COLLECTIVE MADNESS


“Soft despotism is a term coined by Alexis de Tocqueville describing the state into which a country overrun by "a network of small complicated rules" might degrade. Soft despotism is different from despotism (also called 'hard despotism') in the sense that it is not obvious to the people."

Wednesday, September 07, 2016

It was the US, under Bill Clinton, that dispatched former president Carter to North Korea ,and negotiated a sellout deal that gave North Korea two new reactors and $5 billion in aid in return for a promise to quit seeking nukes

Pakistan selling nuclear materials to North Korea – CIA’s explosive revelation; US informs India

Last Updated: Tuesday, September 6, 2016 - 23:58
Pakistan selling nuclear materials to North Korea – CIA's explosive revelation; US informs India

New Delhi: America’s Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has apprised India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) that Pakistan is supplying nuclear material to North Korea.

According to reports, Pakistan has been sending nuclear materials to North Korea through sea route.

Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) supplied Monel and Enconel (nuclear substances) to Pyongyang in clear violation of United Nations sanctions.
Notably, Islamabad was supplied such materials by Chinese company named Beijing Suntech Technology Company Limited. The supplies of the Chinese company to Pakistan were being diverted to North Korea by the Pakistani authorities through cargo ship, it claimed.

Despite being involved in illegal sale of nuclear substances, Pakistan is urging the international community to accept its membership to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), according to highly placed US sources who are involved with the tracking of nuclear commerce.

In another alarming revelation, informed sources claimed that Pakistan has been giving North Korea equipment which has a direct bearing on producing nuclear weapons.

Sources said the Beijing Suntech Technology Company Limited manufactures Vacuum Induction Melting (VIM) furnaces which find application in refining hard metals such as uranium and plutonium, which are used in making nuclear warhead cores. Pakistan is known to have procured these items from China and has passed them along to North Korea.

67 comments:

  1. REMARKS ON THE NUCLEAR AGREEMENT WITH NORTH KOREA
    October 18, 1994 - William J Clinton

    Good afternoon. I am pleased that the United States and North Korea yesterday reached agreement on the text of a framework document on North Korea's nuclear program. This agreement will help to achieve a longstanding and vital American objective: an end to the threat of nuclear proliferation on the Korean Peninsula.

    This agreement is good for the United States, good for our allies, and good for the safety of the entire world. It reduces the danger of the threat of nuclear spreading in the region. It's a crucial step toward drawing North Korea into the global community.

    I want to begin by thanking Secretary Christopher and our chief negotiator, Ambassador at Large Bob Gallucci, for seeing these negotiations through. I asked Bob if he'd had any sleep, since he's going to answer all your technical questions about this agreement, and he said that he had had some sleep. So be somewhat gentle with him. After meeting with my chief national security advisers, and at their unanimous recommendation, I am instructing Ambassador Gallucci to return to Geneva on Friday for the purpose of signing an agreement.

    The United States has been concerned about the possibility that North Korea was developing nuclear weapons since the 1980's. Three administrations have tried to bring this nuclear program under international control. There is nothing more important to our security and to the world's stability than preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. And the United States has an unshakeable commitment to protect our ally and our fellow democracy South Korea. Thirty-eight thousand American troops stationed on the Peninsula are the guarantors of that commitment.

    Today, after 16 months of intense and difficult negotiations with North Korea, we have completed an agreement that will make the United States, the Korean Peninsula, and the world safer. Under the agreement, North Korea has agreed to freeze its existing nuclear program and to accept international inspection of all existing facilities.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The video with Trump on CNN is six months old.

    ReplyDelete
  3. REMARKS FROM HILLARY CLINTON

    US created Taliban and abandoned Pakistan, says Hillary
    — UPDATED FEB 01, 2016 10:57AM

    WASHINGTON, April 24 Two days of continuous congressional hearings on the Obama administration's foreign policy brought a rare concession from US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who acknowledged that the United States too had a share in creating the problem that plagues Pakistan today.

    In an appearance before a subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee on Thursday, Mrs Clinton explained how the militancy in Pakistan was linked to the US-backed proxy war against the Soviets in Afghanistan.

    “We can point fingers at the Pakistanis. I did some yesterday frankly. And it's merited because we are wondering why they just don't go out there and deal with these people,” said Mrs Clinton while referring to an earlier hearing in which she said that Pakistan posed a “mortal threat” to the world.

    “But the problems we face now to some extent we have to take responsibility for, having contributed to it. We also have a history of kind of moving in and out of Pakistan,” she said.

    “Let's remember here... the people we are fighting today we funded them twenty years ago... and we did it because we were locked in a struggle with the Soviet Union.

