U.S. Economy Slides during Trump’s First Quarter as President … GDP Growth Rate Falls to 0.7% … Weakest Since 2014

Captain Rick: U.S. economic growth fell to a snail’s pace during Trump’s first quarter as president. GDP grew at an annualized rate of 0.7% in the first quarter of 2017, down from 2.1% growth in the fourth quarter of 2016.

The deceleration in real GDP in the first quarter was mostly a result of weak personal consumption due to lower auto sales and home-heating bills and a downturn in private inventory investment and in state and local government spending. An upturn in oil drilling and exports and accelerations in both nonresidential and residential fixed investment helped limit the overall GDP deceleration.

GDP Growth Rate in the United States averaged 3.21 percent from 1947 until 2017, reaching an all time high of 16.90 percent in the first quarter of 1950 and a record low of -10 percent in the first quarter of 1958.

GDP…What is it?

‘GDP’ represents ‘Gross Domestic Product’…a market value of all officially recognized final goods and services produced within a country in a year. GDP performance (increases and decreases) present a broad-based picture of the health of a country’s economy. High GDP growth is typical of a healthy economy. Low GDP growth (below 3%) is typical of an unhealthy economy. Negative growth is typical of an economy in recession.

GDP Details for Q1 of 2017:

Personal consumption expenditure (PCE) contributed 0.23 percentage points to growth (2.40 percent in the previous quarter) and rose 0.3 percent (3.5 percent in the previous quarter). Spending fell for durable goods (-2.5 percent from 11.4 percent in Q4 2016) and slowed for both nondurable goods (1.5 percent from 3.3 percent) and services (0.4 percent from 2.4 percent).

Fixed investment added 0.69 percentage points to growth (1.47 percentage points in the previous quarter) and increased 4.3 percent, compared to a 9.4 percent expansion in the previous period. By contrast, private inventories subtracted 0.93 percentage points to growth, after contributing 1.01 percentage points in the previous period. Government spending and investment subtracted 0.30 percentage points to growth (0.03 percent in the previous period) and contracted 1.7 percent (0.2 percent in Q4).

Meanwhile, exports jumped 5.8 percent, reversing a 4.5 percent drop in the previous quarter and imports increased at a slower 4.1 percent (9 percent in Q4), bringing the impact from trade to 0.07 percent (-1.82 percent in the previous quarter).

Economy Update for second quarter of 2017: The US economy grew at an upgraded annual rate of 3.1 percent in the second quarter of 2017, the fastest pace in more than two years.

 

U.S. Labor Report disappoints those looking for a Job … America headed to Socialism

Captain Rick : U.S. Labor Report disappoints those looking for a job and paints a stagnant image of the U.S. Economy as it continues its course toward Socialism.

The Labor Department reported the U.S. economy added only 151,000 jobs in January, well below expectations for 190,000 jobs. The unemployment rate ticked down to 4.9% from 5% the month prior, while forecasts called for it to remain unchanged. Meanwhile, the labor force participation rate rose to 62.7% from 62.6%, despite expectations for it to hold steady. Its all a sign of America headed toward Socialism.

This Labor Report sends a cold chill for the U.S. Economy …

The creation of only 151,000 jobs is very weak considering it is only 0.56 % of U.S. population (323 million). That does not even equal the U.S. population growth rate which is about 0.7% … which means that job growth is not only stagnant, but going in reverse. The U.S. still has not recovered millions of jobs lost during the Great Recession.

The unemployment rate of 4.9% is totally bogus … its meaningless. It only represents the minority of job seekers that are still receiving unemployment compensation. The real unemployment rate is more than twice as high. Most job seekers have exhausted their benefits, still looking for work with no income, are working a part-time job to make ends meet or have given up looking for work.

Perhaps the most important statistic in the labor  report is the drop in the Labor Force Participation Rate … to just 62.6%. It means that about 1/3 of eligible U.S. workers are not working. Some retired early and are living off of savings. Some have managed to work the system and are living off of welfare benefits, including many who have managed to acquire ‘Disability’ status and are collecting U.S. Social Security Disability benefits (SSDI) and some who are being supported by friends or relatives and some who are homeless. The Labor Force Participation rate has been in steady decline since its peak of 67.3% in 2000. This trend is a vivid indicator of America’s march toward Socialism.

I welcome your comments, likes, shares and following of my blog! (If not visible, click the red title at top)

Interesting ATRIDIM NEWS JOURNAL Links:

ANJ: Unemployment

ANJ: Economy

U.S. Economy tanks big time in 2014 Quarter 1 … Recession is taking a firm foothold

Captain Rick: The U.S. Economy officially tanked big time in the first quarter of 2014…the first slowdown since early 2011. It is a ‘wake-up call’ that America is heading into ‘Recession’ in spite of the ‘it was just a hard winter’ hype that many ‘blind’ economists have been pumping. 

Last month I posted a report showing the US government’s second estimate of GDP dropped to –1% in the first quarter of 2014…a drop from the first estimate in April of a gain of 0.1%. This third and usually final government GDP report shows that the US economy plummeted soundly into ‘recession’ territory during the first quarter of 2014.

The weather had an effect…but perhaps not as much as other factors like the curtailment of ‘Quantitative Easing’ … the pumping of tens of billions of U.S. debt dollars into the economy each month to make the economy look like its doing OK, when in reality, it is not.

This severe drop of GDP into negative territory (–2.9%) is a sign that another recession might be looming.  A recession is generally defined as two consecutive quarters of negative growth. Overall, the U.S. economy continues in limp along in anemic growth…and now negative growth, as shown in the chart below.

BLUE LINE: 3.0% GDP Growth is required to keep up with U.S. Population Growth. GDP above the blue line represents real growth that adds real jobs. GDP below the blue line indicates real economic decline that is loosing real jobs. GDP below the blue line, but above zero line (‘Recession’), is what Captain Rick calls the ‘Anemic Zone’.

RED LINE: 2.1% GDP Growth is the average of what the U.S. economy scored in the past 12 quarters (3 years). This demonstrates that the U.S. economy is stuck in the economic ‘Anemic Zone’…not mustering enough growth to keep up with population growth. 

GDP…What is it?

‘GDP’ represents ‘Gross Domestic Product’…a market value of all officially recognized final goods and services produced within a country in a year. GDP performance (increases and decreases) present a broad-based picture of the health of a country’s economy. High GDP growth is typical of a healthy economy. Low GDP growth (below 3%) is typical of an unhealthy economy. Negative growth is typical of an economy in recession. 

