tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3842956368359302526.post421927757825454104..comments2023-03-17T08:45:00.942-04:00Comments on Derive This: It's Not Bonus, Stupid (Congress)Bo Penghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00909656367080859242noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3842956368359302526.post-5881920504459204132011-07-14T19:51:26.184-04:002011-07-14T19:51:26.184-04:00Everything you are writing about is true. But I th...Everything you are writing about is true. But I think it's not enough to write about it n your blog. you should try to make more people know about you and your position.english essay servicehttp://www.standoutessay.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3842956368359302526.post-45190475705141268582009-03-20T23:07:00.000-04:002009-03-20T23:07:00.000-04:00Hi Greg, glad to see you here!Congress is an insti...Hi Greg, glad to see you here!<BR/><BR/>Congress is an institution that's designed to bicker among themselves, to not act, to slow things down. Whenever they're united, they tend to do great damage. They take on real, serious issues with their usual shallow, sensationalized partisan soundbytes. Talks of bipartisanship or decision action in Congress automatically makes me nervous. It's an oxymoron.<BR/><BR/>Those idiots got scared and bullied into TARP by Paulson and Co. They couldn't possibly carry a meaningful questioning of Paulson/Bernanke on the subject matter and possible solutions. The least they could do is to call a closed-door expert debate on the matter. But no, instead, they latched on relatively trivial but more headline-worthy things like private jet and "bonus". I'm not saying these should not be criticized. But it's popular media's job. <BR/><BR/>So far, we haven't learned much of anything of substance from this crisis, and we most certainly haven't addressed many real issues.Bo Penghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00909656367080859242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3842956368359302526.post-15261005353668442372009-03-20T22:40:00.000-04:002009-03-20T22:40:00.000-04:00The problem is that Congress has become an insular...The problem is that Congress has become an insular, entrenched outfit. The American system isn't optimized around finding the best people to run the government - it's supposed to get rid of the bad ones. (One could make a decent argument that China is better governed than the US at the moment.)<BR/><BR/>We do a decent job with Presidents. I think Obama is an overblown, overrated buffoon with Hugo Chavez-level notions of remodeling the US into some sort of Peronist welfare state. But one can't deny that he isn't different from Bush or McCain, and he'll be gone in 2013 if he doesn't deliver. So, democracy "worked" in his case.<BR/><BR/>Congress is another matter entirely. The parties have jerrymandered the country into "safe" districts, with minimal turnover - and have been aided by the increasingly entrenched voting habits that track lifestyles, not politics. Democracy only works if turnover can happen in the government, so the toilet can be flushed occasionally.<BR/><BR/>As for investments, my best investment in the past five years was the I-bonds I bought for emergency money. Grump.Foobaristahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17695839524769425977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3842956368359302526.post-84919475619393146862009-03-20T20:27:00.000-04:002009-03-20T20:27:00.000-04:00Sandra, glad you like it. I sent this to SeekingAl...Sandra, glad you like it. I sent this to SeekingAlpha, which publishes most of my submissions, but they didn't publish this one. <BR/><BR/>You're right, CPI has been a manufactured number for decades. But in today's environment they'd wiggle to the high side, not the usual lowering bias. In any case, TIPS is a better choice than straight treasuries. <BR/><BR/>If international trade wars break out, which is a distinct possibility, I think we can expect US to play the agriculture card and food/crop in general would rise. But I doubt we'll go as far as food control. US has a lot of leeway in controlling the domestic market. If food prices rise, primary victims would be the third world.<BR/><BR/>My view on commodities in general is not based on supply and demand, which has been proven increasingly irrelevant in recent years. It's based on inflation. If you believe inflation will rise, then real assets are the safest place to park your money in. But I don't follow commodities in enough depth to recommend anything specific.<BR/><BR/>I wouldn't be surprised even if housing starts rising soon -- in a year or so. But the net effect of economic bubbles is to redistribute wealth. The great unwashed public gets distracted and ripped off while a few get more.Bo Penghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00909656367080859242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3842956368359302526.post-70843654898202044592009-03-20T19:31:00.000-04:002009-03-20T19:31:00.000-04:00Great post. I am so glad I found this blog.It app...Great post. I am so glad I found this blog.<BR/><BR/>It appears that part of the scam that consists of spending money that you don't have and can't get is applying misdirection. That's Congress' role, apparently.<BR/><BR/>Bo why do you think TIPS are a good investment? Do you really think that true inflation numbers will ever be published by the U.S. Government?<BR/><BR/>Also - do you see price controls for food coming?<BR/><BR/>And with respect to commodities, would you look at DBA or RJA, or something else? In oil do you see something other than USO which appears to be a bust as it doesn't track the price of oil (contango, too many contracts, etc).<BR/><BR/><BR/>Thanks - absolutely fantastic blog.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com