    “They invaded Afghanistan... and we did not want to see them control Central Asia and we went to work... and it was President Reagan in partnership with Congress led by Democrats who said you know what it sounds like a pretty good idea... let's deal with the ISI and the Pakistan military and let's go recruit these mujahideen.

    “And great, let them come from Saudi Arabia and other countries, importing their Wahabi brand of Islam so that we can go beat the Soviet Union.

    “And guess what ... they (Soviets) retreated ... they lost billions of dollars and it led to the collapse of the Soviet Union.

    “So there is a very strong argument which is... it wasn’t a bad investment in terms of Soviet Union but let’s be careful with what we sow... because we will harvest.


    {...}

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. {...}

      “So we then left Pakistan ... We said okay fine you deal with the Stingers that we left all over your country... you deal with the mines that are along the border and... by the way we don't want to have anything to do with you... in fact we're sanctioning you... So we stopped dealing with the Pakistani military and with ISI and we now are making up for a lot of lost time.”

      It was question from Congressman Adam Shciff, a California Democrat that spurred Secretary Clinton to delve into history and come out with an answer that other US politicians have avoided in the past.

      The congressman noted that while the US had provided “a phenomenal amount of military support for Pakistan,” they had not changed the paradigm.

      “And more pernicious, there are elements within the Pakistani intelligence services, the ISI that may be working at cross-purposes with us.

      “How we can possibly be funding the Pakistani military if elements of the military or intelligence services are actually working against us and having the effect of killing our troops next door?” he asked.


      http://www.dawn.com/news/847153/us-created-taliban-and-abandoned-pakistan-says-hillary

      Delete
  4. There is no relationship more important to US national security than relations with Russia. Trump recognizes that and is being called soft on Putin by the political genius Hillary Clinton.

    Read.

    ReplyDelete
  5. SEN JEFF SESSIONS:

    Sessions also pushed back on criticism of Trump over reported ties to Russian investors — calling it “not the big issue for America today” — and lauded Trump's plan to build better relations with President Vladimir Putin.

    ”Donald Trump is right. We need to figure out a way to end this cycle of hostility that’s putting this country at risk, costing us billions of dollars in defense, and creating hostility that should not exist,” he asserted.

    "We have a lot of bad leaders around the world that operate in ways we would never tolerate in the United States," he added. “The question is, can we have a more peaceful, effective relationship with Russia, utilizing interests that are similar in a realistic way to make this world a safer place and get off this dangerous hostility with Russia.”




    Breaking News at Newsmax.com http://www.newsmax.com/Politics/jeff-sessions-defend-trump-comments/2016/07/31/id/741430/#ixzz4JYudclLJ

    ReplyDelete
  6. There is an Islamic nuclear threat but it does not emanate from Iran. Much of it the results of terrible decisions made in Washington DC, by Republicans and Democrats. Trump owns no part of it and recognizes the need to change the status quo, beginning with a positive change in US/Russian relationships.

    ReplyDelete
  7. There are a ton of bombshells coming out today about Hillary’s emails. I post this to put the Clintons in context.

    Buckle Up!

    ReplyDelete
  8. The Dallas Morning News today endorsed their first democrat in 75 years

    There is only one serious candidate on the presidential ballot in November. We recommend Hillary Clinton.

    We don't come to this decision easily. This newspaper has not recommended a Democrat for the nation's highest office since before World War II — if you're counting, that's more than 75 years and nearly 20 elections...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. More Dallas Morning News:

      Resume vs. resume, judgment vs. judgment, this election is no contest

      Delete
    2. More DMN:

      Those are real shortcomings. But they pale in comparison to the litany of evils some opponents accuse her of. Treason? Murder? Her being cleared of crimes by investigation after investigation has no effect on these political hyenas; they refuse to see anything but conspiracies and cover-ups.

      Delete
    3. And, the "coup de gras":

      Trump's values are hostile to conservatism. He plays on fear — exploiting base instincts of xenophobia, racism and misogyny — to bring out the worst in all of us, rather than the best. His serial shifts on fundamental issues reveal an astounding absence of preparedness. And his improvisational insults and midnight tweets exhibit a dangerous lack of judgment and impulse control.

      Delete
  9. Big whoop, a newspaper that has spent half it's life being up the Bush family ass needed another whiff of the

    Brylcreem

    ReplyDelete
  10. .

    The DMN...

    WRT Trump, a damning analysis. And accurate.

    WRT Clinton, in speaking of Hillary as a 'serious' candidate the paper loses all credibility. Hillary is only serious in the same sense that a mafiosa don might be referred to as a 'serious' man.

    .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hillary is only serious in the same sense that a mafiosa don might be referred to as a 'serious' man.

      So true, but a Mafioso don with a drug problem.

      Delete
  11. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  12. .

    America understands...

