quote:

Originally posted by Bill Leeper:

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
Should have invested in the Biden stock market. Dow broke 40000 today and SP broke 5300. Up from 30900 and 3850 respectively when Trump left office. I could have told you that Trump sneakers weren’t gonna be the best investment options.

[And your math is a bit off on inflation. A dollar today only buys 82.542% of what it could buy back in 2020. Like I say, maybe you need to consider leaving financial planning to a professional.]

That 82.542% valuation doesn't even come close to what one sees at the grocery store (bought a can of Campbell's soup lately?), the hardware store, or the car dealership. The DOW broke 40,000 almost entirely due to devaluation, or inflation. Any increase in my net worth is all smoke and mirrors, but that's what Bidenomics is. Bill.

Sorry math is math. The numbers are what the numbers are. If you have better numbers lay them out for us. Not only has the stock market performed quite well for investors but for those of us with a portion of our portfolios in fixed income, the higher interest rates have been a welcome change to the artificially deflated interest rates of the last decade.

On the hush money trial, I have the same problem:

1.Where is the crime? The prosecution hasn't shown us one. The only crime was by Stormy Daniels.
2.It's time barred anyway.
3.the prosecution is basing its entire case on a convicted perjurer who has a publicly disclosed grudge against the defendant and has said on social media he wants him in jail, in profane terms.

If this jury convicts, New Yorkers are completely stupid.

Not quite, Mike.

The inflation numbers are based on a set of items tabulated by the government. It is not really 100% accurate.

They removed a number of vital items due to their "volatility" quite a while ago.

Food is up a certain amount, but is not completely covered in the inflation index, as an example.

Also, the inflation rate does get compounding issues.

I don't think inflation has been 40% as implied, but its not, at least at my cost of living, only 17.5% since 2020.

The government has a strong interest in minimizing inflation (and unemployment...) especially incumbents.

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:

quote:

Originally posted by Bill Leeper:

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
Should have invested in the Biden stock market. Dow broke 40000 today and SP broke 5300. Up from 30900 and 3850 respectively when Trump left office. I could have told you that Trump sneakers weren’t gonna be the best investment options.

[And your math is a bit off on inflation. A dollar today only buys 82.542% of what it could buy back in 2020. Like I say, maybe you need to consider leaving financial planning to a professional.]

That 82.542% valuation doesn't even come close to what one sees at the grocery store (bought a can of Campbell's soup lately?), the hardware store, or the car dealership. The DOW broke 40,000 almost entirely due to devaluation, or inflation. Any increase in my net worth is all smoke and mirrors, but that's what Bidenomics is. Bill.

Sorry math is math. The numbers are what the numbers are. If you have better numbers lay them out for us. Not only has the stock market performed quite well for investors but for those of us with a portion of our portfolios in fixed income, the higher interest rates have been a welcome change to the artificially deflated interest rates of the last decade.

If you are not someone that has seen your portfolio grow appreciably net of inflation over the last four years, you really need to reevaluate who is managing your investments.

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
If you are not someone that has seen your portfolio grow appreciably net of inflation over the last four years, you really need to reevaluate who is managing your investments.

I don't have a "portfolio", and at my age, I'm not looking for great, inflation fueled, investments. I just want what assets I may have accumulated over the last 55 years to retain their value. Bill.

quote:

Originally posted by lavaca:
On the hush money trial, I have the same problem:

1.Where is the crime? The prosecution hasn't shown us one. The only crime was by Stormy Daniels.
2.It's time barred anyway.
3.the prosecution is basing its entire case on a convicted perjurer who has a publicly disclosed grudge against the defendant and has said on social media he wants him in jail, in profane terms.

If this jury convicts, New Yorkers are completely stupid.

I'm sure you'll find some way to defend his theft and refusal to return those classified documents as well when that trial comes up. Loony tune.

quote:

Originally posted by Bill Leeper:

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
If you are not someone that has seen your portfolio grow appreciably net of inflation over the last four years, you really need to reevaluate who is managing your investments.

I don't have a "portfolio", and at my age, I'm not looking for great, inflation fueled, investments. I just want what assets I may have accumulated over the last 55 years to retain their value. Bill.

I tend to believe these guys who demonstrate buying power today is higher than 2019.

https://home.treasury.gov/news...-american-households

When adjusted for inflation, this amounts to a 3.2 percent increase in real earnings. Real earnings increases were particularly strong for the median Black and Hispanic Americans, who saw increases of 5.7 and 2.9 percent, respectively.[4]

quote:

Originally posted by Bill Leeper:

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
If you are not someone that has seen your portfolio grow appreciably net of inflation over the last four years, you really need to reevaluate who is managing your investments.

