Wednesday, November 11, 2026
Tuesday, November 10, 2026
Asset inflation is often fueled by abundant money supply, which is why Wall Street incessantly clamours for it at the lowest interest rate possible in order to maximize its arbitrage
Asset inflation is a sustained, nominal increase in the market prices of financial and capital assets—such as stocks, bonds, real estate, gold, and derivatives—rather than everyday consumer goods and services.
Unlike consumer price inflation, asset inflation is not tracked by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and is not a component of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
It is often fueled by low interest rates, abundant money supply, or cheap corporate and investor borrowing rather than direct production increases.
Rising asset values increase household net worth for owners (particularly higher-income groups), which can indirectly drive spending and fuel broader economic pressures.
Because asset prices can disconnect from underlying economic fundamentals or production capacity, sharp run-ups frequently carry the risk of a market correction or crash.
Just because it's a Tuesday, a lousy Tuesday.
In all the hullabaloo about the GOP election loss, I have yet to hear anyone point to Trump's repeated promises in 2024 to halve Americans' energy bills and his spectacular failure to do so
It's like The Love That Dare Not Speak Its Name.
IYKYK.
Like Social Security taxes and food prices, energy costs are highly regressive.
That's a fancy word meaning that when they go up they impact you more if you don't make much to begin with.
Electricity prices are up 8% since Election 2024, not down 50%.
The price of natural gas to heat your home is up 13.7% since Election 2024, not down 50%.
The price of gasoline is up 40% since Election 2024, not down 50%.
Yes, there's been lots of talk about high gasoline prices, but not about Trump's incredible promises to halve them, as in to $1.59/gallon.
I don't care if it was dumb for Trump to promise such price reductions. He made the promises repeatedly, and deserved everything he got and more a week ago for failing spectacularly at it.
If you think Democrats are going to do what Trump couldn't, however, well, you'll deserve what they give you, good and hard.
10-year trend for consumer price inflation remains higher in October 2026
The respective unrounded seasonally adjusted percent change monthly figures are 0.35% for overall cpi inflation and 0.29% for core cpi inflation in October 2026.
In September 2026 the year over year figures are 3.71% and 2.56% respectively. Year over year figures for October 2026 are not available because of the absence of data collection during the government shutdown last year.
The 43-day government shutdown last year was over Democrats' insistence that ACA emergency premium subsidies from 2021 during the pandemic be continued despite the end of the pandemic.
They were not continued, underscoring Obamacare's expensive inadequacy.
The consumer price index rose a seasonally adjusted 0.4% in October, more than expected, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Tuesday.
The core CPI, which strips out volatile food and energy costs, increased 0.3%. That was also more than expected.
The BLS did not estimate a yearly inflation rate, as last year’s government shutdown prevented the bureau from collecting data. ...
One week after Election 2026 19 U.S. House races remain uncalled, 2 in the U.S. Senate
House:
AK-at large
CA-4
CA-7
CA-23
CA-40
CO-4
FL-27
LA-5
LA-6
ME-2
MN-1
NC-3
NC-5
NC-7
NC-8
NC-10
NY-1
NY-2
TN-4
Senate:
AK
MS
Monday, November 9, 2026
Six days after Election 2026 and the U.S. House is divided Democrats 252 to GOP 160 with 23 races still uncalled and Republicans leading in 12
And 2 of the 23 will go to a runoff in Louisiana.
If Republicans win the 12 races in which they are leading today they will seat only 172 in January, 48 fewer than in the current House with 220 seats, an outcome worthy of 1948.
Republicans went from 179 seats in the U.S. House in January 2009 to 242 in January 2011, a gain of 63 seats in the 2010 election.
I think the last time Republicans had fewer than 179 seats in the House was after the election of 1948 with just 171 seats. Truman famously defeated Dewey that year 303 electoral college votes to 189, with Dixiecrat Strom Thurmond pulling away 39 in the south.
The average number of seats held by Republicans in the U.S. House in the last ten victories 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2022, and 2024 has been 231, and 198 in the last four defeats in 2006, 2008, 2018, and 2020.
OMG, those things didn't include moving out of Ohio or getting rid of her electric car, instead she signed up for a new rewards card with a $495 annual fee
Which she is s e l l i n g in the story.