    From the WaPo,

    In every state, pessimism about Trump, Clinton and election’s impact.

    The presidential campaign has intensified long-standing political divisions, but there is one area of broad agreement among voters in both red states and blue states — a pervasive pessimism that no matter the outcome, the election will do little to unify the country, according to a Washington Post-SurveyMonkey survey of all 50 states...


    .

    ReplyDelete
  13. .

    One more Trump flip-flop...

    From the WaPo,

    Trump calls for end to defense sequester, urges spending boost.

    The Republican presidential nominee says he would boost military spending and end the bipartisan agreement that threatened automatic cuts if spending caps were violated...


    Anyone who believes a word Trump says is topping out on the credulity meter.

    .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He's turned in to a standard political candidate - telling each crowd what they want to hear.

      Delete
    2. He is a Knight in Shining Armor, a Truth Seeker and Teller.

      When is the last time a politician admitted to paying bribes to everyone around to get something done ?

      Huh ?

      When ?

      :)

      Delete
    3. I believe Trump when he says he can always get a lot of pussy.

      Delete
  14. Hillary admits upping med 'load' to combat coughing fits....DRUDGE

    Mainlining Valium can be a bitch.

    Admitting one is hooked is the first step in recovery.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hillary may find herself literally dead on arrival one of these fine days....mixing warfarin, cow thyroid extract, Valium, God only knows what else....booze.....no wonder she often has trouble 'getting vertical' as she calls it....

      Delete
    2. Plus she can't remember what she did yesterday.

      Could you, taking all that crap, and after having had a blood clot in your brain, and a concussion......?

      She's a walking train wreck.....

      Dooooooomed

      Delete
    3. ASSANGE: Clinton Bombshell Could Drop Next Week....DRUDGE

      If Assange can come through big time for The Donald it might be his ticket to freedom.

      You know he's got to be thinking that....

      Hillary is fighting for her freedom too.....

      It's a wonderful election to watch, truly the best in a long while.... truly blood sport.....

      Delete
    4. RCP: Assange: Hillary is lying about not knowing what the “(C)” marking is, and I have proof

      Go Julian !

      Delete
  15. WHAT ON EARTH DID HILLARY SPIT INTO THAT GLASS AFTER HER COUGHING FIT IN CLEVELAND ?

    http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2016/09/what_on_earth_did_hillary_spit_into_that_glass_after_her_coughing_fit_in_cleveland.html

    "It appears do be green and vaguely spheroid."

    Can you identify it ?

    VIDEO

    ReplyDelete
  16. Can anyone identify the man now known as 'Badge Man' ? -

    September 7, 2016

    Hillary’s mysterious handler ‘badge man’ pops up on campaign plane after coughing fit

    By Thomas Lifson


    Who is the well-dressed man who accompanies Hillary and rushes to her aid when she experiences anything resembling a health issue? He’s back, and just spotted rushing to her aid in the campaign plane when she dissolved into a coughing fit while speaking to reporters. Eagle-eyed Jim Hoft of Gateway Pundit spotted him:

    pic/video


    There is nothing quite so intriguing as a man of mystery, but so far the media has chosen to ignore what AT readers learned about a month ago:

    pic/video

    A stunning charge is being leveled that Hillary Clinton’s health is so endangered that she is accompanied by a medic carrying an injection pen with an anti-seizure drug at the ready. And photographs are being presented as evidence of the practice.

    This guy on the right. Check out his left hand:

    pic/video



    One guess is that he is carrying a diazepam pen:

    pic/video


    And here is a tweet from ABC News last month that shows him rushing to her aid.

    I call him “badge man” because of the odd badge he seems to wear:

    Badge Man’s portfolio is not limited to rushing to inject her when she has a crisis. He’s also available to help her negotiate the challenges of climbing stairs.

    So who is our man of mystery, and what is he doing rushing to her aid when she coughs? That would be a nice question for one of the airborne press corps cherry-picked to ride on Hillary’s campaign plane to ask. Of course, that might be the last campaign plane ride the reporter ever gets from Hillary. Which is one of the points of doing her so-called press conferences on the plane.

    http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2016/09/hillarys_mysterious_handler_badge_man_pops_up_on_campaign_plane_after_coughing_fit.html#ixzz4Jb8FHZJ9


    This speculates that 'Badge Man' is packing an anti-seizure drug, which wouldn't be Valium, would it ?

    The mystery deepens.....

    'Badge Man' is also tasked with catching Hillary when she begins to fall on stairs, help her up and down stairs, and generally attempt to keep her 'vertical' in public.

    Do either of our Hillary supporters here, Ash and Rufus, have any idea of the identity of the mysterious Badge Man ?