I don't have a "portfolio", and at my age, I'm not looking for great, inflation fueled, investments. I just want what assets I may have accumulated over the last 55 years to retain their value. Bill.

. . . buy gold, Don Jr. says it is a great investment and hedge against inflation.

So funny. Your reference could just as well been Joe.

quote:

I'm sure you'll find some way to defend his theft and refusal to return those classified documents as well when that trial comes up. Loony tune.

Senile and not capable of defending his theft of classified documents, stonewalling on releasing the special counsel tapes or those from the Ukrainian whistleblower…

Maybe you are describing “The Big Guy”, after all. . Or both candidates?

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
If you are not someone that has seen your portfolio grow appreciably net of inflation over the last four years, you really need to reevaluate who is managing your investments.

Most of us work for a living. Have my investments done OK? Sure, although I don’t think that I’m that much further ahead after the Covid drop.

While I have gotten increases, they are not the 17.5% you admit to, much less what costs seem to have increased.

quote:

Originally posted by JudgeG:
So funny. Your reference could just as well been Joe.

quote:

I'm sure you'll find some way to defend his theft and refusal to return those classified documents as well when that trial comes up. Loony tune.

Senile and not capable of defending his theft of classified documents, stonewalling on releasing the special counsel tapes or those from the Ukrainian whistleblower…

Maybe you are describing “The Big Guy”, after all. . Or both candidates?

Remind me who it was that returned the documents when asked to do so? And, who didn't?

As for the special counsel tapes, why would they be needed since written transcripts have been provided?

I'll help: so the republicans can slice and dice the audio into sound bites. There's no reason why the tapes need to be produced.

quote:

Originally posted by crbutler:

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
If you are not someone that has seen your portfolio grow appreciably net of inflation over the last four years, you really need to reevaluate who is managing your investments.

Most of us work for a living. Have my investments done OK? Sure, although I don’t think that I’m that much further ahead after the Covid drop.

While I have gotten increases, they are not the 17.5% you admit to, much less what costs seem to have increased.

The economy is fine by almost any measure you choose, especially when you consider what Biden walked into in 2020.

quote:

Originally posted by crbutler:

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
If you are not someone that has seen your portfolio grow appreciably net of inflation over the last four years, you really need to reevaluate who is managing your investments.

Most of us work for a living. Have my investments done OK? Sure, although I don’t think that I’m that much further ahead after the Covid drop.

While I have gotten increases, they are not the 17.5% you admit to, much less what costs seem to have increased.

You need to reassess your choice of CFP. Let’s keep it simple. If you made a $1000 investment in an SP500 index fund in January 2020, by April 2024 that investment would have produced an inflation adjusted return of 28.49% without dividend reinvestment. With dividend reinvestment the inflation adjusted return would have been 37.21%. I am not saying Biden had anything to do with the market performance but I am saying that efforts to paint the economy as being in the toilet are bullshit.

The increases I’m talking about are my wages. They have not increased at the rate of inflation.

My stock portfolio is doing ok, but took a hit because it got readjusted after the Covid hit. Yes, it’s better than 18%, but it’s not as good as 8% ROI compounded annually since 2019 and adjusting for inflation.

quote:

Originally posted by crbutler:
The increases I’m talking about are my wages. They have not increased at the rate of inflation.

My stock portfolio is doing ok, but took a hit because it got readjusted after the Covid hit. Yes, it’s better than 18%, but it’s not as good as 8% ROI compounded annually since 2019 and adjusting for inflation.

Watching the trumptards trying to whine about the Biden economy is amusing.

My wife in a private accounting firm has gotten a raise every year.

You have said on here that you could make more money if you left a more rural practice.

You could make more money, but choose not to.

Everything has its trade offs.

The U.S. Treasury disputes that wages have not met inflation.

In economies like the current…the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
In economies like the current…the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

"They" say it's been that way for a while.

What's the odds that those in the middle either get richer or get poorer?

My bet is the middle is losing ground. What is your bet?

According to what I read, it's true.

As I said, "they" also say it's been going on for a while. Blaming Biden is not correct, but it is right - pun intended.

quote:

Originally posted by crbutler:
The increases I’m talking about are my wages. They have not increased at the rate of inflation.

Could be a plethora of reasons unrelated to the macro economy for that situation. Perhaps you were overpaid and wages are being allowed to adjust for that factor. Maybe your employer has been spending in areas other than wages or revenues are down. Perhaps in a meritocracy the wage increases are going to others. There are a number of reasons why your wages have not kept up with inflation that have zero to do with the state of the economy.

quote:

The economy is fine by almost any measure you choose, especially when you consider what Biden walked into in 2020.

