FOR WHAT ONE WISHES

A couple of things.  Higher interest rates?  I don't think there is any doubt that the Fed is moving higher in a couple of weeks.  Everybody seems on line for this one except for some of the people who have Been asking for a higher environment for some time.  Why?  Well, it seems that things appear to be trending pretty good as of late so why do anything to mess it up?  That was the latest word of wisdom from a couple of the talking heads on this morning's news shows.  OK, dismissible,  but it certainly makes one wonder if Flint, MI. is the only place in the country with a water problem.  Remarkably, however, whether a rate rise is in order or not no one seems to care.  President Trump's Excellent Journey is the only thing that people care about. It's like watching Phil Mickelson play golf: he may not be in contention but you can't take your eyes off of him.  Maybe that's the plan.  If it is it's a lousy plan.

But then again, if this administration is about anything it is "AmericaFirst" which I suppose includes the concept of a singular focus on actions, legislation, the creation of conditions which benefit this country irrespective of most foreign concerns, or an expansion upon Jimmy Baker's famous advice to a European diplomat, " The dollar is your problem."  Remarkably, although I doubt very much if was intended, the proposals floating about as to what laws and policies in this country may look like in nine months are having more of an international effect that they are having domestically and far more of an effect than the great internationalist, Obama,  could have ever imagined.  To be honest, what Obama did or tried to do was, after a brief period of infatuation, was mostly ignored.  Whilst I have written of this in earlier chapters, the Trump Effect on EVERY upcoming European election is becoming more pronounced.  Problem is nobody has any idea as to the final effect as ever side is citing Trump and his policies(?) as either a reason for support in either a positive or negative sense.  And of course the topper is no one either Over Her or Over There has the slightest idea as to what the final products resulting from what are now almost pure streams of consciousness might result!  Trump.  Internationalist!

There is of course even a greater problem:  I don't have a clue either where this thing is going and consequently I have nothing intelligent to say...which of course to some may simply be a continuation of life over the past 10 years or so but I thought from time to time I had a few truths to be revealed.  I mean, think about it.  Nothing, NOTHING of consequence has been produced within the financial sector to fundamentally change the outlook from, say, five months ago:  except for the anticipation of events resulting In what is one of the greatest booms in equity. markets we've ever seen is such a short space of time.   So maybe the No Change in Rates guys are right! Lassez les Bon temps and all that stuff, but come on guys, I'm dying out here.