    ReplyDelete
  17. This is the last of what I've go so far this morning -


    Newly released email shows Hillary aide claimed they ‘wired’ the Benghazi hearings
    September 7, 2016

    Putting substance in Donald Trump's charge that D.C. politics is "rigged."

    More


    http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2016/09/newly_released_email_shows_hillary_aide_claimed_they_wired_the_benghazi_hearings.html


    But, the day is still young.....

    ReplyDelete
  18. The Police weren't able to save him -

    Ferguson Protest Leader Darren Seals Found Dead in Vehicle


    By CHRISTOPHER MELESEPT. 6, 2016

    Photo
    Darren Seals

    The body of an activist from St. Louis who led protests about the fatal police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., in 2014 was found with a gunshot wound in the charred remains of a vehicle on Tuesday morning, according to the police and news accounts.

    The activist, Darren Seals, 29, was found inside the vehicle on Diamond Drive in Riverview in St. Louis County around 1:50 a.m., the St. Louis County Police Department said in a statement. The vehicle had been on fire and he was found after the flames were extinguished.

    The police said Mr. Seals had lived at an address on Millburn Drive in St. Louis, about 12 miles from where his body was found. The case is being investigated as a homicide by the department’s Bureau of Crimes Against Persons. The motive for the killing was unknown....

    http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/07/us/ferguson-protest-leader-darren-seals-found-dead-in-vehicle.html?_r=0

    ReplyDelete
  19. Obama Tells Foreign Audience That Americans Can Be ‘Lazy’ [VIDEO]

    President Obama twice on Wednesday suggested to a foreign audience that Americans are in some ways lazier than citizens of other nations.

    Speaking at a town hall meeting at Souphanouvong University in Laos, Obama said that Americans can be lazy when it comes to protecting the environment as well as when learning about other cultures.

    “Usually, if you see the environment destroyed, it’s not because that’s necessary for development,” Obama said, according to a transcript provided by USA Today reporter Gregory Korte. “It’s usually because we are being lazy, and we’re not being as creative as we could be about how to do it in the smarter, sustainable way.”

    Obama, who is in Laos to attend a summit for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), also asserted that Americans can “sometimes…feel lazy” when it comes to learning about other cultures.

    http://dailycaller.com/2016/09/06/republicans-on-capitol-hill-gain-confidence-in-trump/#ixzz4JbMIMOp7

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As a country, we do seem to be a little lazy about learning the truly nasty nature of Islam.

      Delete
    2. ...and what a hateful traitorous SOB Obama is.

      Delete
    3. Corrected Link:

      http://dailycaller.com/2016/09/07/obama-tells-foreign-audience-that-americans-can-be-lazy-video/

      “There is a deep down, underneath all the work I do, I think there’s a laziness in me,” Obama told Barbara Walters during a December 2011 interview.

      Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2016/09/06/republicans-on-capitol-hill-gain-confidence-in-trump/#ixzz4Jbcdocmz

      Delete
  20. Airstrike kills 15 ISIS members and destroys 12 car bombs in central Mosul

    (IraqiNews.com) Nineveh – The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan announced that 15 ISIS members were killed and 12 booby-trapped vehicles were destroyed by coalition airstrike in central Mosul.

    The spokesman for the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan Gayath Surji said, “The international coalition aviation conducted, at noon today, an air strike on ISIS headquarters in Ghabat area in central Mosul, killing 15 ISIS members.”

    “The air strike also destructed the headquarters completely, as well as destroying 12 booby-trapped vehicles,” Surji added.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dozens of ISIS militants killed in airstrike near Rutba

      (IraqiNews.com) Anbar – A military source in Anbar informed on Wednesday that dozens of ISIS members were killed in an aerial bombardment west of Anbar.

      The source said, “Warplanes bombed ISIS sites in the areas of al-Hadala and al-Sikak north of al-Rutba City (310 km west of Ramadi), destructing the sites completely.”

      The source, who asked anonymity, added, “The bombing resulted in the killing of dozens of ISIS terrorists, as well as causing considerable material and human losses in those locations.”

      Iraqinews

      Delete
    2. Strikes in Syria

      Attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted five strikes in Syria:

      -- Near Abu Kamal, a strike destroyed five ISIL oil tanker trucks.

      -- Near Raqqah, a strike destroyed two ISIL oil tanker trucks.

      -- Near Manbij, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed three fighting positions.

      -- Near Mara, two strikes engaged two ISIL tactical units and destroyed three fighting positions and a mortar system.

      Strikes in Iraq

      Attack and fighter aircraft conducted 12 strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq’s government:

      -- Near Albu Hayat, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a rocket cache, two buildings and three bunkers.

      -- Near Hit, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a vehicle and a building.

      -- Near Kisik, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a tunnel entrance, a vehicle and three heavy machine guns.

