News

Afternoon Market Update

Posted on by Jim Carlton

Independent Investment Management designed to protect and grow your wealth.

JIM CARLTON
Managing Director
Chief Investment Officer

Friends

Does this maniacal market action make us nervous? Of course, it does. We’re human too. It’s always stressful when you are dealing with the unknown, and things you can’t control. So, to that end, it is much more productive to deal with things that you know and can control. What we know right now is that global economies are likely to suffer from the stress of the Covid-19 virus. We certainly understand that folks will take less trips, stay home more, eat out less, skip going to the movies, stop visiting the mall (well, that’s been happening for some time, hasn’t it?) etc. What we don’t know is how long all of this will last. Obviously, the longer it takes to get the virus under control, both medically and socially, the more damage to global economies. But, logic also tells us that at some point we will get the virus situation under control. Whatever damage is done, will have to be repaired, but is there any reason to believe that that won’t happen?

We position our portfolios with these type of events in mind. During extended moves to the upside, we’ll occasionally get inquiries asking why we have those treasury bills, or other short term fixed income instruments. Obviously, times like this is why we have a portion of our monies in the safety bucket. Sure, we give up some upside potential when using that bucket, but when things deteriorate like we have seen in the past couple of weeks, having money in that safety bucket sure helps us sleep at night. A well-constructed portfolio helps reduce the overall volatility by having a portion of the monies in a safe, dependable bucket.

In addition, as you know, for retirees we like to keep up to 2 years of living expense in an additional safe place just for times like these. With our additional safety bucket available to draw from in times of disruption, we are able to turn off the flow of monthly income from our retirement accounts, thus not drawing down against an asset that has declined temporarily in price. Since bear markets last on average about 9 months, we can then return to drawing our income from the retirement accounts when markets are recovering and moving higher. We then replenish the additional safety bucket when times are good, such as last year’s stock market advance.

As for today’s action, as we mentioned this morning, stocks opened up down 7% and we had a 15 minute halt as the circuit breakers were triggered. After we started trading again, stocks remained in a relatively defined range, but ended near the lows of the day. By the close, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 2,013 points to finish the day at 23,851. The S&P 500 was down 225 points to close at 2,746. Gold was up $2 to trade at $1,674 per ounce, while oil was down a whopping $10.37 to trade at $30.91 per barrel WTI.

It was an historic day for the markets, not only in stocks, but we reached interest rate levels on U.S. Treasury Bonds never seen before. The 10 Year Note did slide back up over .50% by the close, but with both the 10 and 30 year paper both yielding less than 1%, we are seeing yields never before seen.

We are going to catch our breath and get some rest. We’ll be back at it tomorrow, and as we mentioned this morning, we’ll continue to send out bulletins updating you on the markets.

Try to have a nice evening everyone.

Jim

10200 Grogan’s Mill Road, Suite 340
The Woodlands, TX  77380 
(281) 298-2700 Phone
(877) 824-4299 Toll Free
(281) 298-2760 Fax

[email protected]        www.chjwealthmanagement.com

Investment Advisory offered through Carlton, Hofferkamp & Jenks Wealth Management, LLC (“CHJ”).

*Numbers and figures sourced from the following: Bloomberg.com, CNBC.com and Finance.Yahoo.com.
The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. To determine which investment(s) may be appropriate for you, consult your financial advisor prior to investing. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and cannot be invested into directly.

CHJ Wealth Management,
10200 Grogan’s Mill Road,
Suite 340
The Woodlands, TX 77380

It’s a Crazy Time

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Co-host of The View Meghan McCain said, “It’s a crazy time.”

Co-host Whoopi Goldberg had just pitched former President Barack Obama for the vice president slot on the Democratic Party’s ticket with 2020 presidential hopeful Joe Biden.  Goldberg said, “I’m sorry. I’m just going to do my crazy right now.”  Whoopee for Whoopi.

And so it is.

Meanwhile back at The White House, President Trump misses his orange-tinted mug.   “I haven’t touched my face in weeks,” he said. “In weeks. I miss it.”  Coronavirus task force leader Dr. Deborah Birx seemed encouraged.

