10/21/21

Cut The Crap — Energy And Inflation

Today we cut the crap about the impact of energy, specifically rising energy prices, and inflation.

 1. The Biden admin made some bold energy moves — cancelling the Keystone XL pipeline, mothballing drilling/leasing/auctions on public lands, cancelling ANWR development, generally pissing on the leg of the energy sector — immediately upon taking office and they have had a negative impact on the price of energy and gasoline in particular.

 2. Inflation — under control for more than a decade — has now reared its ugly head. Even Clown Princess Yellen, Sec Treas, has conceded that inflation will more than double in the immediate future.

Just ponder that one thought — a new admin comes into office and in less than nine months more than doubles inflation and they act like it was a paper cut.

 3. The price of gasoline is a cost component in every product — COGS cost of good sold, for you bean counters — made or transported in America. Everything.

Here is what YOY inflation looks like right now:

As you can see, ENERGY is the skunk at the garden party. It is a component of both Transportation and Housing.

[My personal road trip experience is that gas is up more than 100%. I like to buy gas at Sams Club. I paid $1.52/gal in Tuscaloosa, Ala a year ago. Today, it is right at $3.00/gal.]

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09/29/21

Taxing Unrealized Capital Gains — A Truly Bad Idea

Washington DC provides stiff competition when it comes to stupid ideas related to policy, spending, and taxation as regular fare, but the idea to tax unrealized capital gains is a real doozie.

Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen explaining her taxation proposal, “Just give me and Joe all your money. You can trust us to be good stewards. We can spend it better than you.”

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09/28/21

The Debt Ceiling Kabuki Dance

Every few years, the United States rubs up against its mythical “debt ceiling,” a number which must be approved by the Congress to enable the Treasury to use debt to pay our national bills and conducts a ritualistic charade of acting like fiscally responsible adults — a bloody Kabuki dance.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer discussing the debt ceiling in costume of Japanese Kabuki dancers.

The debt ceiling is the maximum amount of money the US Treasury has authority to borrow in the form of bond sales.

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