      -- Near Mosul, six strikes engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed five vehicles, two dozers, a front-end loader, an excavator and inoperable coalition equipment and damaged a tunnel.

      -- Near Qayyarah, two strikes engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed three vehicles, two dozers and eight rocket rails.

      -- Near Ramadi, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a vehicle, a building and a mortar system

      Delete
  21. Jesse Ferguson @JesseFFerguson

    BREAKING (before forum) - GOP "House Armed Services chairman: 'I've got concerns' about Trump"

    http://www.politico.com/story/2016/09/mac-thornberry-trump-concerns-227841 …

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sounds like the GOP House Armed Services chairman might be a warmonger.

      Delete
    2. Hillary is much more reliable for warmongers.

      See:

      Libya
      Iraq
      Syria
      etc

      Delete
    3. The Donald has criticized all these adventures, and Hillary either voted for them all and/or instigated them.

      The 'Diamond in Her Diadem' being Libya....

      pics of diamonds in diadems:


      https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=diamond+in+the+diadem&qpvt=diamond+in+the+diadem&qpvt=diamond+in+the+diadem&qpvt=diamond+in+the+diadem&FORM=IGRE

      Delete
  22. Hillary Bought Used BlackBerries On Ebay [VIDEO]

    (Outdated, no longer supported by Blackberry)

    http://dailycaller.com/2016/09/06/republicans-on-capitol-hill-gain-confidence-in-trump/#ixzz4JbZx8lM6

    http://dailycaller.com/2016/09/06/republicans-on-capitol-hill-gain-confidence-in-trump/#ixzz4JbZx8lM6

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Correct Link:

      http://dailycaller.com/2016/09/07/hillary-bought-used-blackberries-on-ebay-video/

      Delete
  23. US Employment: Good People Hard To Find

    September 7, 2016 9:00am by Barry Ritholtz

    I thought this analysis, from Yardeni Research (see public blog here) was very insightful.

    ~~~



    US Employment: Good People Hard To Find. Friday’s disappointing employment report might have been misunderstood. As Debbie reports below, payrolls rose only 151,000 m/m during August, the fourth weakest increase over the past 12 months. Excluding government, it rose just 126,000. However, there is mounting evidence that the problem isn’t a shortage of jobs, but rather a dearth of able-bodied and able-minded job seekers. Consider the following:

    (1) Unemployment pool shrinking. August’s unemployment rate was at 4.9% for the third month in a row (Fig. 1). That’s close to the previous two cyclical lows of 4.4% during May 2007 and 3.8% during April 2000.

    During August, the 4.9% jobless rate reflected a short-term rate of just 3.7% and a long-term rate of 1.3%. The first component reflects workers who have been unemployed for less than 27 weeks, and was only slightly above May’s cyclical low of 3.5%, which is in line with the previous cyclical lows of 3.6% during March 2007 and 3.4% during October 2000. The latter component is down sharply from its record high of 4.4% during April 2010.

    There are still 7.8 million people unemployed, comprising 5.8 million short-term and 2.0 million long-term unemployed (Fig. 2). But all three figures are down sharply from their cyclical peaks.

    (2) Plenty of jobs available. In August’s consumer confidence survey, the Conference Board found that the percentage of respondents who said that jobs are plentiful rose to 26.0%, the highest since August 2007 (Fig. 3). The percentage saying that jobs are hard to get was 23.4%, near recent cyclical lows, and consistent with the cyclical low in the unemployment rate (Fig. 4).

    (3) Record job openings. It’s actually somewhat surprising that nearly a quarter of respondents still say that jobs are hard to get given that job openings are at a record high. Perhaps many workers simply lack the skills required by the available jobs.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. June’s JOLTS report showed that there were 5.6 million job openings. The ratio of the unemployed to job openings was down to 1.4 during June, near May’s 1.3, which was the lowest since April 2001, and down dramatically from the cyclical peak of 6.6 during July 2009 (Fig. 5). The NFIB monthly survey of small business owners found that during August the percentage with one or more job openings was 27.8%, the highest since October 2001, and that’s on a 12-month average basis (Fig. 6). The actual August reading was 30.0%.

      (4) Unfilled positions hard to fill. NFIB’s August survey also reported the following litany of complaints by small business owners about the labor market: “Fifty-three percent reported hiring or trying to hire (down 3 points), but 46 percent reported few or no qualified applicants for the positions they were trying to fill. Fourteen percent of owners cited the difficulty of finding qualified workers as their Single Most Important Business Problem. This issue ranks third out of nine major issues listed. Twenty-six percent of all owners reported job openings they could not fill in the current period, down 3 points from, the highest reading in this recovery.”

