MARKETS,Anybody even yet?

[notes12]

per Google, estimated USA population...335 million

per STATISTA, number of federal, state, local government workers (not counting military)...nearly 23 mil

if math correct, do we really need one government employee for every 15 people in USA?

I do not know the answer, but I support making sure tax dollars are spent wisely.

[olds442jetaway]

I read that too Notes. Probably because they make out well with massive government spending among other things. I am missing a big run here, but attempting a bit of self and family preservation at my age. I’m down to less than 5 percent stock in my regular brokerage account and 15 percent in my 403b. I do have some trading gains from earlier in the year, but I will be able to offset the taxes by selling one big loser I still have faith in and I will buy it back in mid December in the same amount of shares to avoid the wash sale rule. In the meantime, though struggling with profits, it’s still paying me an 11 percent dividend and I can’t argue with that. It also owns 50 major companies so hopefully will come back at some point.

[notes12]

many people vote with their self interest in mind.

the federal reserve, should be non partisan agency. yet, their employees, donated 92% of their political contributions to dems. any doubt what percentage of political money FEMA employees gave to Dems.

they contribute to those who they believe will give them the most back in wages and benefits.

that is why I am all for making sure tax dollars are spent wisely.

[notes12]

olds, completely understand your asset allocation. I am also in my 70's. when we were younger, used to have 99% of our money in stock funds, but have been reducing that percentage, as we approached 60. now, we are down to about 15-20% in stock funds. I can sleep at night.

everyone needs to make their own decisions, based on needs and risk tolerance.

[olds442jetaway]

My timing has been off, but I think the correction has started. It will be healthy I think over time I think.

[tech58]

per Google, estimated USA population...335 million

per STATISTA, number of federal, state, local government workers (not counting military)...nearly 23 mil

if math correct, do we really need one government employee for every 15 people in USA?

I do not know the answer, but I support making sure tax dollars are spent wisely.

Excellent statistical example describing a huge problem!
Anyone paying attention since the 60's has watched Guvmint at all levels bloat beyond all reason!
The totally corrupt deep-state unelected bureaucracy, at the federal level, can spend money in ways not authorized by our elected officials. They use that loop-hole, created in 1984, to enrich select private companies and themselves! Bleeding taxpayer $ from all of us and ballooning national debt.
Certainly the liberals benefitting most from this will minimize the problem. $300 billion my ass!!

In my opinion anyone doubting the magnitude of the problem has NOT been paying attention.

Hopefully Trump will eliminate the millions of Federal jobs that do not benefit the taxpayers. Most of whom never even really work!

That being just a beginning will lead to neutering the bureaucracy that has been feeding at the public trough and return control of America back to our elected officials who are accountable to all citizens!

Want to disagree? Go ahead that's your right. Some will agree with you.

But it will not be me. I HAVE been paying attention.

[FAA]

-0.7%, -1.3%, -2.2%. Not feeling well.

[olds442jetaway]

I forget where I read this the other day…..maybe Fortune?….anyway and I am paraphrasing….even Musk says there will be pain before there will be gain. Of course he will be the exception. Guess we will see soon enough. Just as an aside, and not that it matters, I am on the same side with Notes and Tech. We just can’t keep printing money and pretending it has value. I will go out on a limb however and predict the trend toward a cashless society will continue. The younger crowd seems to grasp it with open arms. Cash is King, but the King passed away in August of 1977.

[notes12]

tech, here are some numbers;
-average annual income USA worker...$60,000
-per Google, approx 3 million federal employees
-per Google, average federal employee earns $106,000 per year
-benefits add an additional 38% to that cost
-total annual cost with benefits per federal work...approx $140,000 per year

number of illegals in America range from 12 million to many millions
-this year alone, NYC has spent almost $4 BILLION on illegals

how much does it cost the entire country for those arriving here ILLEGALLY, with nothing but what they can carry and few skills.

not against immigration, but how about legal immigration.

[olds442jetaway]

Many of our parents and grandparents arrived and were detained on Ellis Island and after that since they came in legally, entered into this Country, worked hard and became citizens after much studying and years of hard work. What happened to that picture and maybe even worse, what about the legal immigrants following the law and regulations and still working hard on their own to become US Citizens. So unfair to them as well. Now it will be decades if then until this problem is solved. I won’t repeat stuff like most well read people know about the free stuff, the crime, and maybe worst of all the cells that are no doubt here and forming as we speak to plan who knows what in an attempt to destroy us.