and has stayed single, so nobody cares who he is paying for what anymore.
If the US citizenry really was concerned about who their president was diddling they only needed to know that Trump was on his 3rd wife and had cheated on the first wife with the second. Nobody cares if there was a pron star mixed in as well. Well, except CNN, they don’t seem to care about anything else.
Let’s face it, deep down inside we all want to have an affair with a porn star, both men and women alike. The women are sexy and will do anything, and the men are hunky and last for an hour. I personally couldn’t do it because I have a germ phobia, but I can understand why people want to.
President Trump, against advice, announces steep tariffs on imported steel and aluminum.
President Trump announces surprise tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese goods.
President Trump’s moves against China are met with retaliatory actions
President Trump fires his august, respected and leveling Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson
President Trump fires his national security advisor, Gen. H.R. McMaster.
President Trump fires the deputy FBI director two days before he is set to retire.
President Trump calls Russian leader Vlad Putin to offer personal congratulations
President Trump makes it clear he’s not going to honour the Iran nuclear deal
President Trump’s serial infidelity to his wife, Melania
which is why I pray the Rosary every night
Trade war was always in the cards.
There can be no completely open world economy where you compete with 10 times cheaper labour with no environment or safety rules.
US has no other choice, period.
————————
President Trump calls Russian leader Vlad Putin to offer personal congratulations on having won an election during which the main rival was arrested, then banned, and in which evidence of vote-stuffing was widespread. His advisors strenuously ask that the president not do this. He ignores them.
I don’t like Putin, but any evidence on the above?
—————————–
As for what Trump did while businessman and not a politician, as far as he does not brake the law, that is his personal business, not the public’s business.
——————————–
Bottom line – currency wars are starting.
Don’t be fooled by bonds.
Stocks and golds. Some commodities.
re-balance within that.
The great world wide inflation is gaining speed.
Trump, Trump, Trump. LOL!! Garth get on that Harley and go for a ride. The sun is shining,on the Prairies. Spring is in the air. Head out to mountains for sled ride. Pick steep chute, and Pin it up The mountain (2 minutes tops). Great feeling conquering mountain. Courage, fear, and exhilaration all experienced in 120 seconds. Quite the rush. Trump is last thing on your mind.
By the way Millenials are moving East (Toronto, Montreal) for work. Nothing moving real estate. Prices are dropping slowly.
PB43
Stocks down, GVR SF homes up.
Probably not up (ie: not higher than 2013 plateau levels), but with the way that the junior precious metals mining stocks took off today, at least that sector of the Vancouver economy might be on its way to being reinvigorated and providing returns to its participants. Potentially putting in a bid as the highly leveraged “landlord families” and the faux ‘rich’ of Vancouver are forced to dump due to excessively negative cashflow and destruction of equity.
I’ve argued a few times that Vancouver RE’s high P/E multiple is partially attributable to the extreme long-term cyclicality of one of its major local industries.
The precious metals industry and precious metals themselves, at the peak in the late 1970s, and I believe, also in the 1930s, represented close to 20% of the worldwide stock of investible assets. Figure half vested with the miners, half vested with the above-ground stock of precious metals. If Vancouver based companies even manage to capture 10% of such mining industry valuation (ie: 10% of $40T), based on global investible assets of $400T, you could potentially have $4 of publicly traded precious metals mining companies headquartered in Vancouver (the SFBay area, in comparison, has $4T of tech companies headquartered at the moment!). In light of such, do current Vancouver RE valuations seem so ridiculous?
Just a theory, not investment advice.
Wouldn’t a lower US dollar result in higher oil prices, which is great for our Loonie? Why is oil at over us$100 barrel a bad thing when Canada exports oil? We should allow Trump to spike oil to US$300 a barrel that will be great for our exports.
Trump doing exactly what the voters hired him to do. I see four more years on the cards.
Western men have been hen pecked and cucked for so long they have no idea how to react when a real alpha comes along. The best they can hope for is his ‘wife’ spanks him. Sad.
The bloviator giveth and he taketh away… a tiny tiny little man. The deplorables are all hopped up on Koch funds.
His juvenile tweets will be archived with writings of Lincoln… stunning.. The US is great enough to survive him though.. oh well… only 7 more years.!!.. his scribble is getting bigger every time… hilarious…. such small little fingers gripping the crayon..
Oh well …..party on.. ride the ways of life.
Just what we needed – a little Trump inspired market chaos. Getting to be some reasonable bargains out there – finally. Shake out the chicken littles, then buy.
But the Donald certainly looks inflationary in his actions, which will cause debt (and goods) to become increasingly expensive. Something our daft lefty governments in Canada don’t seem to get (or care about anyhow), since they keep piling on more debt even in reasonably good economic times like these.
Oh well, we’ll all pay the piper sooner or later. Kicking the ever enlarging debt cans down the road only steals from future taxpayers.
Well maybe not.
Master should be resting. Master needs to keep up his strength.
And yet most American voted for him. Thanks god for Mr. Trump!!!
Most Americans voted Democrat. Nice try. – Garth
I spoke with a stock broker last week, all he could do was disparage Trump. It sounds like those guys are having their heads handed to them every time the orange guy sends another erratic tweet.
Well now that you got your anti-Trump rant off your chest, let’s examine some other thoughts:
1. Should the US, or any other country, just continue to allow dumping if steel and aluminum into their markets, from the almighty China? The China that does not have 1 privately, non-government owned company, and uses the massive power of the state to mess with the economy of any country they want.
2.Should the US continue with a massive trade deficit with China, while US company intellectual property is stolen by the state, and Chinese markets remain essentially closed to foreign goods?
3.Should the US really listen to Europe, which has massive subsidies for its own countries, and its own import duties to protect the industries of its member countries?
4.Should the US not do what is needed to achieve fairer trade, because the government of one of the most corrupt, totalitarian and undemocratic countries in the world (China), does not like it?
5.Has this data mining issue become a ‘thing’ because it was learned that the Trump team used it during the last election, even though the Obama campaign used the exact same techniques during his campaign?
6. Should the world allow Iran, the primary agent of sponsored terrorism in the world today, governed by fanatical nutjobs who have no respect for law or human rights, and who have sworn to eliiminate Israel, to have nukes?
The rest?
Firings, Putin, Trumps infidelity?
No one cares except the leftist media and the regressive left, who still think Hillary has a chance.
Garth:Your comment:
Protectionism, barriers and walls lead to nationalism, tribalism and jingoism. They choke off the free flow of capital, making everything more expensive, less efficient and lowering the global standard of living.
is absolutely true.
But in a world that is full of protectionism, trade barriers, tribalism, and nationalism, why should the US just roll over and allow itself to be abused?
When most of the world does not support any real sort of free trade, and when to China, free trade means that they are free to use the power of the state to abuse any company and economy that they want, what is the US supposed to do?
Nothing?
They have tried that for the last 30 years, and they are tired of being abused.
It is no wonder that someone has begun to push back.
Canada-US trades exceeds Chinese. This is a straw man. You fell for it, I guess. – Garth
I’d suggest Melania apply the bolt cutters, but golly, she married the guy of her own free will. Can’t possibly have not understood what she was getting into, though possibly had underestimated just how bad it would be.
As for the aghast, what the heck did they think would happen when Trump won? One thing they absolutely can not claim was that the man kept his character flaws hidden away. Nope, he was completely open about how he thought, felt or acted. For sure there was no reason to think becoming POTUS would change that & every reason to believe he’d continue expressing himself. Anyone who thought otherwise was drinking some mighty fine Kool-Aid, well laced with denial & maybe a few mood enhancers to boot.
So maybe those who have been talking about acting will finally act (though I expect it will be too little, too late) to rein in the rampaging POTUS & bring some stability back. I’d suggest they begin by investigating whether Trump’s market slamming actions are linked to any ‘arms length’ purchasing of stocks. Because if you ‘know’ the POTUS is going to do stuff that will drop the markets, hey, hey! Talk about a golden – literally – opportunity to make money. And I just can’t see the Donald passing up the opportunity.
Did Hillary win?
After all, the White House:
Signed Worst Budget Deal In US History
Planned Parenthood Fully Funded
Banned From Building U.S. Border Wall
Hired Iraq War Fail John Bolton
Demands Amnesty for Illegal Aliens
Tweets Leftist Gun Control Talking Points …..
No difference between a Democrat and Republican
TRUMPOCALYPSE HAS BEGUN !!!!!!!!!!!!
IT WILL GET MUCH WORSE !
STEVE BANNON SAYS TRUMP IS PREPARING FOR WAR!
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/03/22/steve-bannon-trump-likely-going-to-war-against-mueller-in-russia-probe.html
PREPARE.
But he’s also proven – this week at least – to be the single most dangerous man on the planet.
—
That title still belongs to the professional currency trading speculation gambler billionaire, also convicted for insider trading, with great ambition to gamble with social engineering around the world. With great sense of humor he calls his dangerous hobby “open society”, his money makes him a welcome guest by all Gx leaders, Trudeau among them. He bankrolled the elections of several leaders worldwide, including some in the US, yet he was never investigated for his king making roles. The pretty face of the smart, effective tribe-free globalism.