      (5) Lots of full-time jobs. The household survey conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (along with the payroll survey), showed a seasonally adjusted employment gain of only 97,000 during August, but that followed a jump of 420,000 during July. August’s increase was led by a 409,000 jump in full-time employment, setting yet another record high (Fig. 7). That was partially offset by a 388,000 drop in part-time employment. (Note: Full- and part-time workers don’t add up to total employment because total employment is seasonally adjusted independently of full- and part-time workers.) The good news is that part-time now accounts for 17.9% of total employment, the lowest since November 2008.

      Delete
    2. (6) Earned Income Proxy remains near record. That’s all very exciting stuff. However, our Earned Income Proxy (EIP) edged down 0.1% m/m during August as the lackluster gain in payroll jobs and wages was more than offset by a drop in the workweek. However, our EIP remains near July’s record high, and is up 3.5% y/y. (See our Earned Income Proxy.)

      (7) What will the Fed do? A frequent grammatical mistake is to treat the word “data” as a singular rather than a plural noun. Fed officials have frequently said that monetary policy is “data dependent.” I presume that means that they are monitoring a bunch of data rather than one data point.

      While August’s weak payroll number suggests that the Fed should continue to postpone the next rate hike, it is only one number. The overwhelming evidence is that the labor market is very tight and that another 25bps hike won’t do any harm.

      My advice to Yellen for the September meeting of the FOMC: Just do it, even if it risks hurting your buddy Hillary. (We all know you won’t keep your job if the Donald wins.) Show that you have the guts to do at least one tiny rate hike per year. It will help your credibility, and then you can take the rest of this year off.

      Wages & Productivity: More Puzzle Pieces. But, wait: Not so fast! What about the surprisingly weak pace of wages? How does that jibe with the labor-market-is-tight assessment? And what about productivity growth? It’s pathetically weak, suggesting that the neutral real federal funds rate might be close to zero, or even negative–all the more reason to be very cautious about tightening again. The mediocre pace of wages and productivity growth are among the biggest puzzles of the current business expansion. Here are some more of our thoughts on the two subjects:

      Delete
    3. (1) Yellen’s wage meter busted? Is there something wrong with Yellen’s dashboard? She first started talking about it in March 2014. It included a bunch of labor market indicators. She put the wage speedometer right in front of her steering wheel. Wage inflation was the only one of her indicators that she specifically targeted, saying that normalizing monetary policy would be most appropriate when wages are rising 3%-4% y/y.

      She is probably tapping on this meter right now to see if it is broken. Despite all the indicators showing that the labor market is tightening, wage inflation remains stuck around 2.0%-2.5% according to August’s average hourly earnings index (2.4%) and Q2 hourly compensation (2.2% in the productivity report) (Fig. 8).

      (2) Why aren’t wages rising more rapidly? There are a few explanations for the slow pace of wage gains. One possibility is that high-wage Baby Boomers are retiring and more jobs are going to low-wage Millennials. Workers may be afraid to push for big raises, fearing that that would provide an even greater incentive to employers to replace them with automation, robotics, and artificial intelligence. Since the Trauma of 2008, corporate managements have been obsessed with keeping a lid on their costs and maintaining high profit margins.

      (3) No price-wage spiral. Perhaps the best and simplest explanation for the subdued pace of wage inflation even in the face of a tightening labor market is that price inflation remains so low. Global competition and technological innovations are keeping a tight lid on price inflation.

      Notwithstanding the widely believed urban legend of stagnant wages, the fact is that inflation-adjusted wages are at a record high (Fig. 9). Average hourly earnings divided by the PCED is up 1.1% y/y through July, while real hourly compensation (as reported in the productivity release last week) also rose 1.1% y/y through Q2.

      (4) Productivity is the known unknown. Over the past 20 quarters (five years) through Q2, nonfarm productivity growth is down to an annual rate of just 0.6% (Fig. 10). That’s the lowest since Q3-1982, and down from the most recent cyclical peak of 4.9% during Q4-2003. Productivity usually drops during recessions and recovers during expansions, but failed to do so this time, reminiscent of the similar depressing experience during the 1970s.

      Delete
    4. One possible explanation is that the economy’s output has been underestimated, as more of it is coming from hard-to-measure technology and services industries. If the data are correct, then perhaps the slow pace of demand growth (in a world of secular stagnation) is depressing productivity. Or, doesn’t the fact that most of the employment growth has been in services confirm that this sector is an obvious productivity laggard compared to manufacturing?

      A related explanation is that small companies are less productive than larger ones, particularly if they produce services rather than goods. ADP collects the relevant data, which show that since the bottom in overall ADP payrolls during January 2010 through August of this year, small and medium-sized companies increased their headcount by 11.7 million, while large companies added only 3.3 million (Fig. 11). Over this same period, among small and medium-sized companies, the service-producing ones hired 10.4 million while the goods-producers hired only 1.3 million.