And so it goes.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) took a dig at Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) after a Fox News segment made it sound as if the Massachusetts senator stood as the last female in the Democrat primary race, referring to her as a “fake indigenous woman of color.”  “Is it because you believe a fake indigenous woman of color is ‘real’ and the real indigenous woman of color in this race is fake?” she asked.  Ouch!  Gabbard has garnered exactly one delegate in the count that is over one thousand at this point.

And on.

Meanwhile, Warren contacted Bernie Sanders yesterday and informed him that she would take the proper amount of time to decide whether she would continue to drive in his lane or fold her tent.  Rush Limbaugh fill in Mark Steyn equated that to ” like someone giving me a tumbler of scotch and a pistol in my parlor, and saying ‘take your time, you’ll make the right decision.'”

And, then there was Joe Biden.

Biden, fresh off of a strong Super Tuesday, gained Mayor Mini Mike Bloomberg’s endorsement for the Democratic Party nomination.  Mayor Mike is 600 million lighter in the wallet after his abysmal failure of a run at the nomination.  Heck, Bloomberg even called Biden a good friend.  It’s tough to beat the smell of newly printed money.  Biden seems to have gotten his sea legs under him after on Monday confusing Tuesday with Thursday, and then on Tuesday confusing his wife with his sister.

The MSNBC crew previewed (promoted) an upcoming NBC Today Show interview.  On it Biden responded to “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie’s question, “Do you think the president is rooting for Sanders?” “I don’t think the president wants to face me. I will beat him, period. Period. He’s done everything in his power— he’s even risked his presidency because he doesn’t want to face me.”

And so?

What did Wall Street think of the step back that Wall Street basher Bernie Sanders took on Super Tuesday?  It rallied Wednesday in a big way up 1000 Dow points due to the reduced odds that a self-proclaimed Socialist could make the political circus more than the three rings that it already is.

And then?

And then came Thursday, which in spite of Biden’s efforts to label it “Super,” doesn’t seem to have a bright future.  The Dow futures are down 600 points plus this AM.

And finally?

Hopefully, the Corona Virus is greatly slowed or contained soon for obvious reasons.  It would also allow Trump to touch his face again.  After all, his makeup base and his political base know that orange is the new red, white, and blue.

And in America today, crazy is the new normal.

 

Another Wild Day But Positive

Posted on by Jim Carlton
  1. Nn

Independent Investment Management designed to protect and grow your wealth.

JIM CARLTON
Managing Director
Chief Investment Officer

Friends

Let the crazy volatility continue. Perhaps it was the good showing of Joe Biden last night during the Super Tuesday elections, staving off communism, or perhaps it was a lack of a devastating corona virus headline, or maybe it was a delayed reaction to the Fed rate cut yesterday. Whatever the case, stocks had another major move today, and this one was to the upside, similar to Monday’s move.

For the day, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 1,173 points to close at 27,090. The S&P 500 was up 126 points to finish the day at 3,130. Gold was down $5 to trade at $1,639 per ounce, while oil was down $.13 to trade at $47.05 per barrel WTI.

We expected this volatility to continue, as it has, and what is even more impressive is the size of these moves. Heck, 2% is a small move nowadays. Today we had another monster 4% move. As we said, buckle up, it’s going to be a wild ride for the time being.

Have a nice evening everyone.

Jim

10200 Grogan’s Mill Road, Suite 340
The Woodlands, TX  77380 
(281) 298-2700 Phone
(877) 824-4299 Toll Free
(281) 298-2760 Fax

[email protected]        www.chjwealthmanagement.com

Investment Advisory offered through Carlton, Hofferkamp & Jenks Wealth Management, LLC (“CHJ”).

*Numbers and figures sourced from the following: Bloomberg.com, CNBC.com and Finance.Yahoo.com.
The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. To determine which investment(s) may be appropriate for you, consult your financial advisor prior to investing. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and cannot be invested into directly.

CHJ Wealth Management,
10200 Grogan’s Mill Road,
Suite 340
The Woodlands, TX 77380

Down to Three Approaching Fourscore

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

It’s Super Tuesday.  It’s a super big day for Bernie Sanders, running for his party’s presidential nomination.  And, it’s a super big day for Joe Biden, too, even though he thought it was Super Thursday.