What does this GDP data mean concerning the future of America?

America is stuck in a land of anemic growth…actually declining in real growth because its economy can not consistently rise above 3% growth … a level required to produce enough jobs and income to keep pace with population growth. In reality, this means that America is declining in economic strength. In the coming few years America faces an astronomical increase in expenditures due to entitlement programs like Social Security, Medicare and welfare programs like Medicaid and Obamacare. America’s relatively level revenue will not be able to cover the mushrooming expenditures. Congress will not be able to address this problem by simply ‘kicking the debt can down the road’ as it has in recent years. At some point soon, the fiscal mess that is brewing will explode as America plunges over the pending ‘real fiscal cliff’.  At the bottom lies America as a third world country.

What can be done to better America and other countries?

Lots can be done! Take notice of what our elected officials do. Vote them out…replace them if they do not perform to your expectations. You might even consider running for an office. The world is in extremely short supply of intelligent people who care about our lands and well being of our people. Go for it. Run for an elected office. Help our world from plunging over the pending ‘real fiscal cliff’…before its too late.

I welcome your comments, likes, shares and following of my blog! (If not visible, click the red title at top)

Interesting ATRIDIM NEWS JOURNAL Links:

Previous GDP Report

GDP

U.S. Debt Crisis

Economy

Captain Rick’s Fiscal Cliff Course 101

U.S. Economy tanks … Is Recession Looming?

Captain Rick: The U.S. Economy took a nose dive in the first quarter of 2014…the first slowdown since early 2011. Some economists are blaming the sudden drop in GDP on the cold and snow in the northeast. The weather had an effect…but perhaps not as much as other factors like the curtailment of ‘Quantitative Easing’ … the pumping of tens of billions of U.S. debt dollars into the economy each month to make the economy look like its doing OK, when it is not. Another alarming factor is the stalling of house sales in America. The current real estate boom might be nearing its peak.

This drop of GDP into negative territory is a sign that another recession might be looming.  A recession is generally defined as two consecutive quarters of negative growth. There is still one more final tweak that will be made to the official GDP number at the end of June. The current –1.0% estimate, a significant drop from the first estimate of .1% last month, could be revised up or down. Overall, the U.S. economy continues in limp along in anemic growth…and now negative growth, as shown in the chart below.

BLUE LINE: 3.0% GDP Growth is required to keep up with U.S. Population Growth. GDP above the blue line represents real growth that adds real jobs. GDP below the blue line indicates real economic decline that is loosing real jobs. GDP below the blue line, but above zero line (‘Recession’), is what Captain Rick calls the ‘Anemic Zone’.

RED LINE: 2.2% GDP Growth is the average of what the U.S. economy scored in the past 12 quarters (3 years). This demonstrates that the U.S. economy is stuck in the economic ‘Anemic Zone’…not mustering enough growth to keep up with population growth. 

GDP…What is it?

‘GDP’ represents ‘Gross Domestic Product’…a market value of all officially recognized final goods and services produced within a country in a year. GDP performance (increases and decreases) present a broad-based picture of the health of a country’s economy. High GDP growth is typical of a healthy economy. Low GDP growth (below 3%) is typical of an unhealthy economy. Negative growth is typical of an economy in recession. 

What does this GDP data mean concerning the future of America?

America is stuck in a land of anemic growth…actually declining in real growth because its economy can not consistently rise above 3% growth … a level required to produce enough jobs and income to keep pace with population growth. In reality, this means that America is declining in economic strength. In the coming few years America faces an astronomical increase in expenditures due to entitlement programs like Social Security, Medicare and welfare programs like Medicaid and Obamacare. America’s relatively level revenue will not be able to cover the mushrooming expenditures. Congress will not be able to address this problem by simply ‘kicking the debt can down the road’ as it has in recent years. At some point soon, the fiscal mess that is brewing will explode as America plunges over the pending ‘real fiscal cliff’.  At the bottom lies America as a third world country.

What can be done to better America and other countries?

Lots can be done! Take notice of what our elected officials do. Vote them out and replace them if they do not perform to your expectations. You might even consider running for an office. The world is in extremely short supply of intelligent people who care about our lands and well being of our people. Go for it. Run for an elected office. Help our world from plunging over the pending ‘real fiscal cliff’…before its too late.

I welcome your comments, likes, shares and following of my blog! (If not visible, click the red title at top)

Interesting ATRIDIM NEWS JOURNAL Links:

Previous GDP Report

GDP

U.S. Debt Crisis

Economy

Captain Rick’s Fiscal Cliff Course 101

U.S. Job Creation stalled below break-even with population growth … Jobs lost in Great Recession will never return

Captain Rick: U.S. Job Growth is not keeping up with population growth. The 8.7 million jobs lost during the Great Recession will never return. Despite the ‘glory employment talk’ presented by the Obama Administration, America’s job situation qualifies among the worst since the Great Depression. I present the simple math to expose a monumental economic problem developing that will help deliver America to the edge of the pending ‘real fiscal cliff’.

BLUE LINE: 185,000 jobs need to be created each year to keep up with U.S. Population growth of 0.7%

RED LINE: 177,000 jobs represents the average number of jobs created during the past year. This demonstrates a negative pattern that is not keeping up with population growth.

Great Recession Job Losses are Gone Forever

8.7 million jobs were lost during the Great Recession of the late 2000s. It has been stated that 8 million of those have been restored. Simple math proves this to be incorrect. In actuality, none of those jobs have been restored when considering the jobs needed to be added each year to keep pace with population growth. America is running a significant job deficit.

Captain Rick’s Job Numbers Math

317,725,000 U.S Population

0.7% growth rate (*.007)

2,224,075 people enter job market every year

/12

185,340 people enter job market every month

*12 months *5 years

11,120,375 jobs needed to be added in past 5 years since prior to great recession to keep up with population growth

-8.7 Million jobs lost

+8 Million jobs regained

.7 Million jobs still needed to be recovered

+11.1 Million jobs needed to be added to keep up with population growth

11.8 Million jobs short since prior to the Great recession 5 years ago.

At the current pace of job growth, which is not keeping up with population growth, the jobs lost during the ‘Great Recession’ will never be regained.

