Overview Following the Civil War the United States and Great Britain were loggerheads over damages to America by ships built in Britain for use by the Confederate Navy to destroy American merchant marine ships. The [...]
On Wednesday, Apple said it would spend approximately $350 billion in the U.S. over five years on domestic jobs, manufacturing and data centers. The impetus for Apple’s decision was the Tax Cuts and Jobs [...]
Where have all the public companies gone? According to the Center for Research in Security Prices, the number of companies that sell stock to the public on the exchanges has shrunk since 1996 by [...]
Workers in the tightest American labor markets are finally receiving pay packages that are growing faster than inflation. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal on Jan. 1, in cities such as [...]
At a friend’s suggestion, I am watching Netflix’s production of Viceroy’s House. The production focuses on the Last Viceroy of India, Lord Mountbatten, and the independence of Pakistan and India. The loss of India, the [...]
Five Days in London, May 1940 By John Lukacs The days from May 24 to May 28, 1940, altered the course of the history of this century, as the members of the British War Cabinet [...]
Citizens of London: The Americans Who Stood with Britain in its Darkest, Finest Hour By Lynne Olsen As he spoke in his last interview Eric Sevareid fought to keep his voice steady. At the end [...]
By Lynne Olson Eloise bought me the wonderful book for Father’s Day. The book, Troublesome Young Men, focuses on some twenty to forty primarily young, rebellious Conservative Members of Parliament who started in 1936 at [...]
The New York Times reported the horrendous conditions that exist in Mississippi’s Privately Owned jails. The treatment of inmates denies a fundamental Bill of Right—protection against cruel and unusual treatment. I find it inconceivable that [...]
Few Americans in the twentieth century have left a greater legacy to world peace than George C. Marshall (1880-1959). As chief of staff of the United States Army during World War II, it fell [...]
The Ku Klux Klan Act represented a major civil right accomplishment of President Ulysses Grant. That is, by 1871 the racist ideology that was prevalent in both North and South undermined efforts to protect [...]
On the eve of the Senate Passing the GOP Tax Plan, I find it disturbing that there is no middle of the road discussion of its merits or demerits. While I have not read thoroughly [...]
“It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned.” -Martin Luther King August 28, 1963 Introduction: The election of a Democrat to the Senate [...]
Introduction I am reading Ron Chernow’s Biography of Ulysses Grant. Needless to say, this biography provides a fantastic positive insight into one of America’s greatest generals. While Grant suffered from alcoholic demons, he possessed incredible [...]
The U.S. economy is on fire. According to the Atlanta Fed’s model, the gross domestic product is headed for a 4.5 percent annualized growth pace in the fourth quarter. The U.S. economy has enjoyed [...]
President Trump told Israeli and Arab leaders today that he plans to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. According to the New York Times this will upset efforts to broker peace between Israel and [...]
Warning: Even my most loyal readers cannot read this entire essay in one sitting. My recommendation is get a bottle of scotch, and slowly imbibe your alcohol while you are digesting this essay. Hopefully, you [...]
The Justice Department says it will file an antitrust lawsuit to stop the proposed $85.4 billion merger of AT&T and Time Warner. This marks a departure from decades of Justice Department practice of approving [...]
In recent months, evidence has increased that the high-yield bond market is under pressure. While this class of bonds rated below investment grade continue to trade near all-time highs, concerns are mounting beyond what’s [...]
Trump’s visit to Asia, he continued his efforts to shake up the world economic order and in the process raised fundamental questions about America’s global role. Trump voiced his belief that America should act [...]
by David Satter David Satter commented that 100 hundred years ago this week armed Bolsheviks seized the Winter Palace in Petrograd, arrested ministers of Russia’s provisional government and set in motion events that will kill [...]
President Trump’s nominee to be Federal Reserve chairman, Jerome Powell, is expected to continue the Fed’s restrained approach to reversing the central bank’s crisis-era stimulus policies. This would mean gradually raising short-term interest rates [...]
The Economist reported a positive development in Morocco. In the little seaside town of Essaouira, in Morocco. Rabbis and cantors wish Muslims “Shabbat Shalom.” The Kingdom has made extensive effort to reach out to Jews [...]
The October 14th edition of the Economist described the sorry state of Freedom of Speech on America’s campuses. We should recognize that unless this intolerance is not stopped, America facing a significant curbing not only [...]
Canada, Mexico and the United States are involved in contentious negotiations to update the North American Free Trade Agreement. The Trump administration has offered a series of hard-line proposals that the U.S. Chamber of [...]
On Sept. 28, the Trump administration said it would temporarily waive the Jones Act, a century-old shipping law, to help get emergency supplies to Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico officials had urged the administration to waive [...]
I have learned a lot about the role of Great Britain and the United States during the Civil War from a Book, A World On Fire. In discussing the United States, we must recognize the [...]
Last Wednesday, the Federal Reserve officially announced it will begin reducing its balance sheet. The $50 billion-per-month decrease would cut its holdings below $3 trillion by 2020. But even that figure is almost four [...]
The September 16th edition of the Economist highlighted major issues involving cancer Cancer claimed 8.8 million lives world wide in 2015 40% of Americans will have cancer during their lifetime Cancer kills more people [...]
Over the years I have thoroughly enjoyed Great Courses. In the past few days, I have listened to a series of lectures on the Constitution. In brief, this agreement between the original thirteen states was [...]
The twenty-first century promises breakthrough opportunities for American women, who have led the recovery of our workforce participation rate.Women, especially those in their late 20s and early 30s, have been responsible for 40 percent of [...]
By James Giblin I enjoyed this book thoroughly. This book focuses on the Red Scare and the role by Senator Joseph McCarthy in creating it. Although McCarthy pursued his anti-Communist crusade with a zeal, he [...]
William Cohan, one of America’s most respected financial journalists, has written an excellent, well-balanced book about Wall Street. Cohan argues that, despite the flagrant misbehavior by some Wall Street firms that led to the [...]
Federal Income Receipts $3.66 Trillion Social Security, Medicare Taxes 29% $1.070 Trillion Personal Income Taxes 42% $1.549 Trillion Corporate Income Taxes 9% $332 Billion Excise, Estate, Gift Taxes 8% $295 Billion Borrowing to Cover [...]
The weaker dollar is helping corporate earnings, which is good for U.S. investors. Multinationals’ earnings will rise because they have substantial overseas sales, which are paid for in foreign currencies. Converting these foreign currencies [...]
Exchange traded funds have grown to hold more than $4.1 trillion for the first time, according to HFR, a publisher of information on ETFs and hedge funds. These financial products strive to match the [...]