ROFLMAO.
Let's put more women like this with their luxury beliefs in charge of the economy!
I'm guessing that she just voted for that drunk babe in Ohio, too, not Vivek.
Her household obviously has money to burn. The whole story is TMI.
My electricity bill jumped to $400 — here’s what I did to make it less painful
Honda at capacity in the U.S. plans new plant in Ohio
OhayĆ gozaimasu!
Honda to invest $3 billion in new vehicle assembly plant in Ohio
... The facility is expected to be capable of producing traditional vehicles with internal combustion engines, all-electric vehicles and hybrid models, which have been growing in popularity in the U.S.
The plant is expected to increase Honda’s light-duty vehicle capacity to 1.3 million units annually in the U.S. It currently has 12 manufacturing plants in United States, eight of which produce engines or light-duty vehicles for the auto industry.
... American Honda Motor Co. executive Jennifer Thomas recently emphasized the Japanese automaker’s commitment to the U.S. and need for additional capacity.
“In order to be competitive in this market, you’re going to need to build products here,” Thomas, senior vice president of corporate affairs, said Oct. 27 in Detroit. “We are focused on trying to maximize the existing capacity that we have, but we are at capacity, and so we’re exploring all options.”
... Honda said it has built more than 33 million vehicles and more than 39 million engines in the U.S. since it started auto production in the U.S. in 1982.
The Japanese automaker currently has more than 30,000 employees in the U.S.
Now that he's lost the midterms again, immigration squish Donald Trump again starts talking up immigration amnesty just like early 2019
Apart from love of money, tits, and big building projects, Trump loves nothing more than making a deal.
... Speaking to correspondent Ross Douthat for Sunday night’s installment of 60 Minutes on CBS News – his first major interview since Tuesday’s crushing defeat for Republicans – Trump said of the crackdown: “I think it was too tough.”
“I think it might be too tough, yeah,” he continued. “And a lot of people would say that it’s great. But a lot of people think it’s too tough.”
... Asked where his approach had backfired, Trump answered: “For getting people out, I get very high marks for getting the bad ones out.
“But I get hurt because we also took people that had good jobs, that created one violation, or breaking of the law, and that was that they came into the country illegally.
“Now, there is a large part of the country that think that they should be put out. And there’s a large part of the country that think that they should be allowed to stay if they’re good people working in a landscaping company, or working in a hotel, or doing something, right? And in some cases, paying taxes.”
Striking a more conciliatory tone than usual, Trump also entertained the idea of working with congressional Democrats on an amnesty for people who have been in the country for a long time without the proper documentation.
“Let the people that are here, and in some cases here for 10 and 15 years, work a deal for them,” the president suggested. “I think that’s something that’s actually doable.” ...
More.
Huang, Huang, the gang's all here
Reports claim Alice Huang was recruited by Beijing spy agency to target Nvidia boss Jensen Huang in alleged ‘honeytrap’ operation
-- UK Telegraph
I noticed how little difference there is between men and women; I don’t understand what kind of fatal attraction Chinese women possess which enthrals the corresponding men to such an extent that they are incapable of defending themselves against the formidable blessing of offspring.
-- Albert Einstein
Nvidia stock falls 5% as scrutiny turns to CEO’s affair with alleged Chinese spy
Saturday, November 7, 2026
Friday, November 6, 2026
Good economic news Trump could have used, but the ingrates wouldn't have cared anyway
U.S. economy added 165,000 jobs in October, way more than expected; unemployment rate slips to 4.1%
The U.S. economy added jobs at a much stronger-than-expected pace in October, while the unemployment rate moved lower as the labor market showed surprising strength.
... In addition to the strong payroll gains for October, prior months were revised up substantially: The August figure moved to 186,000, an upward revision of 53,000, while the September count shifted to 60,000 following an upward revision of 31,000.
Payroll gains also came in better than forecast. Average hourly earnings increased 0.4% on the month and 3.1% annually, compared with respective estimates for 0.3% and 2.9%. The average workweek was unchanged at 34.4 hours. ...