Where the new jobs were created

The U.S. economy added 175,000 jobs last month

Construction added 15,000 jobs, restaurants and bars added 20,100 jobs and education and health services added 33,000 jobs.

By far, the strongest hiring came from professional and business services industries, which include accountants, architects and technology workers. This sector alone added 79,000 jobs last month.

Wages are up: Average earnings ticked up 9 cents, to $24.31 an hour in February. It was the largest monthly wage gain in more than two years.

Long-term unemployment and underemployment remain high

Long-term unemployment remains high. As of February, 3.8 million Americans were unemployed for six months or more.

The underemployment rate — technically known as the U-6 — was 12.6%. That includes the unemployed, plus part-time workers who want to work full time, and people who want a job but haven’t searched for one in the last four weeks.

Labor Participation is lowest since 1978

Labor participation lowest since 1978; just over 63% of the population is engaged in the workforce, driven partly by Baby Boomers retiring, but also by workers who had simply given up hope after long and fruitless job searches. It means that a smaller chunk of the population is paying for promised entitlements such as Social Security and Medicare. If a smaller share of the country is working, it will also act as a drag on economic growth.

What does this Employment data mean concerning the future of America?

America is stuck in a land of anemic growth…actually declining in real growth because its economy can not consistently produce enough jobs to keep pace with America’s 0.7% population growth. In reality, this means that America is declining in economic strength. In the coming few years America faces an astronomical increase in expenditures due to entitlement programs like Social Security, Medicare and welfare programs like Medicaid and Obamacare. America’s relatively level revenue will not be able to cover the mushrooming expenditures. Congress will not be able to address this problem by simply ‘kicking the debt can down the road’ as it has in recent years. At some point soon, the fiscal mess that is brewing will explode as America plunges over the pending ‘real fiscal cliff’.  At the bottom lies America as a third world country.

I welcome your comments, likes, shares and following of my blog! (If not visible, click the red title at top)

Interesting ATRIDIM NEWS JOURNAL Report Categories:

Jobs

GDP

U.S. Debt Crisis

Economy

Entitlement Reform

Social Security

Medicare

Medicaid

ObamaCare

Captain Rick’s Fiscal Cliff Course 101

U.S. Government Shutdown looming again on October 1, 2013 … Likelihood it will: 99%

Captain Rick: A shutdown of the U.S. Government will most likely begin on October 1, 2013, the beginning of the new fiscal year. There is currently no budget agreement to fund the U.S. Government for the coming year. The Democrat led Senate and the the Republican led House are in a stalemate that does not appear likely will be rectified by October 1. The real showdown will come on or before October 17, when the U.S. Government reaches the debt ceiling of $16.699 trillion and will begin defaulting on its financial obligations, an event that has never before occurred.

The last threat of shutdown occurred on March 27, 2013. It was averted by an agreement to allow Sequester spending cut’s (part of the ‘Fiscal Cliff’ legislation that became effective on January 1, 2013) to gain some flexibility regarding where to make spending cuts, in lieu of the mandatory across the board cuts.

My goal is to help increase understanding of the extremely important events that are unfolding…

U.S. Government Shutdown … What will happen? Non essential elements of the government will begin shutting down. These are things like National Parks and Monuments and the federal employees and contractors that support them. The employees would be furloughed. Contractors would have their payments delayed. At no time in the past has a shutdown lasted for more than a month. In every case the contractors eventually got paid and the furloughed employees were awarded back pay, so in essence, they received a nice long paid vacation, compliments of the U.S. taxpayers. In every previous case of shutdown, it ended up costing tax payers more than if the government had remained open.

What does a shutdown accomplish? Nothing, except increased cost. It is however, a necessary reminder that our government needs spending to remain less than revenue. In reality the U.S. has been spending far more than it receives in revenue, especially in recent years.

U.S annual spending: $3.52 trillion

U.S. annual revenue: $2.69 trillion

U.S. annual deficit: $825 billion

Total U.S. National debt: $16.95 trillion

U.S. GDP: $15.91 trillion (U.S. Debt exceeds GDP…a wake up call to get the fiscal house in order…or prepare for economic destruction)

Who is to blame? First and foremost to blame is President Obama. He is our president, elected to lead our nation in a positive direction…yet he has demonstrated the most reckless spending in American history, especially with his Fed’s continuation of pumping $85 billion per month of ‘Quantitative Easing’ debt dollars into the American Economy (adding directly to the U.S. National Debt) in an effort to make an economically sick nation look just anemic. It is all ‘smoke and mirrors’ that is doing nothing more than increasing America’s debt at an astronomic expense and burden to future generations.  Second to blame is the entire U.S. Legislature, including the Senate and House, Republicans and Democrats. None of them impress me as having the intelligence or ability to agree on a plan to withdraw America from its insatiable addiction for debt spending far beyond its revenue. I believe most of them have their ‘pockets’ fed by ‘big money’.

Obama passes blame and creates fear in news conference: Today I listened to President Obama speak in a news conference casting fear upon Americans by placing blame for his reckless spending on the shoulders of the U.S. House:
“If Congress chooses not to pass a budget by Monday, the end of the fiscal year, they will shut down the government along with many vital services that the American people depend on,” The Senate “acted responsibly” by passing its bill, and “now it’s up to the Republicans in the House of Representatives to do the same.”
He asked Republicans “to think about who you’re hurting” by letting the government shut down, and said “it would throw a wrench into the gears of our economy at a time when those gears have gained some traction.”
He also made clear that a government shutdown wouldn’t stop the Affordable Care Act from being implemented. “That’s not going to happen. More than 100 million Americans currently already have new benefits and protections under the law. On Tuesday, about 40 million more Americans will be able to finally buy quality affordable health care just like anybody else.”