Trade war may have contributed to the market downturn, but I think people are more spooked by the appointment of John Bolton. This guy could start a war in the middle East. I hope Canada just don’t tag along with US like in the past.
From Vancouver, living in MN, different perspective when you live here.
GOP holds the house, Dems are going so far left they scare the union thugs, let alone what was left of the Dem Catholic vote…which put Trump over the top in the northern states.
There are job ads everywhere, and wages are rising. Good for workers, bad for profits and stocks….this is just a rebalancing.
Spending control needs to come from the big items…SS, Medicare, Medicaid. No one wants to do what needs to be done until the crisis hits. SS & Medicare are welfare for older people, many who are very wealthy already.
Similar problem to Canada, young poor workers must pay money to old wealthy entitled vacationers.
Free floating currencies & bonds self correct…as will the C$. Pensions will get frozen or cut back, workers will get raises.
Ignore the noise of the clown show, he’s doing things that need to get done, and exposing the swamp on a daily basis. Next GOP leader will need to make tough choices like Trump, none of the 16 he beat would have done it.
Getting out of the Paris accord and fast tracking pipelines sent a huge signal to the energy industry….just booming down here. Ditto religious freedom, and bigger vote issue than you think.
Clear out the corrupt FBI/DOJ leadership and start again…I could go on.
TO real estate is a bigger issue to Canadians wealth than the stock market.
Melanie’s not in it for herself, she’s in it for her SON.
When Donald Sr., Jar-Jar, Ivanka, Don Jr. and the other one all finally self-immolate, she will be sitting pretty, her son Barron as master of what’s left of the Empire.
The Trump name and ‘brand’ may well be a shambles at that point, but I guarantee you that they’ll STILL be richer than whatever country she came from!
None of this matters. The fact of the matter is that nothing was fixed after 2008, it was merely papered over – literally. The system was coming down and they tried to print their way to prosperity. All they accomplished was exploding global debt and inflated asset bubbles.
Now rates are rising and the bubbles are beginning to pop.
And now they’re blaming Trump. Lol, so predictable.
Western men have been hen pecked and cucked for so long they have no idea how to react when a real alpha comes along. The best they can hope for is his ‘wife’ spanks him. Sad.
Republicans have been lied to so long they think they have an alpha male in their midst.
Trump vs Putin? Putin owns him already
Trump vs Xi Jinping? No contest, China holds every card
Trump vs Kim Il Jung? Already lost there, too.
The list goes on…
And in other less important news… Libor is up. That shark fin you see… is a shark. I’ve always said Central Banks don’t set interest rates, they follow the market and the market is making a bee line for 8% and it will get there quicker than most think. And when it gets there if you think we got problems now. Lol! The overly mortgaged are bad off enough already, imagine what some of these sovereigns are going to look like with a 8% ten year and collapsing revenues. That’s when the fecal matter hits the spinning blades and the whole western hemisphere gets a lesson in moral hazard. Three years max.
omg have a look a this “affordable houses” mexico
Aerial Views of Mexico’s Dystopian Housing Developments
..”In the early 2000s, the Mexican government launched an ambitious effort to build affordable housing for millions of the country’s most impoverished citizens. The government ultimately spent more than $100 billion on hundreds of sprawling housing developments, but the program was plagued by corruption, poor planning, and shabby construction methods. Even today, many of the developments lack running water or sewer systems.
https://www.wired.com/story/mexico-housing-developments/
shysters!
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) awarded a record $83 million to three whistleblowers
from:
http://wallstreetonparade.com/
The SEC maintains the confidentiality of whistleblowers who come to it and does not name the company involved in the monetary awards to ensure that confidentiality. The public learned of the details in the case through a statement from the law firm representing the three whistleblowers, Labaton Sucharow.
The statement, also released on Monday, explained why this unprecedented amount of money was paid by the SEC. It said:
“The whistleblowers tipped the SEC to long-running misconduct at Merrill Lynch, which over numerous years, executed complex options trades that lacked economic substance and artificially reduced the required deposit of customer cash in the reserve account. Through the reckless conduct, Merrill Lynch violated the SEC’s Customer Protection Rules and put billions of dollars of customer funds at risk in order to finance its own trading activities.”….
“The SEC settled the case against Merrill Lynch on June 23, 2016 for $415 million and an admission of wrongdoing. According to the SEC’s order at the time, the mishandling of customer cash occurred from 2009 until 2012 while the mishandling of customers’ securities occurred from 2009 to 2016. Both sets of dates show clearly that the Dodd-Frank financial reform legislation, which was signed into law in 2010, is not taken seriously by the mega banks.
https://www.sec.gov/litigation/admin/2016/34-78141.pdf
===========================
The bank deregulation bill the Senate just passed
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/3/6/17081508/senate-banking-bill-crapo-regulation
Trump is a heart attack, that much is clear whether you like or dislike him. If the last presidential election seemed entertaining the next one will be out of this world. Start popping the popcorn. If he is re-elected the silence will be deafening, and the image americans have of themselves and their standing in the world will change permanently. They won’t be able to say it was a momentary lapse in their sanity. Fool me once shame on you…fool me twice shame on me.
I don’t like this demonizing of Putin and Russia, however. Every opportunity is being taken whether it is the Ukraine, Olympics, finger pointing at election meddling, etc. When there is too much north american media attention in a negative way 24/7 you know someone is controlling the hype with their own motives in mind. They just want to derail Russian efforts to continue to supply Europe with oil and gas or it’s some other financially motivated scheme. If you have trouble sleeping tonight instead of counting sheep start counting the number of US military bases in the world.
He’s following his own ‘art of the deal’. He negotiates like an Irishman by first punching you in the face, taking you to the ground, picking you up and buying you a beer.
His posturing is the classic work of a tough negotiator. We’ve become very accustomed to soft politicians who want to stay in office by keeping both sides happy.
Trump is America first everyone else second. Nothing wrong with that if you want to be first and are ok with the rest of the world bitching at you.
Let’s see where this all goes. Uncharted waters can be exciting with possible new discoveries and the shedding of old ideas.
“President Trump announces surprise tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese goods. Business leaders warn this will raise prices, inflame a major trading partner and raise consumer prices. He does it anyway.”
——————————————————————-
Obama and Bush try to do the same during their terms.
China has not been playing on the same field since they joined WTO.
Reading this makes me feel like I just watched an entire evening of CNN. I feel dirty: Trump dirty.
Any factual errors? – Garth
Nix said: “They don’t understand because the candidate never, is never involved. He’s told what to do by the campaign team.” The undercover reporter then asks if that means that the candidate is actually just a puppet. Nix replies: “Always.”
The undercover reporter then asks if that means that the candidate is actually just a puppet. Nix replies: “Always.”
Trump as a “puppet” of a billionaire hedge fund manager and heiress daughter would explain a lot.
==========
Bannon, with funding from billionaire hedge fund manager, Robert Mercer, was involved in the launch of Cambridge Analytica in 2013. Both Bannon and Mercer served on the Cambridge Analytica Board after its founding.
Bannon is the former executive chairman of Breitbart News which also received funding from Mercer. Bannon also served as CEO of Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and as senior counselor to the 45th president for the first seven months of his term until a falling out last year. Robert Mercer was a large donor to the Trump campaign.
Essentially, whatever Bannon has been connected to since at least 2013, Mercer money has been involved in the effort. Take, for example, the Government Accountability Institute (GAI). It was founded in 2012 by Peter Schweizer and Steve Bannon. Schweitzer is currently listed on its website as its President and Rebekah Mercer, daughter of Robert, is listed as its Chair. Rebekah Mercer played a major role in the Trump campaign and served on the Trump Transition Team’s Executive Committee, which played a major role in selecting cabinet appointees.”…..
http://wallstreetonparade.com/
#1 nobody special
Recommend JAMES PERLOFF…excellent researcher..
lots of great YOUTUBE videos and interviews.
@#67 Trumpocalypse1820
Trumpy,
Lets not forget you recommended that people fleeing Toronto and the “apocalypse” should stop off at the Belfountain Store to buy ….icecream….
#21 Brunett43 on 03.23.18 at 6:24 pm
You forgot not only did Trump cheat on his wife…but he also cheated on his mistress! Whatta guy!
===========
Riddle me this. What do Trump, JFK and Bill Clinton have in common?
Have you ever considered you might be Wrong?
About what? – Garth
Krugman made a good point. Much of China’s trade surplus with the US is cancelled out by China’s trade deficits with Japan, Korea and others. In effect US corporations in these countries ship components to China to be assembled and then exported. While China is no angel in international trade it is not a terrible villain either. China will retaliate with substantial justification.
My bigger fear is Korea. I can only hope Congress will stop Trump because all the players are in place for war.
Re: Trump
FDR stated “Presidents are selected..NOT elected”….aka election outcomes are pre-decided in the back rooms.
Trump may have broken this rule(ie was Hilary pencilled in? )….but even Trump know his limits.
There is an olde joke about US Presidents since Kennedy..that every newly – elected US President is brought into a room..shown the Zapruder film and read the riot act.
Trump is kicking a$$.
Keep up the good work.
“So stock markets laid an egg again Friday. They’ve rolled back to last-November levels.”