It was the same deal when Obama took over. Republicans always leave a mess behind.

quote:

Originally posted by Magine Enigam:
According to what I read, it's true.

As I said, "they" also say it's been going on for a while. Blaming Biden is not correct, but it is right - pun intended.

Something we can agree on!

Both parties leave a mess behind because neither party truly gives a shit. Both seem to believe that more debt is always beneficial. Both sides use the excuse of inherited failing economies. As far as the Biden economy goes, this administration has done an excellent job of gilding a turd and making it shine, at least for those who are looking for fool's gold. Bill

In regards to the economy…I will classify as unique…at least unique to my business lifespan. The drivers of the luxury sales are the enigmas to me. In upper class economy…money is being spent like the upper 25% have been able to grow a money tree. I am still unsure where it comes from. Those drivers used to be easy to pick out.

But I will say that if you are positioned well and especially if you have capital…it is money making environment out there now.

The problem is that only the upper 10% are in that category.

For 75% of America…the economy sucks right now.

quote:

Originally posted by crbutler:

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
If you are not someone that has seen your portfolio grow appreciably net of inflation over the last four years, you really need to reevaluate who is managing your investments.

Most of us work for a living. Have my investments done OK? Sure, although I don’t think that I’m that much further ahead after the Covid drop.

While I have gotten increases, they are not the 17.5% you admit to, much less what costs seem to have increased.

If you're in it for the long haul there are times that you will earn the same money more than once.

I think you missed the point.

Wages are not keeping up with the real rate of inflation.

You read all over about how americans are utilizing credit to pay day to day expenses.

I can speak only to my personal situation because its what I am familiar with. Most are not in the position you are in that the stock market is their main income source (or so you seem to be saying...)

I doubt too many who are living on a fixed income are happy with the current economy.

As to "meritocracy in the wages" not where I work... we are all behind the eight ball with that situation- and not just the physicians. Yes, they have been spending in other areas... badly.

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:

quote:

Originally posted by crbutler:
The increases I’m talking about are my wages. They have not increased at the rate of inflation.

Could be a plethora of reasons unrelated to the macro economy for that situation. Perhaps you were overpaid and wages are being allowed to adjust for that factor. Maybe your employer has been spending in areas other than wages or revenues are down. Perhaps in a meritocracy the wage increases are going to others. There are a number of reasons why your wages have not kept up with inflation that have zero to do with the state of the economy.

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:

quote:

Originally posted by crbutler:
The increases I’m talking about are my wages. They have not increased at the rate of inflation.

Could be a plethora of reasons unrelated to the macro economy for that situation. Perhaps you were overpaid and wages are being allowed to adjust for that factor. Maybe your employer has been spending in areas other than wages or revenues are down. Perhaps in a meritocracy the wage increases are going to others. There are a number of reasons why your wages have not kept up with inflation that have zero to do with the state of the economy.

Mike,
while i don't always agree with you, i can almost always figure out where you are coming from -

THIS, however, is one of the most tone deaf, classist, arrogant, and ignoring-of-facts that you have ever made.

Wages are ACTUALLY the consumer economy - you get that, right? WAGES, in great than 89% of the time, are the sole source of income in America -- source- irs.gov

The "state of the economy" is surely lawyerly wordplay to isolate your statement - the general economy is driven by wages and orders.

But, Hey, don't take my word for it, as Bubba covered this off about 35 years ago -- here's his quote

So what might be the consequences if Cohen felt that trump's attorneys were badgering him and simply replied GFY?

Judge would reprimand him, hold him in contempt if the misbehavior continued.

Wouldn't it be a kick if Trump testifies?

I'm still expecting a hung jury. The prosecution's best two witnesses are deeply flawed.

The economy I feel is extremely strong, but that strength is not being felt evenly throughout the economy. Unskilled and low skilled workers are having a tough time of it. Those of us that have skills, are established, purchased property etc. are doing just fine and watching those investments grow far faster than the rate of inflation. The amount my home has increased in value over the last 5 years is shocking.

I feel the vast amount of the economic turmoil happening over the last 30 years has little to nothing to do with who our President has been and everything to do with our trade policies and the complete upending of our post WWII economy by outsourcing manufacturing to China. The service economy we have become has left large numbers of people behind, those folks are really feeling the pinch of the post pandemic economy.

quote:

Originally posted by Steve Bertram:
The economy I feel is extremely strong, but that strength is not being felt evenly throughout the economy. Unskilled and low skilled workers are having a tough time of it. Those of us that have skills, are established, purchased property etc. are doing just fine and watching those investments grow far faster than the rate of inflation. The amount my home has increased in value over the last 5 years is shocking.