Reality Check. What really happened: This was one of the most disgusting, fear-causing set of statements I have heard President Obama make recently. What really happened is that the House sent a bill to the Senate that included defunding Obamacare (a program with an enormous cost that America can not afford at this time of financial crisis). The Senate revised the bill to remove the Obamacare defunding and sent it back to the House. In opposition to Obama’s statement, I believe the Senate did not act responsibly. If the House does not pass the bill on Monday (which it should not), it will not be the House that causes the shutdown as Obama warns. It will be the result of the failure of the President and the entire U.S. Legislature combined. Obama said that a shutdown will stop many vital services. This is not true, unless the shutdown lasted for a long period of time…or Obama chooses to focus on certain entities for political gain. Obama’s scare tactics of asking Republicans to ‘think of who they are hurting’ by the government shutdown are absolutely despicable. President Obama should ask himself who he is hurting by spreading such fear and lies. This shutdown does throw a ‘wrench’ into Obamas ‘gears’ to make the economy look ok, when it is really sucking badly. Obama is fixated on Obamacare, a mark he hopes the world will remember him by. He will push it, even if it contributes to the financial destruction of America.  In reality, 40 million Americans are going to find out that ‘affordable health care’ is not really affordable and the majority of them will pay (or evade) the penalty to avoid it. The resultant unexpected, massive costs will lie firmly on the backs of American tax payers and add directly to the U.S. national debt.  I have this on my list of future blog reports. It sounds to me like Obama is running scared and is choosing to hide his fear by casting false fear on Americans. That scares me. Does it scare you?

View the comments (below) for ongoing updates of important happenings at the U.S. Capitol concerning this unfolding story.

I have done my very best to chronicle the events that contributed to this first U.S. government shutdown in nearly 18 years…as displayed in my comment updates below. This report could be among the best chronicles on the web. I am honored that Google and other search engines have picked up on this report.  The views for this report have exceeded those of all other ANJ reports by a factor of 10X+. The view stats from the past week far surpass any previous week. It tells me that there are lots of people that are tuning into this blog post to get the real facts…not the hype found on virtually all web news sites and especially TV news casts.

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Associated ATRIDIM NEWS JOURNAL Report Categories:

U.S. Government Shutdown

Obamacare

U.S. Debt Crisis

Fed Financial Policy

Captain Rick’s Fiscal Cliff Course 101

Economy

Captain Rick listens to friends discuss hot topic of defunding Obamacare to prevent U.S. Government Shutdown on Oct. 1, 2013

Captain Rick: An email I sent to my world-wide list of e-friends about defunding Obamacare to prevent U.S. Government shutdown on October 1 went wild. I have never witnessed such an enthusiastic response.

I share the conversation below. I welcome everyone reading this to join in this conversation by placing a comment below.

I am listening to what you have to say…

How this discussion began on September 19, 2013: I shared the following with my email audience in an email publication called ‘Atridim Breaking News’.

ATRIDIM BREAKING NEWS: Rep. Salmon Stands with Senators Cruz and Lee and House Conservatives in Support of Defunding Obamacare

 

Captain Rick: I think this effort in the U.S. House is noble but will fail when it is passed to the ‘dead beat’ U.S. Senate…but I give my Arizona friend Rep Matt Salmon a ‘thumbs up’ for his outstanding efforts to defeat Obamacare…which is on course to help bankrupt America…even more so than it already is.

This is all part of the program to reach an agreement to prevent a U.S. government shutdown on October 1. I have a strong hunch that a shut down will happen…the first since 1995. It should happen. It needs to happen. It must happen to wake up America to realize that our wildly, drunken debt spending to make a sick economy look OK must end to protect America’s future…if one even exists.

The U.S. has been spending stimulus (debt) dollars at the rate of $85 billion per month. It is ‘robbing Peter to pay Paul’. Its making our economy look OK in the short term, but is doing untold damage for our economy in the coming years…setting up a U.S. economic train wreck that will have the magnitude to reduce America to a third world country. If you think I am kidding…stay tuned. It will all unfold before our eyes in the coming years.

I see little hope from the morons in Washington to solve our extremely sad fiscal problems facing America. There are a few good people fighting to save America. My friend Matt Salmon is one of them. Matt, have you considered running for President of the United States of America in 2016? If not, you should! You would receive my vote above all potential candidates. America desperately needs an intelligent mind at the controls to steer America away from the pending train wreck off of the real fiscal cliff…just ahead.

The conversation begins:

Anita of Arizona: We need our top Republican legislators to take out John McCain and Jeff Flake.   Matt would be a perfect candidate.  He’s clearly a principled, conservative Republican fighter!

Captain Rick: I totally agree. Jeff and John once stood tall representing Arizona…but as two of the ‘gang of 8 idiots’ in the U.S. Senate promoting amnesty for illegal immigrants, they appear to have sold out to liberal interests. If I didn’t know better, I would guess both of them are democrats. They fit in well in the democrat U.S. Senate, which is on track to fiscally destroy America. Hopefully America will come to its senses in the next election and do a general house cleaning of fiscal waste in the U.S. Senate by voting in some conservative blood. Short of that, I envision a continuation of America’s fiscal train ride heading at high speed for a monumental dive off of the real fiscal cliff just ahead.

Steven of Wisconsin: I think you are dead wrong on this issue of health care reform.  Obamacare as it is called will prevent health insurance companies from not giving insurance because pre-existing conditions, from spending less than 80% of the insurance premiums on health care, and from not covering dependents under the age of 27.  These things are already helping the common folk like me.  I don’t know why you and your conservative friends constantly undermine the middle class and support things that are not in our best interest.  Where were your friends when we bailed out the big banks, gave huge tax breaks to oil companies, and started two very costly wars?  Those representatives like Cruz do nothing for America but tear down and obstruct.  They restrict voting rights and women’s rights!  They aren’t the patriots and saviors of America.  They are the ones that caused our economic downturn and do nothing to improve America.  Voting 42 times to repeal Obamacare is insane. It doesn’t help my family or my budget.  But history will repeat itself…those same “conservatives” tried to repeal social security a million times and did not succeed because it helped Americans and is still helping us today.  It has very low overhead and is secure.  This is why I continue to support single payer health insurance.  Obamacare is not perfect….neither was social security when it passed.  Your attitude continues to support and promote the upper 1% of this country while the middle class shrinks to almost nothing.  Of course you blamed much of this shrinkage on unions which I did not respond to at the time because I ignored your comment.  But the lower and middle class will rise up along with the unions because they have no choice.  You continue to listen to yourself and Fox News.  The problem is you believe everything the right wing puts out there.  You will wake up after the next election and realize that America has spoken; you will not like what they said. Remember last election how surprised so many of your conservative friends were when Obama won the election!  They really did believe what they were spouting.