      Reproduced with permission, all rights reserved.

      ~~~

      Dr. Ed Yardeni is the President and Chief Investment Strategist of Yardeni Research, Inc., a provider of independent investment strategy and economics research. This blog highlights excerpts from our research service, which is designed for investment and business professionals.

      Contact Information:

      Barry Ritholtz - The Big Picture

      Delete
    5. If you click on the original article, it gives links to all of Yardeni's charts. I think this one might be the most interesting:

      Real Hourly Compensation and Average Hourly Earnings

      Delete
    6. Oh, PCED is the measure of inflation used by the Fed - Personal Consumption Expenditures Deflator.

      Delete
    7. "Notwithstanding the widely believed urban legend of stagnant wages, the fact is that inflation-adjusted wages are at a record high (Fig. 9). Average hourly earnings divided by the PCED is up 1.1% y/y through July, while real hourly compensation (as reported in the productivity release last week) also rose 1.1% y/y through Q2."

      Delete
  24. RUFUS, WHY DID HILLARY TELL US ALL SHE ONLY USED ONE DEVICE 'FOR CONVENIENCE', WHEN WE KNOW NOW SHE ACTUALLY HAD AT LEAST 13 DEVICES, SOME OF WHICH HER AIDES TRIED TO DESTROY IN A PANIC WITH HAMMERS ????

    ReplyDelete
  25. As I note above those Blackberries were no longer supported by Blackberry, meaning they were no longer given SECURITY UPDATES.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. But I remind you: Like his Heroine, Hillary, Rufus will decide what to answer and not answer.

      Delete
    2. I wonder if he really thinks we actually read his voluminous contributions of page after page of copy and pasted CRAP?

      Delete
    3. Uninsured rate hits new record low

      By Joan McCarter
      Wednesday Sep 07, 2016 · 1:25 PM CDT

      Thanks, Obama. While there are still some real problems with Obamacare, there is no denying that it is helping millions of people. Continuing the trend we've seen in regular Gallup and National Health Interview surveys, the percentage of the uninsured has reached another historical low.

      WASHINGTON—The number of uninsured people in the U.S. remained at a historic low in early 2016, according to a federal survey that found 8.6% of respondents without health coverage at the time of the interview.

      That translates to about 27.3 million people who lacked medical insurance when they were asked about it between January and March as part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Health Interview Survey. The previous survey, covering the whole of 2015, had put the figure at 9.1%, or about 1.3 million more people. CDC officials said the latest reduction wasn’t statistically significant. […]

      Hispanic adults aged 18 to 64 were significantly more likely to be uninsured, with 24.5% of those interviewed reporting they lacked a health plan at the time of the interview.

      For white respondents the figure was 8.4%, while among black respondents 13% said they didn’t have coverage.


      There's still work to be done. For example, there has been a "notable uptick in people enrolled in a high-deductible health plan," which have lower premiums and which employers are increasingly choosing to reduce their share of the costs of providing coverage.

      But what's absolutely undeniable is that there are millions of people who can now get insurance regardless of their health history, and there are millions of people who can get preventive care and annual checkups with no additional copays. Considering how hard the political fight against the simple idea that everyone should have access to health insurance has been, Obamacare has been remarkably successful.

      Daily Kos

      Delete
    4. It's like Rufus has gotten a job with The Daily Kos.

      I feel like I have a subscription.

      One of those irritating ones you want to get rid of but can't.....

      Delete
    5. The next step down the ladder from The Daily Kos are the comic books.

      Delete
  26. Julian Assange is coming up soon on 'Hannity' on Fox News.

    Julian says our media are covering up a 'demon'.....that would be Hillary.....

    Don't miss it !

    ReplyDelete
  27. When Trump gets elected, should he offer Julian asylum ?

    ReplyDelete

  28. Why the polls are tightening up


    By Michael Barone (@michaelbarone) • 9/7/16 5:15 PM

    So most respondents had no time to digest the juicy bits, including (((((the BleachBit destruction of thousands of emails after they were subpoenaed by the House Benghazi committee))))). And the fact that (((((Clinton used not one email device, as she claimed in March 2015, but at least 13))))), and that at least eight were lost and two smashed with a hammer. When asked about the (C) notations on documents, Clinton said that perhaps they had something to do about alphabetical order, even though there there were no (A)s, (B)s or (D)s. The candidate touted as the most qualified ever professed deep ignorance about government classification practices.