And it’s a big day for the Democratic National Committee(DNC).  Assuming the vote tally process works better in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, and Virginia than it did in Iowa the DNC will have a much better idea of what else they need to throw at Bernie Sanders to halt the assault from the far left.

Crazy Bernie has no chance in the general election of even coming close to Donald Trump.  You know it.  Your dog knows it. And, the DNC knows it.

And, apparently, that is very bad as it sounds like our time here on terra firma is running short.   Ask Beto O’Rourke.  Last evening while endorsing Biden, Beto shrieked, “The man in the White House today poses an existential threat to this country. To our democracy. To free and fair elections. And we need somebody who can beat him. And in Joe Biden, we have that man.”   Biden embraced far-left anti-gun extremist O’Rourke during a rally on Monday night in Texas.  He declared that the failed Senate and presidential candidate was going to lead Biden’s anti-Second Amendment efforts.   At least the unemployment figures will drop by one.

Most nominee hopefuls call climate change the biggest existential threat.  Tom Steyer was a loud one of those, but no more.  He dropped out over the weekend.  If a tree falls in the forest but no one hears it, is it still climate change?  If he endorses Biden and no one hears it, is it still an endorsement?

No word yet on if Steyer will endorse Biden.  But, the others are lining up and doing their party’s work.  Pete Buttigieg dropped out just in time to try to swing his votes to Uncle Joe.  Mayor Pete endorsed Biden last night.  Biden said that he was surprised that he did that.  Maybe he was as it’s 50/50 that he knows who Pete is.  The DNC wasn’t surprised.  Pete is young and dutiful.   Promises made?

Amy Klobuchar dropped out yesterday.  Whew.  Just in time for Super Thursd, er, Tuesday as well.  She also is expected to endorse Biden today.  Amy isn’t as young as Pete but is as dutiful.

After tonight the DNC will have a better feel for how many more ducks they have to get in a row to prevent that pesky Bernie Sanders from quacking too much in mid-July in Milwaukee.

The party (after Elizabeth Warren realizes it’s over today) of inclusion and diversity will be down to 77-year-old white male Joe Biden, 78-year-old white male Bernie Sanders, and 78-year-old white male Michael Bloomberg.  All would be fourscore and more after one term.

Sanders stayed along for the ride all of the way to the convention four years ago.  It drove Hillary harder and further than the then 69-year-old wanted.  As crazy as it seems he’s riding shotgun again.  No Beto, it’s not that kind of shotgun.  The DNC is trying desperately to play traffic cop.

Meanwhile, get some more endorsements, Joe.  There’s a guy named Obama.  He might stand behind you as you did with him especially if the DNC asks with a “pretty please.”

And, get some rest.

 

Politicians and Coaches Make Strange Bedfellows

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Raise your hand, as the candidates did repeatedly, if you watched the tenth of fourteen Democratic Presidential Debates last evening.   While the candidates have their philosophical differences, they unanimously tell us that this country needs new leadership.  Each of them also believes that they are just the one to bring it to the White House.

Leadership.  What is leadership?  There are many iterations of definitions.  One definition is the ability to clearly communicate a vision, show a path for that vision, and get people to join the journey to help see to its fulfillment.

It’s what coaches have to do to get a group of players, regardless of the sport, to believe in what they are doing and come together as one to achieve their goals.

Good candidates should project as good coaches.  So, this made us wonder.  Who in the sports coaching world past or present reminds us most of the individuals on stage last evening.  In the scouting world it’s called comps.  Our best guesses at the comps follow.

Bernie Sanders sports an unkempt gray hairdo that he “hand combs” frequently.  Strong-willed and unrelenting, Bernie has a vision.  If challenged, he reddens in the face and raises his voice to accentuate a point.  It’s his way or the highway.  We get the feeling that when he dies he wants to be buried face down so that everyone can kiss his buttocks.  He hasn’t thrown a chair yet, but our comp is Bobby Knight.