Captain Rick: Steven, thanks for your candid and expounded reply.  My voice (‘attitude’ as you refer to it) via ATRIDIM NEWS is designed to be provocative, to draw people in my world-wide audience out of the ‘woodwork’ to say what is ‘on their mind’. Your reply assures me that the design is working. I trust this will help assure my readers that I listen to, respect and report FEEDBACK received from everyone.

Concerning your statements about ‘my conservative friends,’ I must mention that my audience of friends from over 50 countries around the world represent every ‘walk of life’ and ever ‘point of view’. Not all of them share my ‘point of view’. You are one of those friends…and I am pleased you shared your ‘point of view’.

Ken of California:  Steven of Wisconsin, With respect to your comment “You continue to listen to yourself and Fox News.  The problem is you believe everything the right wing puts out there.”

I listen to the voice of reason!

The liberal notion of giving a free lunch to every bum out there only breeds a society of blood sucking leaches.

We live in the land of opportunity, but the opportunities are up to you! They are not for the government to rob from the working class to give to the lazy.

Kendall of California:  Captain Rick – Really like this email format in which you deliver updates and opinions. It could be just me, but there doesn’t seem to be a link to take me to the post so that I may leave a comment. Not quite sure which post its referring to. Or do I simply leave my comment in this email? Could that be the whole point.

If the ladder is this case, here is my two cents: First, Captain Rick, I really support and enjoy your style of allowing all voices to be heard, but still manage to maintain a civil environment. I appreciate that. It allows a reader to enter the fray without running for cover from unwarranted, off-topic deragotory remarks. That being said Ken of California: The points that you pertain to make are missed by shooting generalizations that each person that finds theirself accepting government assistance, are lazy bums. If you follow the same logic through, than following the Enron era and Bernard Madoff regime, all corporate executives are ruthless villians out simply for themselves. Neither is true. Indiviuals taking advantage of good intentions occur at all levels, in each circuit, every single day. I have read and listened to some very convincing arguments, and understand both sides. But even then, a voter has to choose. Unless you truly believe that every student who takes out a government loan, every family that finds theirselves being unable to make ends meet, and that every person who works can afford health insurance, than labeling the millions of honest, hard-working Americans, both Republicans and Democrats alike, as lazy bums, does nothing to educate those on why you cast your vote. Unless, like I said, that is what you believe. In that case, what fact book are you using so that I may have a look too – Kendall of California.

Captain Rick: Kendall, sincere thanks for your words of kindness for ‘my style’ of allowing voices to be heard while maintaining a civil environment … and for your appreciation. You guessed right in simply commenting by reply to this email. I know it seems very ‘old-fashioned’, but you must keep in mind that the e-friends that I have gathered from around the world over many years do not all partake of the social media that many of us do. Many are not on Facebook or WordPress, etc. The one media that they all do have in common is email. And so, I am pleased to present this seemingly ‘old-fashioned’ means of allowing my friends to join our conversation. Perhaps this is a bit like ‘going back to the future’.

PJ of Arizona:  All Steven of Wisconsin needs to know about the fallacy of ObamaCare is contained in this snippet from the most recent Seeing Red Arizona:

 

“In 2008, people in poverty represented 13.2 percent of America’s population. In 2012, the impoverished had risen to 15.0 percent of the population.

An even bleaker picture is painted in the Congressional Budget Office report, which sends an urgent message to Americans, as it says the nation’s debt is on an “unsustainable path.” Implementation of Obamacare will exacerbate the crisis. CBO warns federal debt held by the public will hit 100% of GDP by 2038.

A Fox News report details the results of a new poll showing an overwhelming majority of Americans are concerned about their health care plan under Obamacare. A majority — 68% — want to go back to the 2009 health care system. Concerns are not only shared by Republicans and Independents, but by a 56-percent majority of Democrats.

Gordon of Arizona: I really think that this scare of a shutdown is just another tactic like what happened back in the Bush era. Remember what they said? ”If we do not initiate the stimulus and bail out these large corporations right now, THE SKY IS GOING TO FALL!”. Looking back, we would have been much better off now if we had let them fail. My opinion is: LET THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWD! The local people will pick up the pieces (if that is what it comes to) and do a much better job of running things than Washington.

The conversation continues:

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Associated ATRIDIM NEWS JOURNAL Report Categories:

Obamacare

U.S. Debt Crisis

Fed Financial Policy

Captain Rick’s Fiscal Cliff Course 101

Economy

Dow Jones

Captain Rick’s Investment 101

Stock and Bond Market

Dow + S&P reach new highs as Fed continues bottle feeding American economy with … $85 billion debt dollars each month to make a sick economy look OK … for now

Captain Rick: The Dow Jones and S&P hit new highs on September 18, 2013, as the U.S. Federal Reserve announced it will continue bottle feeding the U.S. economy with $85 billion debt dollars each month…for at least another month…to cast the impression that the American economy is doing well.

The fact is that the American economy is not doing well at all. GDP is limping along at a very anemic rate, not even keeping up with population growth. Real unemployment is near record levels. The Fed’s ‘Quantitative Easing’ program is doing nothing more than covering up a very sick economy that would all but die without the nursing bottle, while significantly increasing the U.S. national debt. The Fed’s continued ‘economic bottle feeding’ is not improving the American economy. It is only prolonging and amplifying America’s monumental financial downfall in the future…one that is shaping up to reduce America to a third world country.

401K’s are posting temporary inflated values.  Intelligent investors will reap what ever ‘phony’ profits have accumulated by switching them to a cash or prime fund before the Fed’s money feeding bottle dries up.

America’s representatives in DC are setting stage to again focus on the staggering $17 trillion U.S. national debt and find a way to prevent yet another pending government shutdown on October 1, 2013. America can not continue spending nearly twice what it receives in revenue for much longer. Those that think that it can…or that these days of phony economic well being will last forever…are simply living in a dream world.

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Associated ATRIDIM NEWS JOURNAL Report Categories:

U.S. Debt Crisis

Fed Financial Policy

Captain Rick’s Fiscal Cliff Course 101

Economy

Dow Jones

Captain Rick’s Investment 101

Stock and Bond Market

Mr. President …… I suggest we hire Walmart to fix our broken programs and economy

Captain Rick: Walmart, the world’s largest corporation turns everything it touches into gold, whereas  the U.S. government has succeeded in breaking almost every good program created … and the U.S. economy.

I suggest we hire Walmart to fix the mess that our President and Legislature have demonstrated they are totally incapable of accomplishing.