I feel the vast amount of the economic turmoil happening over the last 30 years has little to nothing to do with who our President has been and everything to do with our trade policies and the complete upending of our post WWII economy by outsourcing manufacturing to China. The service economy we have become has left large numbers of people behind, those folks are really feeling the pinch of the post pandemic economy.

For the large number left behind [for which there are always some] has the economy ever in recent times been what those folks would call good?

I have yet to get an honest answer to how things might be now had trump been in office the past 3 and a half years. I expect not all that much different.

We talk about inflation as if it is some horrible boogeyman. What causes inflation? More jobs and higher wages increase household incomes and lead to a rise in consumer spending, further increasing aggregate demand and the scope for firms to increase the prices of their goods and services. How horrible.

I am a track w that. However, inflation is like anything else. The devil is in the details. The devaluation of currency through the, I will use the term artificial, printing of money turned loose, pumped into the economy can cause prices to escalate past the ability of wages to meet price increase.

The best example I can give of this is the Weimar Republic hyper inflation. The WR in order to pay the striking workers the government simply printed more money. This flood of money led to hyperinflation as the more money was printed, the more prices rose.

Prices ran out of control, for example a loaf of bread, which cost 250 marks in January 1923, had risen to 200,000 million marks in November 1923.

By autumn 1923, it cost more to print a note than the note was worth.
During the crisis, workers were often paid twice per day because prices rose so fast their wages were virtually worthless by lunchtime.

Now, there were winners in the WR hyper inflation crisis.

We do not like those guys.

Additional winners may have been Borrowers: such as businessmen, landowners and those with mortgages, found they were able to pay back their loans easily with worthless money.
People on wages were relatively safe, because they renegotiated their wages every day. However, even their wages eventually failed to keep up with prices.

Farmers may have coped well, since their products remained in demand and they received more money for them as prices spiraled. This was the period of the Blood and Soil movement amount rural farmers.

One of the factors of the economy that a lot of people are angry about is housing inflation. Many young people are being shut out of owning a house, especially at current interest rates.

Go ahead--blame it on Biden.

quote:

You read all over about how americans are utilizing credit to pay day to day expenses.

Been going on for decades, because millions of people can't control their finances no matter what.

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
We talk about inflation as if it is some horrible boogeyman. What causes inflation? More jobs and higher wages increase household incomes and lead to a rise in consumer spending, further increasing aggregate demand and the scope for firms to increase the prices of their goods and services. How horrible.

Yes Mike,
That's exactly how <2% inflation happens - devaluing the currency by printing more money - for various reasons -- that's how you get 9%, sustained -

this is literally a series of lectures in bizschool that more government spend ALWAYS increases inflation --

the poison is in the dosage

quote:

Originally posted by Steve Bertram:
The economy I feel is extremely strong, but that strength is not being felt evenly throughout the economy. Unskilled and low skilled workers are having a tough time of it. Those of us that have skills, are established, purchased property etc. are doing just fine and watching those investments grow far faster than the rate of inflation. The amount my home has increased in value over the last 5 years is shocking.

I feel the vast amount of the economic turmoil happening over the last 30 years has little to nothing to do with who our President has been and everything to do with our trade policies and the complete upending of our post WWII economy by outsourcing manufacturing to China. The service economy we have become has left large numbers of people behind, those folks are really feeling the pinch of the post pandemic economy.

Steve,
You may be shocked but I believe you are a 100% correct and have tried to express exactly the above many times.

quote:

Originally posted by RolandtheHeadless:
One of the factors of the economy that a lot of people are angry about is housing inflation. Many young people are being shut out of owning a house, especially at current interest rates.

Go ahead--blame it on Biden.

Yet interest rates are just about exactly the same now as they were when I was getting started.

I would add that by outsourcing our supply chain to China we experienced an unprecedented contraction products available on our market creating an imbalance between supply in demand like we had never seen in our lifetimes.

Biz school lectures certainly still hold value but I think many of those lessons we were taught decades ago did not foresee the changes we have seen in our economy in regards to moving manufacturing out of the US.

It is a pretty complex puzzle these days and everybody wants a simple answer.

One question Jeffe,
If it is increased Government spending that is the cause for our inflation, why is it that the Governments who have chosen not to spend over the last few years are experiencing similar rates of inflation to that which we are here in the States?