Michael Bloomberg reminds us most of Hank Stram.  Bloom stands barely above the podium at about five feet and seven inches.  Stram needed 1970’s platform shoes to get to that rarefied air.  Both are/were smug and speak with squeaky voices.  Full disclosure- Stram was known to wear a trench coat on the sidelines, weather permitting, back in the day.  Flashy for fashionable reasons.   Nondisclosure- Bloomberg was known to wear a trench coat in the office, regardless of weather, back in the day.  Flashy for all of the wrong reasons.

Elizabeth Sanders has no direct identifiable comp, though George O’Leary and his falsified resume’ come to mind.  Undeterred, it’s obvious that she still wants skin in the game regardless of the sport.  As a kindred spirit, it’s well known that she covets coaching positions with the Washington Redskins, Cleveland Indians, and Florida State Seminoles.  But. she’s no George Allen nor Bobby Bowden.  Of course, their contracts were never taken from them due to pregnancy either.

Tom Steyer, we hardly know you.  Stoic, simple, and possibly a bit boring, Steyer is a marginal match with former Minnesota Viking Head Coach Bud Grant.  Grant was four times a bridesmaid and never a bride in Super Bowls.  Steyer could run three more times himself and we doubt highly that America would propose to him as well.  Grant won 283 NFL games, good for third all-time but we hardly knew him.

Joe Biden is a dead ringer for Les Miles.  Both have been in the game for a long time.  Yesterday Biden asked for your vote during a presentation.  It’s must-see Gaffe TV, again.  One is bad at debate clock management.  The other is bad at game clock management.  Biden prefers plugs to dye.  Miles prefers dye to plugs.  Both were relevant decades ago.  Both are still in the game, but we wonder why.

Amy Klobuchar projects more as an on-field leader than a sideline coach.  She’s a throwback 10-year plug and play three-down middle linebacker if there ever was a guy named Dick Butkus.  She even referred to her Uncle Dick (no relation to Butkus) in the deer stand last evening when discussing gun control.   Back in the day slick, tight-fitting helmets were made of leather.  Amy’s helmet hair hairdo looks and likely feels much the same, while Butkus sported a crew do.

Pete Buttigieg has an uncanny ability to inflect his voice like, parse his words, and use the same words as Barrak Obama.  It’s so uncanny that many openly wonder if it’s admiration or plagiarism.  Mayor Pete talks a big game but hasn’t coached in one yet.  Houston Texan Head Coach Bill O’Brien learned from Bill Belichick in a similar fashion and borrows attitude, mood, and words from Belichick similar to Pete’s wordsmith feats.  Both aspire to get to the big stage.  Not yet.

Ronald Reagan wanted to win one for the Gipper.  The seven left standing on stage want to win one as well.

 

 

 

 

 

Do You Believe in Miracles?

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

The Blessed Virgin Mary of Solitude weighed in yesterday.  She tweeted her thoughts on how tawdry the members of the Miracle on Ice 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team accessorized their wardrobe for the 40-year anniversary celebration of their defeat of the Russians.  Say what?

María de la Soledad Teresa O’Brien translated from Spanish means “The Blessed Virgin Mary of Solitude.”   Shortened, she goes by Soledad O’Brien.    Soledad was an NBC, MSNBC, and CNN anchor from 1991 till 2013 winning a Peabody and an Emmy Award along the way.

Since 2016, O’Brien has been the host for Matter of Fact with Soledad O’Brien, a nationally syndicated weekly talk show.   She is also a member of the Peabody Awards board of directors, which is presented by the University of Georgia’s Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication.

Solitude means “the state or situation of being alone.”  Except Soledad is anything but alone.

Sunday she tweeted “Ugh….so disappointed by the @1980MiracleTeam.  I loved watching that game as a kid with my dad.  To see them on a stage, in MAGA hats-kinda crushing I have to say.”

And so America was “lit” as the young uns like to say, or used to like to say.   Tweets on both sides of the aisle set the virtual world on fire.

One side @SJUA08 provided “The USA Hockey team UNITED a nation in 1980.  The same team DIVIDED this nation more by participating in a MAGA rally.  The Miracle Team now is part of our national nightmare.”