——————————————————————–
In a couple of weeks, Q1 earnings will start rolling in and the markets will resume the uptrend.
Melania can practice her spanking technique on me first. I will take this one for the team.
Begging #2 article’s word cloud: “Trump” in the spotlight (x12)
If the China tariffs actually come to fruition then China will stop purchasing USA paper. Then watch how high interest rates jump.
Read the last sentence.
Whips and chains came to mind.
TGIF to stop the bleeding.
TRUMP’S INNER WORLD EXPLODES SUNDAY, 7 PM EST !
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/stormy-daniels-60-minutes-donald-trump-interview-to-be-broadcast-sunday/
This will be EPIC.
His family life collapsing, Bolton will help him with the distraction of a war in the east.
Markets will DIVE Monday.
The Ides of March have spoken.
PREPARE.
Globalism is the most effective, most concentrated version of tribalism.
The only non-tribal “globalism” is the spiritual unity.
The political, economical globalism doesn’t have anything to do with the true universalism of spiritual unity of human beings, regardless of their tribal past, visible and hidden differences.
The political globalism creates hegemony, eliminates all competition among various tribes by combining the world and then dividing it into just two tribes: the tribe of the global billionaires and the rest of the world.
Political globalism creates the most profitable structure for the global billionaire tribe, and makes the other tribe the most vulnerable, by systematically outlawing and eliminating all the traditional defense mechanisms of smaller tribes.
The global billionaire tribe needs to minimize at all cost the resistance against the tribes of the global billionaires, because the other tribe outnumbers them by such a huge margin, that engineering “democratic” election victory to serve their interest is becoming more and more difficult, even with the most sophisticated rigging of the voting process.
Political globalism managed to eliminate the tribal economic protections to maximize the economic growth of the global billioinaire tribe.
In return the global billionaire tribe artificially fired up tribal social protection mechanisms (race, gender, nationality, religions, etc.) to keep the other tribe busy with inhuman nonsense, while provide secrecy from the public eyes what really matter, like global trade agreements.
Globalism vs tribalism is the same twisted joke as calling the mobilized, brainwashed, violent mob with face masks, dressed in all black, “antifa”, when their closest resemblance is the brownshirts of fascism.
Global trade and development has lifted billions from poverty to prideful existence. Going backwards is, well, going backwards. It won’t happen. – Garth
China says you can’t have one foot in two countries without losing benefits:
“Shanghai has become the first mainland city to enforce a ban on its registered citizens from holding permanent residency in other countries – for example the US green card.
http://m.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2138437/shanghai-orders-citizens-give-their-local-residence-rights-if
“#78 TRON on 03.23.18 at 8:05 pm
He’s following his own ‘art of the deal’. He negotiates like an Irishman by first punching you in the face, taking you to the ground, picking you up and buying you a beer.”
You orange-koolaid drinkers need to wake the F up, seriously. Stop thinking that you “get” the man and realize that even Trump doesn’t get Trump, he’s capricious, cruel, mentally unstable and is incapable of working with anyone who doesn’t cater to his every whim. He’s an embarrassment to America and a danger to humanity. Just pray that he doesn’t get a second term.
Quite something reading the comments from some of the cult members.
There is literally nothing he could do to shake their faith in him, including, like he said himself, shooting someone on 5th Ave.
Look at the results of all the press on data mining in the markets – How many billions and fortunes have been wiped out over the past 10 days . Yikes, it is getting very ugly out there.
“No comparison to 2008.” – Garth
#Correct
https://youtu.be/l-uqZJwOieA
Dow -1,400 points in 2 days, now negative for 2018
1st Qtr US GDP downgraded to 1.8%, by Atlanta Fed who are optimists!
1.3T added to the National Debt today, with Trillion dollar deficits as far as the eye can see.
Trade war with China.
Does anyone really believe the Fed will raise 3 times and shrink its balance sheet?
Nothing has been fixed. TBTF are bigger, more debt, more bubbles, more mal investments.
The markets will make the Fed capitulate soon enough, otherwise the “wealth effect” they worked so hard to create will disappear, only faster than 2008.
IMHO
bannon’s deflections
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/22/steve-bannon-at-ft-conference-i-didnt-know-about-facebook-data-mining.html
=====================================
Bannon was the long-tenured filmmaker for Citizens United, making right-wing propaganda documentaries like “Fire from the Heartland,” a glowing tribute to Michele Bachmann;
“The Undefeated,” profiling the rise of Sarah Palin to national prominence and portraying her as the darling of the Tea Party movement;
“Generation Zero,” blaming the 2008 financial crash on liberals; “Occupy Unmasked,” characterizing the young people attempting to remove their democracy from the iron grip of the one percent as sinister criminals;
and “The Hope and the Change,” showing Democrats’ disillusionment with the campaign promises of Barack Obama, which was, indeed, a valid concern of progressives.
A SuperPac funded by Robert Mercer, Make America Number 1, was also funneling money to Steve Bannon, according to election complaints filed in 2016 by the Campaign Legal Center (CLC). The complaint notes:
“Specifically, CLC’s complaint alleged that Make America Number 1 appeared to have paid compensation to Trump campaign CEO Stephen K. Bannon (now White House chief strategist) via payments to the firms Glittering Steel LLC and Cambridge Analytica, which are incorporated at the same address as Bannon’s consulting firm and closely associated with him. These payments constitute in-kind contributions to Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. from Make America Number 1 in the form of compensation for personal services rendered to the campaign. U.S.C. § 30101(8)(A)(ii)…
“CLC’s October 6 complaint also described how the data firm ‘Cambridge Analytica’ is registered at the same address as Bannon’s consulting firm, Bannon’s Glittering Steel LLC, and Bannon’s “Breitbart News” holdings, and that Bannon is on Cambridge Analytica’s board, as is Robert Mercer, who funds Make America Number 1.
“Make America Number 1 has paid at least $4,633,876 to Cambridge Analytica since Bannon joined the Trump campaign: $411,763 in August, $886,133 in September, $1,935,980 in October and $1,400,000 between November 1 and November 4. These payments to a firm associated with Bannon provide additional reason to believe that Make America Number 1 may have subsidized the Trump campaign CEO’s compensation.”
Looney Baloney on 03.23.18 at 7:22 pm
Western men have been hen pecked and cucked for so long they have no idea how to react when a real alpha comes along.
==================
Yeah, slap them b—–s upside the head. That’s what real men do.
Alpha male or alpha mouth?
Power Financial (PWF) announces 5% dividend increase.
Fourth consecutive year.
Rub tummy
https://www.powerfinancial.com/en/
Wow !!! What a rant you laid here tonight Garth!
‘Trump, Trump and more Trump. All Trump all the time.” ……………… you said it Garth, that’s the way us Deplorables like it!
I see you’re still being influenced by all the “fake news” that’s out there. Trump did not fire Andrew McCabe. Jeff Sessions fired him! Who really cares what China thinks. China has been lying, cheating and stealing with all their trade practices for decades! It’s about time China got slapped. Bring on the trade wars! While Trump is fighting the swamp there will be casualties inside and outside of the White House. You’re either on board with the President or you’re fired!
Keep up the Great Work Mr Trump!
No fear and stay safe everyone!
Global trade and development has lifted billions from poverty to prideful existence. Going backwards is, well, going backwards. It won’t happen. – Garth
Technology “lifted billions from poverty to prideful existence”.
Globalism is creating something else.
White Crock BC on 03.23.18 at 9:03 pm
There is literally nothing he could do to shake their faith in him, including, like he said himself, shooting someone on 5th Ave.
==================
Unfortunately, you’re right. However it is the twilight of the patriarchy in America. Apparently 70% of American millennial women now lean or vote Democrat. It will be harder and harder for these misogynist males to get a date never mind to breed.
Not to worry blog dog investors ….
A) you are getting paid to wait (dividends)
B) slanty semis are flat or down, but rents are steady
c) we are still living in the First World
So is Trump trying to inflate his way out of the US debt levels…not sure he can do that in 3 more years…most of what he does leads to inflation. Not good for us up here in Canada pickled in debt.
Hey Smoking Man:
Hope you read today’s post.
Any defence for the actions of your deplorable man-crush on Trump this week?
Steve.
Canada-US trades exceeds Chinese. This is a straw man. You fell for it, I guess. – Garth
—————
Scuse me but what does anything you wrote about have to do with US -Canada relations. Trump’s trade war policies are to address China.
Canada is an afterthought.
Read the context. – Garth
Trump is awesome
US economy finally taking off after a decade
http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/economy-budget/345762-recovery-from-recession-finally-starting-thanks-to-trump
Tell us how you really feel.
inflation is going up in canada and us.canadian stocks are going down.Retired people used to park their money in dividend stocks but not any more.Rising interest rates will hit most of dividend stocks.Even the bank and life insurance stocks are going down from the last several days.Trade war is already started and if china also responds with tariffs on the us then not only us and china will suffer but the whole stock market will tank and could result in market crash during the next several months.People are pulling the money from the market as they believe sell before may and run away.If nafta is not decided before may then market will show the negative effects.The proposed 7 rate increase for the next 2 years may not work as it will have very bad effects on canadian dividend stocks and the retired people will suffer the most.Banks stocks are already over priced in canada and us and are likely to come down.Chances of further rate increase in canada look very slim to protect real estate crash.