Three days after the 2026 Blue Wave election, 29 U.S. House seats are still uncalled with Republicans currently leading in 17 of those
Three days after the 2026 Blue Wave election, 29 U.S. House seats are still uncalled with Republicans currently leading in 17 of those.
If Republicans win them all, their caucus will end up at 173, down 47 seats from the 220 they had to start Trump's second term.
An additional 3 races remain exactly tied this morning.
The upcoming Lame Duck session has a party breakdown of GOP 218 v DEM 214 with 2 vacancies, one from each party, and one independent (formerly GOP).
Thursday, November 5, 2026
Labor share of business income makes another new low in 3Q2026
BLS indicates here:
... The labor share, which is the percentage of output that accrues to workers in the form of compensation, was 53.0 percent in the third quarter of 2026, the lowest level in the series, which begins in the first quarter of 1947. ...
Previously:
This Vance attack is just chef's kiss for the blind defenders of Trump like Marc Thiessen
Just another chapter in the pulp fiction MAGA writes: Trump cannot fail, he can only be failed.
Thiessen: Iran War Didn't Cause High Gas Prices, Vance's Failed Negotiations With Tehran Did
"... I was kind of shocked by that statement that Vice President Vance put out. It was, quite frankly, disloyal to the President of the United States. ..."
The idea Vance was talking his own book is absurd.
... Trump did address the election after being asked if he agreed with Vice President JD Vance's assessment that the Iran war cost Republicans the election.
"I think it's largely true because it drove the gasoline up a little bit short term and probably that's, probably it's true," he admitted. ...
More.
Voters say the economy drove them to the polls — and blame Trump for their troubles
Ah, so it wasn't corruption after all, eh CNBC?
DeSantis channels his inner Limbaugh, blames GOP voters for staying home instead of blaming Trump for breaking his promises
Here.
"... a lot of our voters who stayed home, they stayed home because they were frustrated with the lack of productivity from Republicans in the House and Senate. ..."
Gotta do better than that, Bud.
The invisible hand of error
How many have no other ground for their tenets, than the supposed honesty or learning of those of the same profession! as if truth were to be established by the vote of the multitude.
-- John Locke
Wednesday, November 4, 2026
Abdul cancels Mike Rogers from Michigan just like Democrats canceled Haley Stevens from the Democrat Party
Jihad means cleansing the land.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
Hey look, the Joos' best friend Donald Trump just ended Israel's $3.8 billion in annual U.S. military aid effective December 31st
Abdul wins even before he wins.
The current U.S.-Israel security assistance agreement provides about $3.8 billion annually through 2028. Netanyahu has previously said he wants to phase out Israel’s reliance on U.S. military aid, though the timing and terms of any change to the agreement have not been detailed. ...
One of the NY Times' phony 500 Jewish leaders endorsing Abdul is Jack Mehoff of East Lansing, but the NYT and Abdul continue to pretend this is genuine
This is the sort of antisemitic and un-vetted falsehood one would expect to be so casually promoted in Nazi Germany.
There's also a cigar in Ann Arbor and a pickle in Royal Oak. Ha ha ha.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/17/us/politics/el-sayed-michigan-senate-jewish-petition.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share
Monday, November 2, 2026
Australia hikes benchmark lending rate for a fifth time in 2026 to 4.85% in order to fight 4.3% inflation in September
U.S. inflation was 3.7% yoy in September and its benchmark lending rate is 3.88%.
Australia hikes rates to 18-year high to fight inflation
... In its September decision, RBA governor Michelle Bullock said that inflation is “too high,” driven by higher oil prices from the Iran War and stronger domestic spending. ...
MAGAPAC just robo-called to say there's a lot more work to be done to make life more . . . affordable
Yes, they used the word.