The other side @BroodingManatee countered, “If I took other people’s political opinions this seriously, I’d have to disavow all my favorite bands and stop watching movies entirely.”

All of the above freedom of speech is guaranteed by the First Amendment.  The faithful First also guarantees freedom of the press.  And, we submit, that is where the worst of all blurred lines have been crossed.    We’re pretty sure Walter Cronkite would look down his nose and over his reader glasses at old solitude Soledad.

The press used to stay out of shaming people for expressing their thoughts through freedom of speech.  In fact, they used to vigorously defend it.  Burn the flag.  Wear a MAGA hat.  It’s all the same.   But, today it isn’t.  Today, you are entitled to your opinion and right to express it only if it aligns with others’ thoughts.

If not, let the condemnation and name-calling begin and never end.   A few that come to mind are bigot, misogynist, racist, homophobe, elitist, and one-percenter.  There’s white privilege.  The war on women has now lasted longer than the 100-years war.  It’s must be all bad.  Don’t believe me?  Ask any member of the press that disagrees with you.

Reporters used to cover protesters yelling in the streets.  Now they are the protesters yelling into the microphone.

It’s their right even though it used to be wrong.  It will take a miracle to reverse this course.

What’s Old is Old

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Do you remember the Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker Show back in the eighties?  His relentless pursuit of money through the guise of religion was so tiresome.  Claims made by him and his minions of miracles answered for contributors to his church were endless and far fetched at best.  But, it was a narrative that kept his lovely wife Tammy Faye in mascara.  Jim eventually served hard time in jail for his sins.

Undeterred, he’s been at it again.  Contacts have replaced thick glasses.  Thin white coiffed hair has replaced thick brown coiffed hair.  Tammy Faye passed away.  He has a new female Fatale beside him as he continues to spread the good word.  Recently he brought on an “expert” who stated that for a small contribution she could send you some medicine that would destroy the coronavirus in just 12 hours.  It’s a miracle!

Find a narrative, swear to God by it, and collect money.

Which brings us to MSNBC.  Lawrence O’Donnell reminds us of the Rev. Jim Bakker.  Find a narrative, swear to God by it, and collect ad money.

Ole Larry made the Putin and Trump connection again.  O’Donnell said, “The president is a Russian operative. That sounds like the description of a bad Hollywood screenplay, but it is real. It is Vladimir Putin’s greatest achievement, decades after America’s victory in the Cold War and collapse of the Soviet Union, the president of the United States is now helping the president of Russia help the president of the United States to get re-elected. So that the president of Russia will have four more years of the president of the United States who he wants in the Oval Office, this is one of those shocking news days if you retain the capacity to be shocked in the Trump era by the Trump regime, which might be better labeled the Trump-Putin regime.”

You know.  Russia bad.  Trump bad.  We’ll be back after these revenue-generating messages.

So what if Putin prefers Trump over, say, a socialist that Bloomberg called a communist?  What would O’Donnell screech if Putin, as crazy as it sounds, came out in support of Crazy Bernie?

What would Lawrence say then?  Would he blame Trump for contacting Putin to get him to do it?  After all, who would want Putin’s endorsement?  Remember Russia bad.  Trump bad.

The narrative is beyond tired.  The collusion and all of its Mueller investigating (and striking out) is as old and tired as Jim Baker and snake oil.

Trumps’s approval numbers have improved over his time in office to a new high this past month.

How much is due to Putin? Not much.   The real question is how much is due to America growing more tired of a tired narrative.  Much.

 

Finally Mattered?

Posted on by Jim Carlton

Independent Investment Management designed to protect and grow your wealth.

JIM CARLTON
Managing Director
Chief Investment Officer

Friends

It appears that at around midmorning the coronavirus, Bernie Sanders could be President, and global economic slowdown all at once mattered to market participants. Stocks dropped nearly 400 points at a franticly quick pace. But, as the trading session wore on, buyers did appear and stocks were able to erase a good portion of those losses. Now, you can attach any or all of those items to the list of reasons why stocks had such a quick deceleration, but as I say often – certain things don’t matter until they do. For example, I’ve been in the investment business for 35 years. All that time I’ve heard how our budget deficits and debt will sink this country. Well, budget deficits and debt haven’t really mattered for 35 years, and my guess is that they will continue not to matter- until they do.