That’s why retired people (and most others) should have a balanced and globally diversified ETF portfolio, not a handful of stocks. – Garth
# 12 onlooker
especially well written today
Agreed! That was extremely well written.
We are about to learn if you can run country like a business….
He is the most predictable President ever…read his platform website and his books….he is actually a transparent simpleton with a known negotiation strategy…that does create a lot of buying opportunities…
Great summation of Trump’s blunders, impending disasters, willful ignorance and astounding incompetence but, you forgot to mention Trump’s hiring of the war monger John Bolton as his National Security Advisor. We are truly living in interesting times.
#33 Smoking Man on 03.23.18 at 6:42 pm
“I like the guy. Shoot me.”
We can’t; it’s illegal. But it sure would stop the incessant whine every day! :)
Oh, and I can understand why you like the guy: You’d have liked the gestapo, too! :)
I’m not sure what is more gripping with regard to news stories?
Is it Trumps impending impeachment or…
The Canadian real estate collapse!?
I’m waiting for the conclusions with bated breath!
#101 IMHO on 03.23.18 at 9:08 pm
Dow -1,400 points in 2 days, now negative for 2018
1st Qtr US GDP downgraded to 1.8%, by Atlanta Fed who are optimists!
1.3T added to the National Debt today, with Trillion dollar deficits as far as the eye can see.
Trade war with China.
Does anyone really believe the Fed will raise 3 times and shrink its balance sheet?
Nothing has been fixed. TBTF are bigger, more debt, more bubbles, more mal investments.
The markets will make the Fed capitulate soon enough, otherwise the “wealth effect” they worked so hard to create will disappear, only faster than 2008.
IMHO
===================================
When no one would buy the Feds Bonds in the 08 financial crisis all they did was fake some bonds and buy the debt themselves!
Nobody said anything!
The USA has the ability to make any amount of money out of thin air by floating more bonds and even buying them on credit.
So they can never go Bankrupt.
Even if China cashed in all their debt The USA would come out smelling like a rose.
What I don’t get is that Trump was actually elected, demographically, by richer white Americans (the usual Republicans).
Poor whites still voted in favor of the Democrats, so this notion that he’s the champion of the plebs is quite false.
If I was a rich republican, I’d hate Trump right now.
More amazing still is that Orange Julius Ceasar still enjoys the level of support he does. The fast approaching future with its impending computerization/automatization of large swathes of our economy, beggars the question of how many more disenfranchised individuals will be looking to throw a brick through the window of ‘the establishment’. It is not difficult to imagine someone who is much more politically savvy, articulate than Trump garnering the support of an even larger proportion of the american(or other) populace and granting him/her the latitude for all manner of misguided attempts to tear down the system. This goes beyond politics and is an urgent societal problem that may not be totally within the power the market to solve.
China Started the Trade War , Not Trump
#80 David on 03.23.18 at 8:13 pm
Reading this makes me feel like I just watched an entire evening of CNN. I feel dirty: Trump dirty.
Any factual errors? – Garth
————–
Garth, yes, regarding Russian president election.
There’s absolutely no proof that there was, as you said, widespread ballot staffing. Just translation of CNN and CBC propaganda.
There were a few cases of “ballot staffing” that were caught on camera surprisingly at the right time. Election commission looked into these cases thoroughly and cancelled results for these ones that they found to be true.
Also the “main rival” as you call Alex Navalny is by no means rival. Just like girl Bana with her mother from Aleppo this personality is nothing but a fake promoted by CNN and CBC type of media.
…….and meanwhile in weedland Ottawa
Chubby and his friends play philibuster with T2 on an all night match of Modi Politics. LoL
Garth, in your comment above you state that:
Canada-US trades exceeds Chinese. This is a straw man. You fell for it, I guess. – Garth
I think you’re conveniently forgetting that China uses Canada and Mexico as back doors to the US market by taking advantage of NAFTA. China sells for example metals and car parts to Canada and Mexico which then assemble if necessary and export to the US without tariffs. The overall indirect export figures from China to the US are much larger than simply the direct figure.
That title still belongs to the professional currency trading speculation gambler billionaire, also convicted for insider trading, with great ambition to gamble with social engineering around the world. With great sense of humor he calls his dangerous hobby “open society”
———————————————————————
Soros is just another false Bogey-man for people to rally against. Do you really believe that with all of the evil that he has claimed to have done (gleefully) during the Holocaust that Wiesenthal’s people wouldn’t have dealt with him already if any of it were true.
#77 the Jaguar on 03.23.18 at 8:05 pm
“I don’t like this demonizing of Putin and Russia, however.”
Here are a couple of book recommendations: 1) Orders to Kill: The Putin Regime and Political Murder by Amy W. Knight (Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin’s Press, 2017), and 2) Red Notice by Bill Browder (Simon & Schuster, 2015).
Pretty hard to go backwards when walking over a cliff.
Will the Orange One blow up the place and everybody in it rather than be indicted?
Global trade and development has lifted billions from poverty to prideful existence. Going backwards is, well, going backwards. It won’t happen. – Garth
——————————————–
Global trade has done nothing more than allow a handful of North American and European plutocrats to exploit cheap labor in developing nations at the expense of the middle class back home.
Making $2 per day slaving away in an Indonesian sweatshop is not a “prideful existence”, Garth. Even if the alternative is 50 cents a day panhandling on the streets of Jakarta.
We can do better. The world can have better. It’s just not profitable.
I give up. Arguing with a brick. – Garth
While seeing the folly of Trump presidency makes me shiver. Reading comments of people still blind to the crazyness of this presidency makes me loose all hope. Who are these loosers and idiots who believe that all this is but hoax and fake news. You did not mention the most dangerous news: John Bolton. When they see the rockets in the sky they will say it is Soros! they are the Greatest fools.
#74 TheRealDeal
Libor rate………ive been watching that too- seems to be moving up and fast.
and you are correct- the current trajectory is vertical, if that rocket takes off then watch out below- RE prices will drop hard and fast but that will be the least of our worries..
oh god! #77 the Jaguar, you idiot.
These people are clueless.
Read history books. Read the spy books (non-fiction)
Read books about Russia, (Anne Applebaum)
Putin is lying and the Kremlin are ALWAYS lying.
Read about Chernobyl and the cover up.
Read the biography of Gorbochev. (BTW he is a good guy that tried to change things but soon discovered the depth of the lying culture within the state).
If they always talk about russia, it’s because russia has been trying to cause mayham since the end of the cold war. Don’t get me wrong, the US has also a history of lying, but the media gets to the bottom of things.
“#126 Pete from St. Cesaire on 03.23.18 at 10:13
Soros is just another false Bogey-man for people to rally against. Do you really believe that with all of the evil that he has claimed to have done (gleefully) during the Holocaust that Wiesenthal’s people wouldn’t have dealt with him already if any of it were true.”
Correct and this BS just allows anti-Semitic “alt-right” clowns to not feel so bad about themselves for hating the guy. Losers always need a scapegoat, never forget this.
Not sure who is “we”, but would YOU do something (anything) if there was no profit for YOU in the future (a mere promise of more would suffice)? Like a pension, or a stock, or a bond, or a house, or a whatever>/i>.
If the answer is no (which is not that far fetched) then why would anyone else?
Garth you don’t get it. The people elected Trump to be a Change Agent. Soon Ontario will elect Doug Ford to be the same.
There is much unhappiness with the “System” out there.
HEY GARTH
YOU BEEN WATCHING TO MUCH CNN AGAIN??
CNN IS a SOAP OPERA FOR OLD RICH WHITE DUDES WITH TOO MUCH MONEY, TIME, AND NOT ENOUGH SEX IN THEIR LIVES.
GET A GRIP AN CHILL OUT
reminder: the largest holder of US debt is the American public. The largest foreign holder of US debt is China.
http://www.thebalance.com/who-owns-the-u-s-national-debt-3306124
reminder: the largest holder of US debt is the American public. The largest foreign holder of US debt is China.
http://www.thebalance.com/who-owns-the-u-s-national-debt-3306124
MOGA MOGA MOGA
Ford 2019
#25 BobC on 03.23.18 at 6:27 pm
“You didn’t even mention the worst thing [Trump] has done. He signed the [D]emocrat[ic] budget which will add a trillion dollars in debt while interest rates are continuing to go up.”
Both the legislative and executive branches of the U.S. federal government are controlled by the Republican party. Why did you not call it a Republican budget? You deplorables are beyond understanding! :)
#129 OttawaMike on 03.23.18 at 10:32 pm
“Will the Orange One blow up the place and everybody in it rather than be indicted?”
That’s the million-dollar question! :)
#52 Nonplused – Not only did the Pink haired wonder boy hone his craft working for Obama, but Christopher Wylie is being called up in front of a House of Commons ethics committee in regards to his time working for Michael Ignatieff and the LPC.
#122 AK on 03.23.18 at 9:55 pm
China Started the Trade War , Not Trump
don’t read this! it will hurt your brain!