My email to President Obama:

Mr. President,

I have concluded that you and the 535 members of our legislature are ineffective and incapable of fixing our economy and the many good programs that have been broken. I have a solution, but first I want to remind you of some facts which relate to the many failures of your administration and those that preceded:

a. The U.S. Postal Service was established in 1775. You have had 238 years to get it right and it is broke.

b. Social Security was established in 1935. You have had 78 years to get it right and it is broke.

c. Fannie Mae was established in 1938. You have had 75 years to get it right and it is broke.

d. War on Poverty started in 1964. You have had 49 years to get it right; $1 trillion of our money is confiscated each year and transferred to “the poor” and they only want more…and it is broke.

e. Medicare and Medicaid were established in 1965. You have had 48 years to get it right and they are broke.

f. Freddie Mac was established in 1970. You have had 43 years to get it right and it is broke.

g. The Department of Energy was created in 1977 to lessen our dependence on foreign oil. It has ballooned to 16,000 employees with a budget of $24 billion a year and we import more oil than ever before. You had 36 years to get it right and it is an abysmal failure…and it is broke.

You have failed to fix any of the many government service failures, while overspending our tax dollars to drive America $17 trillion into debt, an amount exceeding the combined debt of all other nations on earth.

AND YOU WANT AMERICANS TO BELIEVE YOU CAN BE TRUSTED WITH A GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM?

Lets pause and examine an American corporation that has a track record of turning everything it touches into gold.

Photo above shows Walmart’s current logo used since 2008

Walmart was founded by Sam Walton in 1962…when I was in high school, just before the birth of Medicare and Medicaid. Since then the Walton family transformed it into the world’s largest corporation with $469 Billion in revenue, 8500 stores in 15 countries with 2,200,000 employees.

If Walmart were a country it would have the world’s 26th largest GDP…but more importantly, it would be the world’s most profitable country…unlike the U.S. which goes $1 Trillion farther into debt each year, with all of its programs on ‘death row’.

I love my country and hate to see you and our legislature destroying it. With all sincerity, I respectfully urge you to consider hiring Walmart to manage America’s failing economy and programs. But, I think that if that were to happen, the Walton’s would fire you and most of the legislature.

Captain Rick

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Associated ATRIDIM NEWS JOURNAL Report Categories:

Economy

U.S. Debt Crisis

Captain Rick’s Fiscal Cliff Course 101

President Obama

Obamacare

Entitlement Reform

Corporations

Dow Jones plummets as Cisco cuts 4000 jobs + Wal-Mart sales disappoint + Unrest in Egypt grows … World markets follow

Captain Rick: The Dow Jones plummeted 2.4% during the past month, attributed in part by the news of Cisco cutting 4000 jobs and Wal-Mart sales falling short of expectation. This combined with the growing violence in Egypt caused major world markets to follow the Dow’s decline.

The above chart shows the significant, recent decline of the Down Jones, down 2.4% in the past month. It is the largest dive in values in 2 months and one of the top 5 declines since the market crash of 2008. I break down the issues affecting this loss…

Cisco, the worlds largest network company providing services to most of the largest companies and government entities announced it is cutting 4000 jobs.  Cisco touches all parts of the networking process, and the company’s success is largely tied to sentiment about the world’s economy. Many large businesses and government agencies are Cisco customers, and they’re unlikely to buy up networking equipment when they’re worried about the economic situation. I see this as a major signal that the world economy is in much more dire shape than what we are being led to believe from the typical ‘show business hype’ on the evening news. World markets are echoing the concern.

Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, reported lower than expected sales for the second quarter. When the world cuts back on purchases at Wal-Mart, it raises a red flag for me.  It makes me wonder how healthy the recovery from the Great Recession really is.

Disturbance in Egypt has caused over 400 deaths and 3500 injured. While most of financial market ‘gurus’ did not mention this as one of the causes of the recent market plummet, I believe it played a role.

The major economies of the world continue to tread on very shaky ground. There has been lots of news about our ‘improving economy’. I suggest that much of this is based on unfounded news ‘hype’. Our world’s economy is like a train riding on fragile rail, heading for the edge of the ‘Global Fiscal Cliff’.

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Associated ATRIDIM NEWS JOURNAL Report Categories:

Dow Jones & World Market News

Captain Rick’s FISCAL CLIFF 101 Course

Captain Ricks INVESTMENT 101 Course

Stock and Bond Market News

Bond Giant PIMCO’s Bill Gross tells the Fed: ‘Quantitative Easing’ is not working … it’s like a “leukemia patient on New Age Chemo”

Captain Rick: PIMCO’s Bill Gross says that ultra low interest rate policies and ongoing bond buying programs like ‘Quantitative Easing’ around the world aren’t working. Bill refers to it as a global financial system that is "beginning to resemble a leukemia patient with New Age chemotherapy, desperately attempting to cure an economy that requires structural as opposed monetary solutions." He is challenging the Federal Reserve and other central banks to become part of the solution rather than part of the problem.

Bill Gross, founder and co-chief investment officer of bond giant PIMCO. He is often called the world’s ‘bond king’.

I recognize Bill as one of the worlds most intelligent minds concerning everything related to bonds. Bonds help make our world grow. Bonds are the life blood of our cities, states and countries of our world. 

Bill writes a monthly ‘Investment Outlook’ news letter. His June report is entitled “Wounded Heart”, a nod to Bonnie Raitt’s 2002 tune. It is one of his finest. I will do my best to sum up his eloquent words of wisdom for the U.S. and other countries including Japan, England and Europe who are practicing ‘Quantitative Easing’ fiscal programs that are not working.

Excerpts from Bills “Wounded Heart” report:

“While the global central banks’ policies have stabilized economies, they haven’t succeeded in returning them to old normal growth rates”

"There comes a point when no matter how much blood is being pumped through the system as it is now, with zero-based policy rates and global quantitative easing programs, that the blood itself may become anemic, oxygen-starved, or even leukemic, with white blood cells destroying more productive red cell counterparts"

And to Fed chief Ben Bernanke’s claims that once economic growth has been restored to normal levels, financial markets can also return to normal interest rates and returns, Gross has a few stern words:
"Well it’s been five years Mr. Chairman and the real economy has not once over a 12-month period of time grown faster than 2.5%"
"Perhaps, in addition to a fiscally confused Washington, it’s your policies that may be now part of the problem rather than the solution."

