Peter's Blog

Property Tax and the Death of the American Dream

While the primary catalyst for the original English pilgrims to venture to America was religious freedom, a strong desire for independence followed closely behind. They desired to be independent of two things: poverty and government meddling. This spirit carried into the American Revolution and informed domestic policy for many years. The Homestead Act of (FIND […]

U.S. Is “A Few Short Years” From Data Reliability Crisis, Study Warns

U.S. economic data is hitting headlines yet again—this time, due to serious concerns about its continued reliability. “Federal statistical agencies face increasing challenges to their ability to produce relevant, timely, credible, accurate, and objective statistics,” researchers of the American Statistical Association revealed. “Immediate action is needed to put the agencies … on a firmer footing […]

The Yield Curve & Christine Lagarde Agree — Don’t Expect A “Soft Landing”

An inverted Treasury yield curve has historically been associated with economic downturns, preceding every recession since the late 1960s. Earlier this year, it set a new record for remaining inverted for more than 624 days, which was the 1978 record.

The Degenerative Disaster of Medicare

In 2023, the U.S. spent 1.04 trillion dollars on Medicare, which is over $3,000 per citizen. For an inefficient, problem-ridden program, that number is difficult for Americans to stomach.

Liberty & Inflation for All: Fireworks Shows Are Scaling Down

While the cost of fireworks is down compared to last year, prices of just about everything else are way up. That means individuals are still buying fireworks to light off themselves, but the size and scope of municipal fireworks shows are being downgraded in many towns and cities across the country — and in some […]

Is France the Next Greece?

French markets have found some relief after the first round of its latest election, with stocks recovering somewhat and bond yields falling after reaching a 12-year high. But no matter which side wins in France, the market is afraid that an increase in unsustainable spending could be the common denominator. 

The FED-Induced Housing Crisis

While the Federal Reserve’s inflationary policies are publicized as protecting the American people, they are causing the American dream of homeownership to slip away. By raising the federal funds rate to combat their self-inflicted inflation, the Fed has driven up mortgage costs, making it harder for aspiring homeowners to secure a place in the housing […]

Markets, Watch Out: Russia Threatens Retaliations Against U.S.

“Retaliatory measures will definitely follow,” Kremlin officials promise the U.S. ambassador after a Ukrainian missile strike was allegedly conducted with U.S.-supplied weapons and intelligence.

WaPo: No Matter Who Gets Elected, Expect More Debt

An article in yesterday’s Washington Post assured readers that no matter who wins the 2024 US presidential election, we can count on massive expansion of the national debt to be among the common denominators. The article looked at a recent report from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, or CRFB, analyzing the debt increases […]

ZIRP-Addicted Japan Is Crumbling Under Higher Rates

The message is loud and clear: The Japanese economy has no tolerance for higher interest rates after the Bank of Japan has kept them artificially near zero for decades. Meanwhile, as the largest holders of US Treasury debt, Japan’s economic well-being has become inextricably dependent on the capricious whims of Federal Reserve monetary policy — […]