“112 Leo Trollstoy on 03.23.18 at 9:32 pm
Trump is awesome
US economy finally taking off after a decade”
US economy has been steadily improving since Obama took over in 2009. Now it’s going downhill under Trump. Try to keep up.
110 Steve French on 03.23.18 at 9:26 pm
Hey Smoking Man:
Hope you read today’s post.
Any defence for the actions of your deplorable man-crush on Trump this week?
Steve.
……..
I’ll sum it up this way.
If you’re an unrifined Manly Man. You love the dude.
If you’re a rifined girly man you hate him with every fiber of your being.
Just think, your walking down an ally way at night with a few palls and you get surrounded by thugs.
Do you want your palls to be Trump supporters or Mr Dress up supporters.
Just saying.!!!!!
Garth,
That last line a bit of kink to it! Spanking Trump would be seen by him more as rewarding him, rather than punishing him, so let me fix it. “Don’t spank Trump!”
If you look at it objectively it’s about bloody time a world leader did something decisively. Take a look at how Vancouver has almost been destroyed over the last 30 years. It’s economic weaponry which Donald Trump is using successfully to outplay Russia and to bring China’s ‘economic aggression’ to a halt. Ronald Reagan did this the last time round to bring down the Berlin Wall. Sanctions and tariffs will do the job of armies. China is the biggest threat to world peace and the US is well aware of this – but unfortunately, not everyone has woken up about it – yet. The West has to dis-engage economically from the Cold War communist and pseudo-communist bloc, just as it did up to 1972 before Nixon and Kissinger were hoodwinked by Mao. Donald Trump is pursuing the right strategy – trade and economic disincentives so that the Reds can go back to trading between themselves which will decimate them financially.
Andrew Woburn on 03.23.18 at 9:25 pm
White Crock BC on 03.23.18 at 9:03 pm
There is literally nothing he could do to shake their faith in him, including, like he said himself, shooting someone on 5th Ave.
==================
Unfortunately, you’re right. However it is the twilight of the patriarchy in America. Apparently 70% of American millennial women now lean or vote Democrat. It will be harder and harder for these misogynist males to get a date never mind to breed.
—————————————
Here’s the problem: Leaning Democrat and voting democrat are two different things.
If voting was mandatory, as it is in Australia and a few other countries, the orange moron would still be fleecing contractors in NYC today….
Trump was forced to sign that bill……you don’t need to be a Phd to see that.
#126 Pete from St. Cesaire on 03.23.18 at 10:13 pm
That title still belongs to the professional currency trading speculation gambler billionaire, also convicted for insider trading, with great ambition to gamble with social engineering around the world. With great sense of humor he calls his dangerous hobby “open society”
———————————————————————
Soros is just another false Bogey-man for people to rally against. Do you really believe that with all of the evil that he has claimed to have done (gleefully) during the Holocaust that Wiesenthal’s people wouldn’t have dealt with him already if any of it were true.
—
The Holocaust and the roles people willingly or unwillingly played in it is way more complex than you imply.
My comment is about the political involvement of the billionaire gambler in shaping politics beyond casting his own vote at the ballot where he an eligible voter.
Or maybe Melanie does a Tiger Woods wife routine chasing him around the Oval office with the pitching wedge?
Can’t someone just hand Trump an Oscar (so many categories to choose from!), thank him for his service and then release him.
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Best Original Screenplay
Best Visual Effects
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
So stock markets laid an egg again Friday. So, what’s the big deal? It will soon be Easter and eggs can produce new life. The point is if you’re in it for the long haul, and collecting dividends along the way this correction is no big deal. Hey, if over the next month stock markets take an even bigger dive it would be a good time to cash in some of those fixed income investments (that you wisely added to your portfolio) and buy more cheap stocks or equity ETFs. It’s bedtime now, time to sign off. I don’t expect to lose any sleep at all over this minor and overdue drop in stock markets.
As much as I hate Trump and all he stands for we need to get away from this “impeachment” nonsense. Trump must be defeated in the 2020 elections; that’s the only way to get rid of him. Dems need to stand up with a solid leader who can inspire and lead, not just criticize. I don’t know who that is right now, I just hope somebody will show up that’s up to the task. If not, God help us.
#101 IMHO on 03.23.18 at 9:08 pm
Dow -1,400 points in 2 days, now negative for 2018
1st Qtr US GDP downgraded to 1.8%, by Atlanta Fed who are optimists!
1.3T added to the National Debt today, with Trillion dollar deficits as far as the eye can see.
Trade war with China.
Does anyone really believe the Fed will raise 3 times and shrink its balance sheet?
Nothing has been fixed. TBTF are bigger, more debt, more bubbles, more mal investments.
The markets will make the Fed capitulate soon enough, otherwise the “wealth effect” they worked so hard to create will disappear, only faster than 2008.
IMHO
===================================
When no one would buy the Feds Bonds in the 08 financial crisis all they did was fake some bonds and buy the debt themselves!
Nobody said anything!
The USA has the ability to make any amount of money out of thin air by floating more bonds and even buying them on credit.
So they can never go Bankrupt.
Even if China cashed in all their debt The USA would come out smelling like a rose.
===============================
#119 Never give up….
The reason it “worked” in ’08 was because everyone wanted to believe that all-knowing CB’s could raise interest rates and sell the bonds the bought with printed money. The Berbanke promised, as did Ol’ Yellen.
I agree with you that during the next crisis, the Fed will print even more than in 2008 – but you prove my point in saying nothing is fixed, the same problems are only bigger and the casualty will be the dollar. Remember, a dollar crisis, in many ways will be much worse than the overture we had in ’08.
Having a printing press is not a panacea.
ie. Zimbabwe had a printing press.
“Trump did not fire Andrew McCabe. Jeff Sessions fired him!”…Riiiiggghhhtt and guns don’t kill people, people kill people. Sessions doesn’t order lunch without checking with 1600 first. You actually signed in just to write that foolishness??? Get a grip.
Bill Maher tonight: Consider if Trump had been president on September 11, 2001.
Now add Bolton.
The hair on my neck is standing up.
“What I don’t get is that Trump was actually elected, demographically, by richer white Americans (the usual Republicans).”…Huey Long was elected the same way. A large swathe of electors thought they wanted change and they thought Trump/Long was just trash talking to get elected but wouldn’t be the douche when elected.
The rich white “GOP” you talk about would vote for Bandit if he was the GOP candidate. Anyone but a Dem for the hard core GOP. Even GW, GHW, Jeb, Colin Powel etc voting for Clinton couldn’t sway the “any Republican” before a Dem deplorables.
One of the craziest thing that is becoming clear about this so called “business genius” is that he actually thought $130K and $150K bribes to keep silent could actually buy someone’s silence indefinately. That’s total chump change.
Jordan Peterson said it best. American’s were faced with Hillaries scripted lies, or Trumps off the cuff lies. As he said a difficult choice. We should be more concerned where Mr Dressup is taking us!
The more I see and read from Mr Peterson I have come to the conclusion that he is, or will become the equivalent of Buckley in terms of impact on political thinking. Why is most political thinkers in Canada hail from the flatlands?
Melania is a mystery
#63 pay your taxes on 03.23.18 at 7:36 pm
Not sure if you are serious?
A stock broker who doesn’t like volatility? Yeah right. Stocks only go up! More “stimulus from these central banks please I’m hungry.”
MF
Pink Pollen falling in West Vancouver.
I don’t know sometimes.
I just have to rub my eyes to see if I’m not seeing things.
I double checked……here we go…
These guys decided it was a good idea to pay 3.5 for a 1/2 duplex in West Vancouver.
Yes ,it is a modern design and new and all that, but it will always have a shared wall.
They held it for a year and then put it on the market originally for a price that ensured best case scenario that they would only break even.
Now they have lowered the price and will most likely take a loss.
I don’t what’s worse ,this sort of case or the people spending 3.5 on condos out in Richmond.
If I wanted to brutalize myself like that, I would just go to a Black Friday sale at Walmart in the States…
M43CA
2998 Burfield Place, West Vancouver paid 3.5 February 2017 asking 3.59
Jan 9:$3,760,000
Mar 22: $3,598,000
Change: – 162000.00 -4%
https://www.zolo.ca/west-vancouver-real-estate/2998-burfield-place
https://www.bcassessment.ca/Property/Info/RDAwMDBUVExZTg==
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Feel free to make a donation.
Flop For Fox Fund…
http://www.terryfox.org/get-involved/ways-to-give
#119 Never Give Up.
Zimbabwe also had a printing press.
china trading soon on their own oil standard. Has nothing to do with any of this. Bahahahaaa. Trump was voted in best of the group others were obvious losers such a weak talent pool. Look what we got here even worse. No talent in any field. Charade will go on. You will pay. You pay. !!!
Trump is great for certain people like me & SM. Danger, preceded by excitement: potential catastrophe: tilling the soil for the “hit”. Unpredictability makes for opportunity. Eat the Square Johns. I know, be careful what you wish for it might come true but what the hell; If you want to live forever stay home & watch TV.
Oh ya, by the way, “Godwin’s Law” ; First person in blog discussion using Hitler, Gestapo, SS loses.
Creativity is based on your travel. You can’t write about shit if you did not see it.
Know know those days that you just want to each if you had a job.