Now, after those deep thoughts let’s see what the markets did today. By the close, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 128 points to finish the day at 29,219. The S&P 500 was down 13 points to close at 3,373. Gold was up $10 to trade at $1,622 per ounce, while oil was up $.48 to trade at $53.77 per barrel WTI.

Again, the coronavirus news certainly isn’t good, but some say the trend is actually getting better. We’ll see. Whatever the case, the effects of the virus on global growth cannot be ignored. Stocks held in once again today, but perhaps we got a glimpse of what happens when certain things start to matter. On the other hand, all this is simply transitory for long term investors with a good game plan. Anyway, let’s see how the week finishes out tomorrow.

Have a nice evening everyone.

Jim

10200 Grogan’s Mill Road, Suite 340
The Woodlands, TX  77380 
(281) 298-2700 Phone
(877) 824-4299 Toll Free
(281) 298-2760 Fax

[email protected]        www.chjwealthmanagement.com

Investment Advisory offered through Carlton, Hofferkamp & Jenks Wealth Management, LLC (“CHJ”).

*Numbers and figures sourced from the following: Bloomberg.com, CNBC.com and Finance.Yahoo.com.
The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. To determine which investment(s) may be appropriate for you, consult your financial advisor prior to investing. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and cannot be invested into directly.

CHJ Wealth Management,
10200 Grogan’s Mill Road,
Suite 340
The Woodlands, TX 77380

Winners? Losers?

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Our society always yearns for clarity.  There are always good guys and bad guys in movies.  In debates, we want to know who won or lost.  One debate does not an election season make.  Regardless, we’ll play along.  To the Nevada Democratic Debate scoreboard we go.

Winner– Donald J. Trump.   There were no “wow” moments from any Democrat that would cause anyone to look at this race for 2020 any differently.  When capitalism v. socialism is being debated you’ve got a problem with the narrative in the bigger picture.

Loser- Michael Bloomberg.  He paid to get on the stage and halfway through he likely wanted to pay to get off of the stage no matter the cost.  Elizabeth Warren stood next to him.  Mini Mike, as Trump calls him, looked small in stature and when Warren traded punches with him on his confidentially settled lawsuits brought by former female employees he looked even smaller.  He was attacked by everyone on stage and had few counter punches of note.  He looked like he could use a standing eight count at one point.

Winner– Mayor Pete.  It is obvious that the moderates (we use that term loosely with this crowd of Mayor Pete, Amy Klobuchar, and Bloomberg) will consolidate down to one at some point.  Mayor Pete has poise and stage presence.  He speaks eloquently but says little.  That actually works in this crowd.  His few but pointed attacks had a plan.  He had Klobuchar rattled more than once.  He has no national record so few attack him.  Others are falling around him.  Is his inexperience his biggest foe?

Loser- Joe Biden.  Joe stood in the middle of the ring and came out of the debate unscathed.  That sounds like a winner, but it’s not.  Why?  Its because no one even bothered to throw a punch at him.  This also makes him a loser as his competition has moved on to fight other fighters.  Long on experience and relationships around the globe, he constantly reminds us, is no longer the winning ticket to get on the nomination train.

Winner– NBC.  The moderators had control for the most part and the questions aimed at most candidates were pointed and debate worthy.  The bar for moderators is very low when CNN is your competition, however.  Bonus points to them for keeping the far-left MSNBC talking heads at home.

Loser– Elizabeth Warren.  Her demeanor was better than her norm.  Her aforementioned exchange with Bloomberg was strong.  Her fingernails on a chalkboard voice was an octave lower than usual.   Sounds like a winner doesn’t it?  The problem is Bernie Sanders is the front runner and he is in her lane taking up all of the oxygen.  It’s too late for her.