To investors, Gross advises to reduce risk as the Fed continues to try to mend a wounded heart with blood that lacks the necessary oxygen. "Investors should look for a pacemaker to follow a less risky, lower returning, but more life sustaining path."

Read the entire Investment Outlook: “Wounded Heart”  by William H. Gross:  http://www.pimco.com/EN/Insights/Pages/Wounded-Heart.aspx

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Associated ATRIDIM NEWS JOURNAL Report Categories:

Fed Financial Policy: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/fed-financial-policy/

Investment 101: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/investment-101/

Stock and Bond Market: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/stock-bond-market/

Japan: Nikkei stock market plummets 7% Global stock market rally abruptly halted How do world markets compare for gains?

Captain Rick: A global rally in stocks came to an abrupt halt Thursday with a 7% plunge on Japan’s Nikkei index … the biggest one-day drop since the 2011 earthquake and nuclear disaster.
European markets fell by 2% with Germany’s DAX down 2.4% and France’s CAC 40 down 2.1%. This was preceded yesterday by U.S. markets dropping about 0.8%.

What caused this? Investors were rattled for three big reasons:

Japan: The Japanese rally had gone too far too fast. The Nikkei has surged by more than 70% over the last 12 months, far outpacing other markets.
‘Abenomics’, Japan’s version of ‘Quantitative Easing,’ has pumped massive amounts of money printed with red ink into the economy to create an image that the economy is doing good, when it is not.
The Bank of Japan’s policies can’t sustain the rally indefinitely, and Japanese companies will have to start reporting better earnings to bolster investment confidence.

U.S.: The Federal Reserve released minutes from its latest policy meeting revealing that some members of the monetary policy committee were looking to taper off the ‘Quantitative Easing’ bond-buying program as early as June. That is bad news for investors who have been energized by the Fed’s $85 billion of phony red money being pumped into the American economy each month to make it look like the economy is healthy, when it really is not.

China: Weak economic data. The latest numbers from China showed the country’s manufacturing sector contracted in May, contrary to expectations for expansion, reinforcing concerns about slowing growth in the world’s second biggest economy. This is a reality that is beginning to come to light because America, Europe and most of the world have economies that are actually in decline once we strip away the façade of programs like ‘Abenomics’ and ‘Quantitative Easing’.

World Stock Market gains in past 12 months
Japan: 69% (after todays huge loss)
Eurozone: 33%
England: 27%
Australia: 23%
Hong Kong: 21%
U.S.: 18%
Canada: 10%.
Mexico: 8%
Brazil: 3%
China: – 4%

Captain Ricks Analysis: Which markets are likely to go up … or down?
The stock markets in the countries at the bottom of the list (less than 15% gain) are on the strongest footing and are more likely to go up than down.
The stock markets in the countries at the top of the list (more than 40% gain) are significantly over invested with highly inflated values and face significant potential for decline.
The stock markets in the countries in the middle (15% – 40% gain) are in uncertain territory with over investment and inflated values, especially those in the upper half of this range. These markets are more likely to decline than rise, especially those in the upper half of this range.

I welcome your comments, likes, shares and following of my blog! (If not visible, click the red title above)

Associated ATRIDIM NEWS JOURNAL Report Categories:

Japan: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/japan/

China: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/china/

Stock & Bond Market: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/stock-bond-market/

Fiscal Cliff 101: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/fiscal-cliff-course-101/

U.S Debt Crisis: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/u-s-debt-crisis/

European Debt Crisis: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/european-debt-crisis/

All Reports: https://atridim.wordpress.com/

Eurozone now in longest Recession —Unemployment and Debt at record levels — Is America next ?

Captain Rick: The 17-nation Eurozone economy contracted for a record sixth consecutive quarter, making this the longest period of recession in the Eurozone’s history. The recession has depressed business confidence, sent unemployment to record highs, inflation to record lows and blown attempts to cut government record debt.

Gross domestic product in the Eurozone fell by 0.2% in the first quarter. The GDP estimate was worse than economists were expecting, largely due to disappointing growth in Germany and could increase pressure on the ECB to take further action to try to stimulate activity.

Unemployment continues to hit new record highs. Unemployment broke through 12% for the first time in March, meaning 19.2 million people were without work in the Eurozone, 1.7 million more than a year ago.
Youth unemployment rose sharply, hitting 24% and leaving 3.6 million people under 25 looking for work.

Prices slumped and inflation has fallen way below the central bank’s target. Inflation posted its biggest monthly drop in four years in April. It fell to 1.2% and touched its lowest level since February 2010.

Eurozone debt hit 8.6 trillion euros, a record 90% of GDP, last year and is forecast to rise to 95% in 2013. As bad as this is … in contrast, U.S. debt to GDP ratio is 107%, trumping it as the worlds worst. One has to wonder if America is next in line to experience the hardships facing those in the Eurozone.

Future Concern: Economists are becoming increasingly concerned at the growing divergence between France and Germany, historically the twin motors of the EU economy and political integration.

France: French President Francois Hollande (shown above) who was elected a year ago after campaigning to put growth before austerity and introduce higher taxes on the rich, has seen his approval ratings fall sharply as unemployment continues to climb. In recent months he has begun to reform labor markets and pensions, and announced plans to cut capital gains tax. But he is moving too slowly for some, and his government continues to send mixed messages.

France, the Eurozone’s second-biggest economy, slipped back into recession. Its output fell by 0.2% for a second consecutive quarter as it suffered from weak exports and falling investment.  France faces a heavy financial burden from its labor unions and pension systems.

Italy: The pace of contraction eased. GDP shrank by 0.5% in the quarter.
Italy, the region’s third largest economy, nominated a new prime minister. Enrico Letta is a pro-European from Italy’s center-left. He wants Europe to ease up on austerity.

Spain: The recession deepened in the first quarter. The economy contracted by 2% compared with the same period a year ago, and by 0.5% compared with the final quarter of 2012. Spain has been stuck in recession for 21 months. It has been given two more years to bring its budget deficit to below 3% of gross domestic product. In contrast, the U.S. deficit ratio is 6.5% of GDP … more than twice as bad. One has to wonder if America is next in line to experience the hardships facing those in the Eurozone.

The number of unemployed in Spain broke the 6 million barrier during the first quarter, a new record. The unemployment rate rose to 27.2%, tied with Greece for the Eurozone’s highest. For Spaniards aged 16 to 24, the unemployment rate is 57.2%.