You know those mornings that
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5bIW882OR8
Garth right on the money here.
There’s a reason the Doomsday Clock keeps getting revised down – all the paragraphs Garth wrote above are the reason.
To be clear, Trump is NOT doing what the people elected him to do. If you go back and look at his campaign positions v what he’s done as President, there could hardly be a starker contrast:
1) He said deficits were out of control…but signs a 1.3t deficit with tax cuts and has done ZERO to cut spending.
2) He said unemployment numbers are phony and way higher…then says idiotic things like black unemployment is at an all time low. U6 unemployment is sky high.
3) He said the stock market was a bubble as a candidate …but has been taking ownership of and tweeting about the stock market rise all through 2017. You’ll notice he isn’t quite taking ownership of the recent declines.
I think the US Fed doesn’t raise in June, and this is it. The rises are done. Wait till you see the revised Q1 GDP. Might be as low as 1.3%.
What a great column and what great comments today too. Read every one and I usually skip through.
Up until a few years ago I thought that the quoted experts and business leaders were on my side, making my middle class life better. Now I realize that are working against ordinary people and just maximizing their own profits. What indeed will happen with automation and increased computer ability, most jobs in the Western world will be gone and this will happen sooner than you think according to the BBC, the Economist, Mark Carney and Cambridge University who have all spoken on this happening in just a few years.
Re Trump, every step he takes the deplorables will love and soon there will be more and more of them. They will become the biggest voting block. They will not be getting back into their box because they smell blood. Democratic elite need to completely rethink their offering to voters or a new US party needs to form. Trump currently has no opposition. Trump is working on the mid-terms, which he will win big whether we like him or not. He has created jobs albeit temporary ones and this was what he was elected to do.
Canada will lose big. Why should Trump or the global elites give a stuff about us especially with such a weak leader as woolly Trudeau. Yet we cannot exist without the USA due to geography. We will grab the crumbs from the Trump table.
I now go out of my way to go to the actual bank, use the human bank teller, call my suppliers on the phone, use the human at the supermarket rather than the automatic tills to do my little bit to keep these jobs going. Why not try this too.
Exact same situation, politics and money laundering…just different characters and city…..it is different this time..it’s about the movement of illicitly gained money !
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5538049/How-Putin-cronies-bought-London.html
Communist China-with a dictator for life-is now the hero (even though they have had huge tariffs on imported goods for decades) and the USA is evil ( maybe just free speech and human rights is evil). Jeez.
“inflation is going up in canada and us.canadian stocks are going down.”
Canadian bond market sure doesn’t think so.
https://www.bankofcanada.ca/rates/interest-rates/canadian-bonds/
2.29% on “long-term Canadian bonds”. Basically the same trading range as seen over the past 5 years. No sign of any sort of break-out in long-term bond yields, which implies that there is still a fairly large school of thought that deflation, or minimal inflation is what will beset Canada.
Long-term RRB’s are trading at a real yield of 0.59%, so implied long-term inflation is 2.29-0.59 = 1.8%. Beneath the BoC’s policy target even. The bond market is basically saying that the BoC isn’t pursuing policy that will result in inflation even hitting its 2% mandate.
Recent Canadian CPI was dominated by tax increases (particularly on alcohol) and energy price reflation. Most likely just transitory at best.
#27 TRUMP
Do you have any real thoughts of your own? Or do you just spit out spoon fed one liners from Fox News? You sound like a Trump doll if you pulled it’s string.
Did you know?
The TSX is the worst performing market index on earth? It hasn’t gone up in the last 10 years.
Hey, Smokey. There were some great jokes in the opening monologue last night on the TV talk show Real Time with Bill Maher, but the following two came later in the show(spoiler alert):
• Putin got 76% of the vote, and 24% of Russians are now missing!
• If the tabloids are going to continue to call [Kim and Kanye] “Kimye” and [Bill and Hillary] “Billary” and [“J-Lo” and “A-Rod”] “J-Rod”, then they must refer to [Trump and Stormy Daniels] as “Shitstorm”!
Come on, Smokey, that was funny, don’t you think? The whole show is worth watching, but the “New Rules” segment at the end of the show is especially entertaining and informative. (At least it was for me.)
every time i look at trump
i cant help but see a spoiled bully daddies boy.
without his daddies money he would be just another
used car / real estate salesmen with a bad comb over haircut.
#10 jim on 03.23.18 at 6:11 pm
“I respect your opinion, but you denigrate your views by belittling me. Juvenile tactic. – Garth”
Aww, c’mon Garth, roll with the dawg bites. Sheesh.
#148 Protea on 03.23.18 at 11:14 pm
“If you look at it objectively it’s about bloody time a world leader [like Trump] did something decisively….
“The West has to disengage economically from the [rest of the world]…. Donald Trump is pursuing the right strategy – trade and economic disincentives so that the Reds [sic] can go back to trading between themselves which will decimate them financially.”
Congratulations, Protea! You retain the title of Greatest Fool on this blog! Smokey can’t hold a candle to you! :)
#133 Stephane Bergeron and also # 127 Gravy Train
Thanks for your comments. It’s hard to know what the real truth is, but I am not prepared to demonize a nation or even the man, especially when viewed in the context of the many other historical episodes where successive US administrations tried to do the same and intercede politically in places like Iran, Guatemala, Cuba, etc. Why can’t they mind their own affairs and stop interfering in other places. I guess it has something to do with the “strategic interests of the United States of America”. A recommendation for you: Ukraine on Fire.
This was never going to end well.
Demographic trends do not favor Western Civilization.
Consumer driven economy can only consume until there is nothing left.
China always had a 50 year and a 100 year plan.
American tribalism has been perfectly exploited by Chinese and Russian Military Cyber Unit.
The Great American Schism has entered its final stage.
All Great Nations get usurped after 250 years
America is 242 years old
Fiddle players and fires abound….
Here’s a good one.
As part of a pilot project, Christopher Wylie texted a Queen of Diamonds to a targetted group of Conservatives and all of a sudden tweets started flying around saying, “Justin Trudeau is the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human being I’ve ever known in my life.”
Wow!
#180 Gravy Train on 03.24.18 at 8:05 am
#148 Protea has it right….
The plan was to trade with China so they become a Democracy.
This has not and will not happen.
Time for change
Tighten your belts and get engaged Fiddlers….
West vs East
Bring it on!
Maybe Canada (and Garth) need to spend less time worrying about what others are doing and focus more time on the things they control. Tired of hearing about Trump this, Trump that…all this whining and finger pointing is useless…Set yourself up such that your outcome isn’t so reliant on what others are doing!
We are significantly reliant on the US economy. Duh. – Garth
Most people at work spend 5% of their waking hours talking, thinking about T-rump. It’s all theatre while UN Agenda 21, 3030 marches ahead. Get in your city, panic when your mandatory cell phone alert blares right.
And in this secular society Doug Ford, Premier Wynn(e), Mayor Tory is all over Instagram etc. at CJPAC some might wonder why such merriment:
https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/cjpac/
Call it a Gated Community vs Build a Wall and you
might see an uptick #Trump
#182 TnT on 03.24.18 at 9:09 am
Interesting point s you made there, but…
—
Interesting point s you made there, but did not siriusly consider demographic in your equation?
Only place with surplus of young working is in Africa some parts of Asia and middle east. And we know which way things go when you get when you have to many unemployed young people. I’ll give you hint, Egypt.
As it stands now China is in a bind as us, they depend on echider for one, for manufacturing, monetary and credit expansion.
Us need China to print its own money and Chinese need us bonds to keep printing their own and keep propping that 6-6.5% gdp.
I’ll share something anecdotal with you, that really paint picture how are things in China. Two different approaches to streamline manufacturing and increase throughput.
I work with this dude and plans he worked for lost lots of it business to China. What he told me when they have bottle neck they just hire more people for bottle neck area and of they go. (Cheap labor) but few weeks later I was talking some course, one that farts does not believe in, and dude besides me told me I just came from China I was doing project to add some machines to eliminate some labour cost. It’s mind boggling to hear that “they” are starting to consider their labour expensive. dudes words.
Add just the fact that in China due to is one child policy, with in 10 year s democratic will start splitting heavily to 60% unable to work due to age to your or to old. And just imagine pressure on 35-40% able to work from AI and automation.
As it stands now in china there is 41 million man surplus of my age. They better do have that 50yrs in place.
NoName
M43ON
@#146 Smoking Man on 03.23.18 at 11:10 pm
110 Steve French on 03.23.18 at 9:26 pm
I’ll sum it up this way.
If you’re an unrifined Manly Man. You love the dude.
If you’re a rifined girly man you hate him with every fiber of your being.
Just think, your walking down an ally way at night with a few palls and you get surrounded by thugs.
Do you want your palls to be Trump supporters or Mr Dress up supporters.
Just saying
_________________
LOL, any intelligent person who likes/supports trump is just playing devils advocate.
The dangerous thing about Trump is not Trump himself. He is a moron, a rich kid who is playing “King of the Playground” same as he did on his apprentice episodes. Up until now he has not done much damage, but now he is going to start breaking the USA.