Winner– Bernie Sanders.  He admitted that he is a “Democratic Socialist.”  He was called out for a 25 trillion dollar gap in his health care plan costs.  Yet he lost no ground last evening and remains the front runner.  Now he should loudly focus on fixing the Democratic Super Delegate problem that is right in front of him.  Bloomberg has money to burn.  Bernie should burn down the crooked process.

Loser– The Democratic Party.  Having an avowed Socialist leading your process as the capitalistic driven economy rolls along in 2020 is no way to win an election.  For the party that prides itself on inclusiveness, last night was a divisive two hour attack on one another.

See you in South Carolina.

 

Right from Wrong

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

It started innocently enough last evening.  Not too long after the New Hampshire Democratic Primary polls closed Andrew Yang closed shop on his campaign.  He meant well.  But his $1000/month giveaway to every adult idea never gained traction.  He thought it was the right thing to do, but voters never lined up for the “free” handout.

Former Mayor Mike Bloomberg, not in this primary (are the rules convoluted much?), had audio tapes leak yesterday.  On them, defending his stop and frisk initiative he stated “95% of your murders, murderers and murder victims fit one M.O. You can just take the description, Xerox it, pass it out to all the cops, They are male, minorities, 16-25. That’s true in New York, that’s true in virtually every city.”

Avowed Democrat and African American Juan Williams, Fox News contributor, was asked how he felt about the words heard on the tape.  Juan said “on one hand the statistics prove that Bloomberg is right.  But, it would be wrong for my son to have to fear getting stopped by the police each and every time he left the house.”

Bernie Sanders took a victory lap with just over 25% of the New Hampshire vote last evening.  It’s his right to run for President even though he makes no bones about his Socialism platform.  The United States is fast approaching its 250th birthday.  It seems to be doing quite well as a capitalistic society.  It’s poor are far richer than the global average.  That’s not to say that we can’t do better.  He finished his victory speech with “this victory is the beginning of the end for Donald Trump.”  Bernie may be right.  Trump’s presidency and his reelection message are diametrically opposed to Sanders.  Someone (James Carville, Democratic strategist extraordinaire) once said, “it’s the economy stupid!”  There is a lot to like in today’s US economy.  Bernie may be wrong.

The purported front runner just weeks ago, Joe Biden skipped his “victory” party last night in NH and flew straight to South Carolina, the next primary battleground. He made the right move given his single-digit performance and subsequent fifth-place NH finish.  He called the Iowa finish (though it’s not finished) a “gut punch.”  The New Hampshire support lacked support as it was a punch below the belt.  Greeted by South Carolina supporters he attempted to rally the troops.  He told them “It’s important that Iowa and Nevada have spoken.”  Wrong.  Nevada, New Hampshire.  Pre Med.  Pre Law.  Tomato.  Tomatoe.  It’s all the same.  Right?

The DNC tried to put a new saddle on an old horse in Biden.  The RNC tried to do the same four years ago in Jeb Bush.  Wrong and wrong.  Biden’s campaign should be taken behind the barn and put out of its mystery.  It’s the right thing to do.  Biden should be on a beach with crew socks on his sandal feet and zinc oxide on his nose, with his Aviator glasses in place.

“Hello America! I’m Amy Klobuchar and I will beat Donald Trump,” she told a cheering crowd. “My heart is full tonight. We have beaten the odds every step of the way.”  She’s right.  No one thought the Minnesota Senator would still be standing at this point in the long road to the nomination.  She finished a “strong third.”

Since when is a third-place finish a victory?  When a party is searching desperately for a warm body to be the nominee, she isn’t wrong.

Everyone is famous for 15 minutes.  Klobuchar has no organization on the ground in any Super Tuesday primary state.  No candidate has ever gained the nomination without a first or second-place finish in the first two primaries.  Never say never, however.

Speaking of a first or second-place finish, Mayor Pete Buttigieg has one of each.  It’s Pete’s right to accept big donor money from Wall St.  Sanders says it’s wrong.

Based on the above history says it’s right to assume Sanders or Buttigieg will wind up being the nominee.  In today’s political madness basing anything on history might be the wrong thing to do.

And, waiting in the wings is Donald Trump.  Whether you think that he is right or wrong, all he wants to do is “Keep America Great!”

Queue the Billy Joel.