đ
Vanguard 500 Index Fund performance as of 10/31/2026
VFINX, inception 8/31/1976, ytd, 1-year, 3-year, 5-year, 10-year, from inception
11.63%, 11.95%, 23.23%, 11.90%, 15.29%, 11.65%
VFIAX, inception 11/13/2000, ytd, 1-year, 3-year, 5-year, 10-year, from inception
11.73%, 12.06%, 23.35%, 12.02%, 15.40%, 8.83%
Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund performance as of 10/31/2026
VBMFX, inception 12/11/1986, ytd, 1-year, 3-year, 5-year, 10-year, from inception
-0.55%, -0.22%, 5.27%, -0.29%, 1.33%, 4.92%
VBTLX, inception 11/12/2001, ytd, 1-year, 3-year, 5-year, 10-year, from inception
-0.45%, -0.11%, 5.38%, -0.19%, 1.44%, 3.24%
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund performance as of 10/31/2026
VTSMX, inception 4/27/1992, ytd, 1-year, 3-year, 5-year, 10-year, from inception
11.74%, 12.00%, 23.01%, 10.83%, 14.75%, 10.73%
VTSAX, inception 11/13/2000, ytd, 1-year, 3-year, 5-year, 10-year, from inception
11.76%, 12.05%, 23.11%, 10.93%, 14.86%, 9.01%
Sunday, November 1, 2026
Abdul's pal Hasan Piker calls Haley Stevens a ratf*cker
The death of Hasan's hero must have really hurt for him to lash out like that against a white woman over her choice of a mate.
Here.
Holy Moly Miss Haley
Democratic Rep. Stevens endorses Republican Rogers over rival El-Sayed in Michigan Senate election
... Stevens had the endorsement of much of the Democratic establishment during the bruising primary, making her endorsement of Rogers even more stunning. ...
I thought it was about corruption: I wish they'd make up their minds
Relatively speaking America is a low corruption country in 2025, and in 2026 core inflation is 1992ish.
 |
| https://www.transparency.org/en/cpi/2025 |
Saturday, October 31, 2026
Michael Lind and the tariff advocates are delusional when they say tariffs will get manufacturing to come back to the United States
During the heyday of American tariffs, tariff revenues were tiny and went to fund a tiny federal government.
From 1880 to 1910, federal spending grew from about $300 million nominal to $800+ million, and tariff revenues more or less tracked it to pay those bills.
At the same time the rich risked their own money to build US manufacturing, and the tax code was uniquely arranged to reward them for it.
To put it simply, until Reagan we taxed ordinary income at high marginal rates, while income from long term capital investment received relatively preferential tax treatment. That investment translated directly into American manufacturing, higher-paying American jobs, and robust economic growth.
High marginal ordinary income tax rates, which dominated the tax code from WWI except during the roaring 1920s, were first brought down by JFK to 70% from 91%, then to 50% by Reagan I, and finally to 28% by Reagan II. Democrats subsequently lifted these into the high 30s where they are now.
Capital gains rates of 25%, which persisted throughout the period, suddenly lost much of their appeal because the spreads closed. The new arbitrage which opened up because of globalization was between costly labor at home and cheap labor abroad, which the rich then exploited to get even wealthier.
For those of us who lived through this period, it was accompanied by the constant drum beat of one business after another closing up its domestic operations and moving them abroad, leaving a steady stream of workers behind who were forced to find usually less well paying work here.
We did this to ourselves and called it conservatism.
Michael Lind here is delusional about how to turn back this clock:
Tariffs — taxes on imports — are a means to the end of “reshoring” manufacturing in America. By making some imports more expensive, Trump hopes to expand the market for those products at home for American manufacturers.
Apart from not working (!), this makes the consumer pay the bill instead of placing the risk where it belongs, with the capitalists, who have the capital!
You will never accomplish with tariffs, whose arena is now much too small, what you can with the stick of high ordinary income tax rates, high capital gains taxes on income from US investment abroad, and the carrot of relatively lower capital gains taxes on income from domestic investment.
We need to attract capital back to the United States and give it preferential treatment in the tax code while penalizing in a relative way the income received from foreign sources and from high ordinary incomes received at home.
Ordinary incomes up to $101,082/$134,776 single/married-filing-jointly in Sep 2026 should be free of federal tax, but anything higher should be progressively and steeply taxed.
Capital gains tax rates should follow the reverse course: steep taxes on income from capital held up to a year, and progressively lower taxes on income from capital held 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 20, and 30 years.
In such a tax environment, corporate taxes would be redundant, unnecessary, and counterproductive.
Meanwhile 10 years of the Trump tariff regime are not working to revive domestic manufacturing, and the long term comparison with the pre-Reagan past remains negative.
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