Greece: The jobless rate was 27.2% for January, tied with Spain for the Eurozone’s highest. In Greece, 34.2% individuals aged 25 to 34 are unemployed. It’s even worse for younger workers — 59.3% of Greeks aged 15 to 24 are out of work.

Portugal: Portugal was able to slow the pace of contraction to 0.3% from 1.8% in the fourth quarter.

I welcome your comments, likes, shares and following of my blog! (If not visible, click the red title above)

Info from previous reports:

European Debt Crisis: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/european-debt-crisis/

Europe: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/europe/

France: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/france/

Germany: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/germany/

Greece: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/greece/

Italy: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/italy/

Portugal: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/portugal/

Spain: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/spain/

Home page (all reports): https://atridim.wordpress.com/

European Debt Crisis: Enrico Letta sworn in as Prime Minister of Italy … Can he solve Italy’s serious economic challenges?

Captain Rick: Center-left Prime Minister Enrico Letta was sworn in Sunday to head a broad coalition of ministers from his own party and members of Silvio Berlusconi’s center-right party. The big question is … can he correct Italy’s current course of economic destruction?

In a speech to parliament Monday, Letta stressed the need to stimulate growth and create jobs, but said Italy couldn’t borrow its way out of trouble. “After more than a decade without growth, we can’t wait any longer for a policy of recovery,” he said. “Without growth and without cohesion, Italy is lost.”

Letta’s appointment ends two months of political stalemate with hope of economic stability, but many doubts remain about the coalition’s durability and uncertainty over how it will achieve its economic goals.

The priorities for Letta’s government mirror those of 87-year old Italian President Giorgio Napolitano, who was persuaded to accept a second term after parliament failed to agree on an alternative. Napolitano established two expert committees to work on overhauling Italy’s convoluted electoral system and political institutions, and making structural reforms to restore competitiveness, boost growth and make a dent in the debt mountain.

Debt Crisis in Italy is severe

Government borrowing totals about two trillion euros, equal to around 127% of gross domestic product, a ratio surpassed in the eurozone only by Greece. The economy hasn’t grown for years, unemployment is near 12% and rising, and living standards for many are tumbling.

The eurozone’s third-biggest economy was brought to the brink of collapse in late 2011 when yields on its huge debt pile climbed to unsustainable levels around 7%. Tax increases and spending cuts by a technocrat government led by Mario Monti reassured investors. But they led to a backlash against austerity in February’s elections, boosting support for comedian Beppe Grillo’s protest movement and leaving no party able to form a government on its own.
Letta wants to adjust Italy’s unpopular austerity drive, and Berlusconi has campaigned for a tax on property to be reversed, but it is unclear how the new government would make up for the revenue shortfall as the economic situation continues to deteriorate.

Captain Rick wishes ‘Best of Luck’ to Enrico Letta, new Prime Minister of Italy

Enrico, I wish you luck in turning around the massive debt problem in Italy. Social greed for welfare is a sure invitation for economic destruction. Italy is one of the largest consumers of welfare spending in Europe. The party you represent loves welfare. I equate it to the Democratic Party in the U.S.

The U.S. debt has not yet reached the percentage of GDP as in Italy, but I see it as just a matter of time before it does. Americans will be watching what happens in Italy … perhaps as a ‘crystal ball’ vision of what awaits America.

I welcome your comments, likes, shares and following of my blog! (If not visible, click the red title above)

Info from previous reports:

European Debt Crisis: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/european-debt-crisis/

U.S. Debt Crisis: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/u-s-debt-crisis/

Fiscal Cliff 101: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/fiscal-cliff-course-101/

Italy: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/italy/

U.S. Tax Revenue + Spending at record high … How to balance America’s budget using the common sense rule of 20% of GDP

Captain Rick: The U.S. Legislature has failed to balance America’s budget almost forever. If it compromised by using the economic common sense rule of 20% of GDP for both revenue and spending, its budget crisis would end and a much brighter future would await the children of our world.

Record Tax Revenue: I am glad to see we have hit a new record of $2.7T in revenues, just a tick above the previous record of $2.6T in 2007. As population grows, we better hope our tax revenue keeps going up every year. Things went far astray during the ‘Bush War and Tax Cut’ era, the Great Recession that followed and ‘Obamas Record Spending Spree’ to try to fix it, including a reckless 2 point payroll tax cut. Thankfully, it and some other irresponsible tax cuts vanished on Jan 1 as a result of the Fiscal Cliff and helped bring us closer to sanity. Unfortunately this new revenue record leaves America with a very anemic tax revenue of only 16.9% of GDP. The 40 year average is 18%. A healthy economy achieves revenue equal to 20% of GDP…so America is still far short of needed revenue…and part of the reason why America’s finances are in such terrible shape.

Record Spending: The other part of the reason America’s finances are in such terrible shape is because America’s spending is too high. America is currently spending $3.55T or 22.2% of GDP. That percentage is higher than almost every year since 1986. A healthy economy limits  spending equal to 20% of GDP…so America is still far over the limit for spending…the other part of the reason why America’s finances are in such terrible shape.

Republicans, Democrats, Conservatives and Liberals debate: Republicans and conservatives argue that taxes are too high and do not agree to any further increases. They say the entire answer lies in cutting spending. Democrats and liberals argue that spending levels should be held. They say the entire answer lies in tax increases. Its easy for me to see why our legislature is in gridlock. Both sides are stubborn and illogical. Neither side possesses the the solution. The solution resides in compromise. 

Captain Rick’s proposal of compromise: I propose that the U.S. Legislature uses the economical common sense guideline of 20% of GDP as a target for revenue and spending to achieve a balanced budget. 20% has proven to be workable figure for successful governments in the past. The figure can be argued…19 v 21…but 20% is a good starting point. Diminishing America’s national debt is a story for another day. It would require the balance to shift to more revenue and less spending…perhaps 21% of GDP revenue and 19% of GDP spending. Real compromise needs to begin soon … in order to protect the future of our children.  

I welcome your comments, likes, shares and following of my blog! (If not visible, click the red title above)

Info from previous reports:

Fiscal Cliff: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/fiscal-cliff-course-101/

U.S. Debt Crisis: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/u-s-debt-crisis/

GDP: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/gdp/