What is dangerous about an air headed dysfunctional baby like Trump is the person who comes after him. He is like the Weimar Republic in Germany, a weak, foolish and hopelessly incompetent leader, who is setting things up for someone much more dangerous than he is to replace him.
If he does enough damage, he’ll put the USA into a tail spin that they won’t be able to recover from. Then you get into the really dangerous situation where people who step up to lead that Country will be very intelligent, not very well meaning, populist leaders who could cause many years of hardship for the USA and the world as a whole.
All we need for this to start happening, is Trump to successfully disrupt the US government’s ability to fund it’s every expanding deficit spending. Right now, the majority of that funding comes from China. If the Chinese shut off the tap, then the USA will be looking for a “coalition of the willing” to purchase their bonds. Perhaps they can cobble together a group of South American Banana Republics (like they did for the Iraq war)?
@#133 Stephane Bergeron on 03.23.18 at 10:42 pm
oh god! #77 the Jaguar, you idiot.
These people are clueless.
Read history books. Read the spy books (non-fiction)
Read books about Russia, (Anne Applebaum)
Putin is lying and the Kremlin are ALWAYS lying.
Read about Chernobyl and the cover up.
Read the biography of Gorbochev. (BTW he is a good guy that tried to change things but soon discovered the depth of the lying culture within the state).
If they always talk about russia, it’s because russia has been trying to cause mayham since the end of the cold war. Don’t get me wrong, the US has also a history of lying, but the media gets to the bottom of things.
___________________________
You should watch Oliver Stones Untold History of the United States on netflix. fantastic watch and illuminating.
Who knew truman was such a hack.
Laugh out loud these comments sound like a cavalcade of former Hillary supporters coming out of the woodwork. still frustrated at reality?
The democrats are a party of losers and handouts, just like our left-leaning parties are. After 8 years of it the Americans had had enough, Just like us and our liberals.
Why is this hard to comprehend???
That list is a joke. Who cares about Melania? Remember Bill Clinton?
MF
#182 TnT on 03.24
Umm I’m Pretty sure Rome lasted a few thousand years.
And “China” is a modern nation state that has a thousand year culture as well.
What’s the track record for communist states like?
MF
@#153 islander
“Can’t someone just hand Trump an Oscar (so many categories to choose from!”
+++++
Good one.
@#175 A J
“You sound like a Trump doll if you pulled it’s string.”
++++
Inflatable dolls can speak?
#184 TnT on 03.24.18 at 9:33 am
“#148 Protea has it right…. The plan was to trade with China so they become a [d]emocracy. This has not and will not happen. Time for change. Tighten your belts and get engaged Fiddlers…. West vs East. Bring it on!”
TnT, you’re first runner-up! :)
I doubt Trumpy’s problems with these women will make much of a difference for him…he has some of Berlusconi’s DNA
It has certainly been harder on his wife than on him, she knew what he was when she married into that circus family, but still, I kinda feel badly for her
@#172 Hindsight
“Exact same situation, politics and money laundering…just different characters and city…..it is different this time..it’s about the movement of illicitly gained money !”
+++++
I never really worry about foriegn (unfriendly) govt controlled businesses buying property, resources, etc.
If the ( Canadian? US?)govt of the day decides to repossess those resources.
The have a vote, pass a law, sign a document and ….voila!
Sieze the assets.
Do you have a house in the right of way of a new freeway and dont want to sell?
Too bad.
Expropriated.
Highway is for the “greater good”.
A business you dont want to sell? A business that creates noise and stinks and the city needs more housing space.
Your business license is cancelled and the land rezoned residential. Get out.
The govt can do anything it wants, when it wants.
We’re just the peons that pay taxes
There has been only one other year since 1950 when the S&P500 was up >5% in Jan and closed Q1 red. 1980. The S&P500 ended 1980 up >25%.
Speaking of begging, I am on South Vancouver Island with tons of cash, top 5% income bracket, and zero rental inventory.
I have been that prudent renter who avoided the market, but saw prices jump 50 percent in the last 2.5 years. And rising interest rates, changed down payment rules, B20 regs, and provincial taxes designed to cut prices have done nothing to curb the market.
This bubble will take another decade to slowly deflate. Meanwhile, I have a young family and have to be out of my rental very soon with zero viable options. Those that rode the RE gravy train have been the smart ones – I am now boxed into a corner. Pay ridiculous rental prices for a crap shared house or pay ridiculous prices for a house and watch every payment be thrown away as prices slowly decline over the next decade. Overall, renting has been a bad life choice.
#135 ANON on 03.23.18 at 10:43 pm
#130 SunShowers on 03.23.18 at 10:33 pm
We can do better. The world can have better. It’s just not profitable.
Not sure who is “we”, but would YOU do something (anything) if there was no profit for YOU in the future (a mere promise of more would suffice)? Like a pension, or a stock, or a bond, or a house, or a whatever>/i>.
If the answer is no (which is not that far fetched) then why would anyone else?
—————————————————
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/i-dont-know-how-to-explain-to-you-that-you-should_us_59519811e4b0f078efd98440
You’re an objectively awful person.
I love all your posts, very informational.
#1 Government is run for the benefit of a select group of globalist oligarchs and their friends. Elections are just a politically correct puppet show to pacify the commoners and make them feel good about paying taxes and the legislative agenda of the elites.
Nothing legal can be done to stop it. They won’t give up and go away any time soon.
Hey, look out! No, behind you! – Garth
#181 the Jaguar on 03.24.18 at 8:21 am
That’s because, as evidenced by history, the rest of the world needs bailing out of their own stupidity every once in a while.
This is not just world wars, but also pandemics, weather events etc.
In times of crises everyone comes running for US help, and the next time won’t be different.
Thank g*d for the US and it’s military.
MF
impoverished citizens
lowest scoring elementary school in Atlanta why ?
section 8 housing across from the school slum landlords- mold /stoves that don’t work people move. Some of those kids have moved 4 times. So instead of armed security the school embeded lawyers!
https://avlf.org/programs/standing-with-our-neighbors/
ps remember jared kushner and baltimore section 8
http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/real-estate/bs-md-kushner-lawsuit-20170927-story.html
@#202 Sunshowers
“You’re an objectively awful person.”
++++++
I hope you’re including me in that observation…
Are you SURE you arent related to Screwed Canadian Millenial? A Twin? Clone? Younger more naive version?
As for the link.
Well that learned publication the “Huff Po” has certainly chastized us. I’m humbled. Speechless.
Where’s the baked Crow we’re required to eat?
Markets rise on ‘irrational exuberance’ and fall on ‘irrational fears’.
That the Americans have decided to defend their economy against the Chinese, or any other economy that seeks ‘free trade’ at their expense, is hardly surprising. That the markets have responded with ‘irrational fear, is predictable.
The Americans under Bush sought to influence the world through military might in Afghanistan and Iraq. All the while, nations such as China were having their way with them economically.
As Trump said, ‘Good for China, shame on the USA’.
The US is still the primary incubator for the greatest ideas and companies in the world. Capitalism and free markets have no equal. It is the capitalist system, despite all its bumps and bruises, that has served to rise the lot of the downtrodden of the world. The Chinese knew this, and this is why they have allowed their own state managed form of capitalism to take place. Without it there would have been massive unrest in this country. And it has served to create a global economic superpower.
There are only two economic superpowers in the world today that are battling for economic and political supremecy and influence.
China and the USA.
The Americans still believe in democracy, personal responsibility, freedom of speech, thought, association and religion, the rule of law, and the capitalist system. Most still believe that less government regulation and intrusion is a good thing. (Well except for Hillary and Bernie supporters)
Then you have China.
Again, one of the worlds greatest economic and military superpowers.
And also one of worlds most authoritative brutal governments, known for crushing economic, political and religious and speech dissent from the party line.
All aspects of business, communication, trade, investment, and society in general are government controlled and managed, often in brutal fashion.
So, if the Americans decide to support their economy, their workers, and their system, through ‘fairer trade’, at the expense of the Chinese, in my opinion there is no debate.
Yes, the markets will not like it because trade wars cause fear, and the markets hate fear.
Markets care less whether trade is fair, or whether people in a country have political or religious or speech freedom. And they obviously don’t care that China has no democracy.
Markets react to profits, and irrational fear and exhuberance.
Managing to how the markets react, is hardly a way to run an economy or a country.
#107– re: American women predominantly vote Democrat:
North American women are so passe
why did berkley cancel him?
http://www.centerforinquiry.net/newsroom/dawkins_berkeley/
My memory of KPFA is that you were unusually scrupulous about fact-checking. I especially admired your habit of always quoting sources. You conspicuously did not quote a source when accusing me of “abusive speech”. Why didn’t you check your facts – or at least have the common courtesy to alert me – before summarily cancelling my event? If you had consulted me, or if you had done even rudimentary fact-checking, you would have concluded that I have never used abusive speech against Islam. I have called IslamISM “vile” but surely you, of all people, understand that Islamism is not the same as Islam. I have criticised the ridiculous pseudoscientific claims made by Islamic apologists (“the sun sets in a marsh” etc), and the opposition of Islamic “ scholars” to evolution and other scientific truths. I have criticised the appalling misogyny and homophobia of Islam, I have criticised the murdering of apostates for no crime other than their disbelief. Far from attacking Muslims, I understand – as perhaps you do not – that Muslims themselves are the prime victims of the oppressive cruelties of Islamism, especially Muslim women.