    According to polls, more than 60 percent of Americans believe Clinton is not honest or trustworthy. The FBI interview notes provide further convincing evidence that she is a liar and a cheat. The kid gloves treatment she got from the FBI — no recordings, allowing aide and co-conspirator Cheryl Mills in the interview — confirm the impression, created by the intended-to-be-secret meeting of Bill Clinton and Attorney General Loretta Lynch days before, that the fix was in. So does the fact that (((((Clinton and her aides in court-ordered interviews claimed loss of memory 378 times.)))))


    http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/why-the-polls-are-tightening-up/article/2601206

    ReplyDelete
  29. Assad continues gassing children in Aleppo -

    http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2016/09/assad_gases_the_children_of_aleppo.html

    ReplyDelete
  30. Sick Gums

    http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2016/09/dental-expert-hillary-clinton-suffering-serious-gum-infection-immune-disorder/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I want to know if Hillary actually has a hole in her tongue -


      Hillary Clinton's black hole in her tongue


      lionsgroundnews.com › News

      People are wondering what that dark hole in Hillary’s tongue is? ... They should not only explain what’s going on with her tongue, ...
      .

      why does hillary have a hole in her tongue - hottrendsnow.net


      www.hottrendsnow.net/why-does-hillary-have-a-hole-in-her-tongue

      why does hillary have a hole in her tongue ... Hillary’s Recent SEIZURE: Is the “HOLE” in Hillary Clinton’s Tongue from Cancer Surgery?
      .

      That Strange Hole in Hillary's Tongue Can Only Mean One ...


      www.redflagnews.com/headlines-2016/that-strange-hole-in-hillarys...

      ... the gaping cavity on Hillary's tongue does appear to be at or near the base and not where a ... Aug 1 That Strange Hole in Hillary's Tongue Can Only Mean One ...
      .

      Blog: Something very weird about Hillary’s face at the ...


      www.americanthinker.com/blog/2016/07/something_very_weird_about...

      Jul 30, 2016 · From Hillary’s perspective, her adult life has been one ... lovely little hole in my tongue where I ... on her tongue and whether or not she has ...
      .

      Why does Hillary have a hole in her tongue?


      politicalhotwire.com/conspiracy-theories/151273-why-does-hillary...
      30 POSTS
      FIRST POST: JUL 28, 2016

      Jul 29, 2016 · Why does Hillary have a hole in her tongue? Taken from last night at the DNC. 28th July 2016, 04:42 PM #2. PACE. Piranha pool cleaner Joined Nov 2013 …
      .

      Hillary Clinton’s Health In Rapid Decline – Will She Even ...


      themostimportantnews.com/archives/hillary-clintons-health-in-rapid...

      ... she has a very large hole in her tongue that has not been explained, ... Every time Hillary Clinton has another coughing fit, ...
      .

      Is the hole in Hillary Clinton’s tongue from cancer ...

      Is the hole in Hillary Clinton’s tongue from cancer surgery?
      defund.com
      14 hours ago
      Is the hole in Hillary’s tongue from removing a stud, or is it from cancer surgery? According to the blog Lame Cherry:
      ..

      Why does Hillary have a hole in her tongue? - Page 3


      politicalhotwire.com/conspiracy-theories/151273-why-does-hillary...
      30 POSTS
      FIRST POST: JUL 30, 2016

      Aug 01, 2016 · Originally Posted by Ginger I think it's some confetti floating down in front of her face. ... Why does Hillary have a hole in her tongue? LinkBack. LinkBack URL ...
      .

      WHOA! What the Heck Did Viewers Notice on Hillary’s TONGUE ...


      www.thepoliticalinsider.com/what-did-dnc-viewers-find-hillary-tongue

      The social media site Twitter began showing tweets with the tag "Hillary's tongue." What were people tweeting about? Well, take a look: ... Looks like a hole.


      If she does, my theory is that it is 'The Devil's Mark of a Liar'.

      Native Americans called it 'Forked Tongue'.....

      Delete
    2. One theory of speech is that it is all a means of deception.

      I don't believe this however.

      Way too simple.....

      Except when it comes to the current upper reaches of the Democrat Party.....

      Delete
  31. Florida poll: Trump leads in four-way race for the first time since the conventions

    posted at 10:41 pm on September 7, 2016 by Allahpundit

    It’s by just a single point, well within the margin of error, but three weeks ago Monmouth had Hillary waltzing away with Florida by nine in the four-way race. A Mason-Dixon poll taken a week after that put her up by two, and now PPP sees Trump nudging ahead. Needless to say, Florida is an all but must-win for Trump in any path to 270, especially if Pennsylvania is going to be a tougher climb for him than everyone thought.

    His strategy in Florida is the traditional Republican strategy except even more so: Pile up huge amounts of white votes and then pick off just enough support from Cuban-Americans to eke out a win statewide. It’s working right now:....

    http://hotair.com/archives/2016/09/07/florida-poll-trump-leads-four-way-race-first-time-since-conventions/

    ReplyDelete