I am known as a frequent critic of Christianity and have never been de-platformed for that. Why do you give Islam a free pass? Why is it fine to criticise Christianity but not Islam?
You say I use “abusive speech” about Islam. I would seriously – I mean it – like to hear what examples of my “abusive speech” you had in mind. When you fail to discover any, I presume you will issue a public apology, which I will of course accept in a spirit of gratitude for what KPFA once was. And could become again.
Yours sincerely,
Richard Dawkins
First I’m a big fan of ETF’s. I think they are a great way to invest, especially smaller amounts of money. I have always been invested in individual stocks myself. I have owned the odd ETF over time. I’m almost 100% stocks with a few preferreds and always have been. No I have not been gelded with bolt cutters, my portfolio’s are little changed percentage wise. People have to understand that markets go down as well as up. That’s part of investing. I don’t invest in markets, I invest in good companies. What the markets do today, tomorrow or next week are not that important. I try to buy good companies that have little debt, sell goods or services for a profit, pay a dividend, have a record of paying that dividend over time and raising it over time, and growing their business. I’m not interested in buying the whole basket of good and bad. I’ve been doing this for over 40 years and it’s worked well for me. OK so I’m a dinosaur. If you are going to be successful at investing you have to take the ups and downs of life. Don’t listen to all the background noise. And remember you can’t pick a winner all the time.
Obama strangled US economy
Under Trump it’s booming!
https://www.investors.com/politics/commentary/trump-just-did-something-obama-never-could-deliver-on-promised-gdp-growth/
GLOBAL DESTRUCTION IS INCREDIBLY CLOSE !
“There are few people more likely than Mr. Bolton is to lead the country into war.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/23/opinion/john-bolton-trump-national-security-adviser.html
In Ontario today, the sun is shining, traffic fine. Get out NOW to stock up on supplies and fill your gas tank. The chaos that will erupt by Monday will make this harder to do each day from now on.
PREPARE.
#201 Bad Choices
‘Bubbles’ is a term which too often is overused, but if history is our guide, bubbles absolutely do not deflate slowly.
Think of going broke….first by a little bit, then all at once.
A song for Sunshowers
https://www.google.ca/url?url=https://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3Dg3X3rKtruSg&rct=j&frm=1&q=&esrc=s&sa=U&ved=0ahUKEwj8_PSwvIXaAhUBCmMKHZnKALIQyCkIGTAA&usg=AOvVaw1IVg4o43is4J0AzPtKBQVo
The key to trade is reciprocity. Do to them what if hey do to you. In case of China, for example, raise barriers, steal stuff, demand partnership with American business and profit and technology sharing with them. With Canada, since we block their dairy and eggs, block something that we manufacture. Reciprocity is always fair.
#176 Canadian on 03.24.18 at 5:43 am
Did you know?
The TSX is the worst performing market index on earth? It hasn’t gone up in the last 10 years.
====================
No consolation but outperformed an unhedged US market ETF 5% in the last week. One part of me thinks the past few years of underperformance have been a stealth or quasi-stealth repeat 2008 performance for the TSX and that this is close to the “bottom”.
I am unfortunately way overweight TSX…but my thinking is that how bad could it be to hold steady for a year or two or three and not needing the money. Once/if it catches up to the rest of the world in the next few years going to underweight it and never want to look back (I think it will catch up over next 3-5 years, and then repeat it’s multi-year sideways phase).
Not sure the kids can just move to Montreal. You need good English and French to get many jobs, not every type but many.
Anyhow it’s all demographics. Boomers retiring, stopping borrowing puts downward pressure on the market. Trump didn’t do that, it’s been baked into the cake for a good while.
What will be interesting is will they go for a deflationary slump or inflate it away? This will matter for the boomers, who are just about to see their share of the vote fall below the “kingmaker” threshold.
It’s the big unwind. Exciting times.
#213 Trumpocalypse2018
GLOBAL DESTRUCTION IS INCREDIBLY CLOSE !
[…] PREPARE.
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If global destruction is truly imminent, then everyone is already prepared.
To #48 Adam , besides he isn’t Mr. Dressup , he’s Mr. Potato Head …. the single most stunningly stupid human to ever occupy the PMs office…..
RE: #208 AB Boxster on 03.24.18 at 11:44 am
Here’s the USA’s biggest problem:
http://money.cnn.com/2017/08/16/investing/china-us-debt-treasuries/index.html
They can’t function without borrowing money, and they borrow from a tightly held, communist country, where there are no elections, the Chairman has no term limits, and the government has total control over everything.
All the Chinese government has to do, to put the USA into instant financial crisis, is stop the purchase by any Chinese person, company, and the Chinese government, of US government bonds. And they can do that, easily, like pressing a button, because they are a communist dictatorship with absolute powers.
The US government is effectively bankrupt. They must borrow more money every year, to keep functioning. They cannot exist in a surplus budget condition. They can never pay back the trillions that they owe. They have to borrow more every year, just to keep going. The country is basically a lame duck. They have two choices, default or borrow more.
This is what Western style democracy does to a country’s finances. The governments cut taxes and dump money into services and projects, to get re-elected, and then they just borrow to pay for it all.
Trump had better hope his bond sellers can negotiate a new sales agreement with the Chinese, so his government can get funded and continue to operate. When you are borrowing trillions, you need to borrow the money from somewhere.
#221 Ace Goodheart on 03.24.18 at 2:52 pm
“Trump had better hope his bond sellers can negotiate a new sales agreement with the Chinese, so his government can get funded and continue to operate. When you are borrowing trillions, you need to borrow the money from somewhere.”
You do know that the Donald has slapped USD 60 billion worth of tariffs on Chinese exports to the U.S., don’t you? How do you think that’s going over with the Chinese?
“Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said China would not hold back in retaliating. ‘It’s impolite not to give as good as one gets,’ Hua told reporters.”
https://www.bnn.ca/china-urges-u-s-to-pull-back-from-the-brink-as-trump-plans-tariffs-1.1034839
Canadians are eventually going to be forced to make a choice between supporting the Communist Dictatorship of China or the United States of America-as you can see by the comments many have already indicated where their loyalties lie.
…Of course it’s Trump’s fault :)
not the borrowing gringo…not the fed that prints money at record low interest rates… not the huge deficits (that did not start with Trump)….
…but then again… Gringo has to blame someone :)
RE: #222 Gravy Train on 03.24.18 at 3:45 pm
“You do know that the Donald has slapped USD 60 billion worth of tariffs on Chinese exports to the U.S., don’t you? How do you think that’s going over with the Chinese?”
Yeah, I know that. That is what worries me. Not only has he effectively punched the Chinese in the face, he has asked them to strike back. They are proud people and they don’t like “losing face” in these sorts of things. They will most certainly retaliate. It is just a question of how and when.
#223 Big Kahuna on 03.24.18 at 4:01 pm
“Canadians are eventually going to be forced to make a choice between supporting the Communist [d]ictatorship of China or the [capitalist democracy of the] United States of America—as you can see by the comments many have already indicated where their loyalties lie.”
Uh, no! The choice is between:
• free trade, free flow of capital, internationalism, international law, economic stability and peace, versus
• isolationism, jingoism, nationalism, protectionism, nativism, xenophobia, and economic chaos and warfare.
The choice seems clear to me—and, I think, to most sane human beings! :)
#226Gravy-Sure-and according to you the Communist Dictatorship of China represents all the “good” and “stability” and “peace” and the United States of America represents all the “isolationism”, “chaos” and “warfare”. You have clearly made your choice.
#227 Big Kahuna on 03.24.18 at 6:42 pm
“#226Gravy-Sure-and according to you the Communist [d]ictatorship of China represents all the ‘good’ and ‘stability’ and ‘peace’ and the United States of America represents all the ‘isolationism’, ‘chaos’ and ‘warfare’. You have clearly made your choice.”
I give up! Arguing with a brick! :)
Ontario’s debt has exploded.
Is the province in trouble? https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/economy/ontario-debt-burden-budget/article38342177/
Mind-numbing to listen to the neo-fascist-wannabes here defending the atrocity that is Trump and his “team.” Do you Canadians have any idea what they are actually doing to US laws — ones that actually protect citizens? Obviously not. And then you folks on this thread saying there is no “truth” to the Russian investigation, when things have been corroborated by multiple international agencies, etc? LOL on that! Trump and his insane war mongers and Ayn Rand worshippers are destabilizing the world, not just the US. So sad to see this crap here too, at least you all should have been able to figure out by now that this grifter of all grifters, who has been sued many times for refusing to pay his bills — that was denied credit by US banks because his dishonesty made him a bad credit risk — maybe some of you financial geniuses could figure out that he was NOT going to “make America” — or your portfolios — “great again”
“They will most certainly retaliate. It is just a question of how and when.”…ya wanna bet that the coal is once again flowing like water from DPRK to China?
It’s 12:30 now. CBS will pull the trigger in mere hours on Trumpocalypse, which will begin to explode from the inside out, starting with Melania.
Expect major staff problems again the next few days. Then Bolton and war.
PREPARE.