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How to Play the Markets Before Trump's Inauguration

By , Capital Wave Strategist, Money Morning • @WallStreet_II -

Trump

Stocks are "back in the box," essentially flat for now. This sideways motion is a little disappointing, because I for one was hoping for a nice pile-on close to 20,000 that would have sent us on another leg higher.

I'm sure we'll get there eventually. Right now it's cabinet confirmation time; markets are sitting back and watching the show.

But so far, nobody and nothing has been able to rattle the market.

Every time stocks look like they've grown tired of trying to climb higher or look like they may even be struggling a little to stay flat, they catch a bid and hang tough.

I think that's a very good sign, but that doesn't mean there's nothing to do...

The Biggest, Most Destructive Lie the Government Tells (and Why They Keep Telling It)

By , Global Credit Strategist, Money Morning • @MichaelELewitt -

Market's Unknowns

"Radical truth-tellers" have been demonized and shunned by the establishment for centuries - much longer, in fact. Those of us who have always refused to settle for insincerity, falsehood, and duplicity in our personal, business, and civic relationships are usually considered "difficult."

And I am decidedly difficult.

For all of the 29 years I've spent trading and investing, I've watched governments and central bankers attempt to thwart the free market to serve their own ends - almost always at the grievous expense of regular investors - and then protest, often loudly on 500 channels, that they're doing nothing of the sort, that they're safeguarding or shepherding the markets somehow.

And through it all, one question has always persisted in my mind: "Are these people wrong because they're stupid? Or because they're lying."

I've come to conclude those two possibilities aren't mutually exclusive.

And that's meant suffering and economic misery for millions of Americans.

I'm not going to hold my breath for it to change with the Trump administration; I'm going to attack the lie head on...

Fixing This Financial Mess Should Be Our Next President's No. 1 Priority

By , Global Credit Strategist, Money Morning • @MichaelELewitt -

Whatever the outcome in November, our new president will be saddled with a tremendous economic mess.

The U.S. is drowning in debt, some $19.3 trillion right now. Entitlement spending is about to explode, including the costs of Obamacare that were conveniently delayed until its chief author left office. The cost of servicing what will soon be a $20 trillion federal deficit is heading higher and consuming a larger percentage of government spending. The United States' fiscal situation is on an unsustainable trajectory.

The situation, however, is not hopeless. There are steps a new president can take to improve the situation.

But there's one thing he - or she - absolutely must deal with right away...

What Happened to Government Transparency? All We See Is Illegal Stonewalling

By , Associate Editor, Money Morning • @DavidGZeiler -

Government scandals are getting harder to investigate as the Obama administration turns away from promises of government transparency. Here's what's going on.

In recent years, it's become easier for wrongdoers to get away with abusing their government-given power.

The Obama administration has made it increasingly difficult for federal watchdogs to obtain records, despite President Obama's assurances that his is the most transparent administration ever.

The stonewalling has disrupted at least 20 government investigations.

Here's what's been going on - and what will happen next...

Congress, BNP Paribas, and IRS Give Us New Standards for Outrageousness

By , Capital Wave Strategist, Money Morning • @WallStreet_II -

BNP Paribas

Last Thursday, you were all shocked (not) to consider the possibility that members of Congress might be making money by dishing out dirt on legislation they're brewing up, this time to traders who profited from leaky pipes in the Senate or House.

I'm going to tell you what the feds and the courts are trying to do here. I expect a full-on, separation-of-powers battle royale.

Read all the ugly details, in addition to scandals with the IRS and BNP Paribas, here…

Why Congress Is Still the Best Club in the World

By , Capital Wave Strategist, Money Morning • @WallStreet_II -

Oh, to be a Washington insider...armed with "inside information," the kind that moves markets.

Not that anybody in Congress would ever use their position as crafters of law or disseminators of dollars to special interests to make a few dollars.

No way!

But members of Congress and their staffs were caught with their insider hands open last year, forcing Congress to pass legislation slapping their own wrists if members trade on "congressional knowledge."

It was designed to prevent insider trading among lawmakers.

Any guesses on how well that worked...

To learn more about Wall Street's and Washington's shenanigans and opportunities, and to subscribe to Shah Gilani's free newsletter Wall Street Insights and Indictments click here...

President Obama's Grand Bargain is DOA

By , Contributing Writer, Money Morning -

President Obama proposed a “grand bargain” this week to break the fiscal stalemate in Washington– so what does that mean? Judging by this Republican reaction, it’s not what Obama planned…

Read more..

After 14 Years of Free-for-All, Glass-Steagall Is Back

By , Capital Wave Strategist, Money Morning • @WallStreet_II -

The diminutive senator from Massachusetts has got the Big Banks shaking in their boots. Elizabeth Warren fired a Scud missile of legislation at too-big-to-fail banks to separate their commercial banking activities from their investment banking speculation.
Let's see, that might just limit the contagion during the next financial crisis. Find out why Shah Gilani thinks the senator is right on the money...

To continue reading, please click here...

Senators Move to Create 21st Century Glass-Steagall Act

By , Behavioral Trading Specialist, Money Morning -

Warren, John McCain (R-Ariz.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), and Angus Kin (I-Maine) introduced legislation that would again separate bank's traditional activities (like deposits currently backed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.) from riskier activities like investment banking, insurance underwriting, swap dealing, and hedge funds.

Glass-Steagall was repealed by Congress back in 1999.

When the news broke of Warren’s determined attempt to bring back Glass-Steagall last week, it covered front pages across the country and instigated a firestorm of commentary on the future of the U.S. economy.

The problem, of course, is the ability to cut through the hype and understand if financial reform is necessary to fix the U.S. economy.

Rarely do I find myself championing regulatory efforts by the Federal Government, but the financial sector is an entirely different beast from energy, agriculture, and other resource sectors.

But reinstituting key elements of the Glass-Steagall Act is just one step on a long return to sanity for the economy.

To continue reading, please click here...

The Hidden Tax the IRS Levies on Free Speech

By , Money Morning -

Ordinary Americans have been thrust into a nightmarish Orwellian daze. 

I see tinfoil hat-wearing conspiracy theorists waiving their hands about in joyful affirmation, and it feels plain unnatural. 

Yet, people are starting to ask strange questions which only the tinfoil hat-wearers were willing to entertain before. 

And it turns out the answers to those questions are frightening. 

Citizens are being spied on, bullied, and punished because their opinions differ from reigning political agendas. 

In fact, a litany of cases  recently uncovered shows that the IRS has targeted the free speech of vocal Obama opponents, including conservative non-profits, tea party activists and other individuals and businesses.

If you speak out against the president's agenda, there's a good chance the IRS will audit you. Or if you organize a grass-roots tea party group...the IRS will refuse to grant it tax-exempt status. But if you're left-wing, not only will the IRS rubber stamp your tax status, it'll leak to you the donor list of conservative groups for you to attack.

Keep quiet or else...

To continue reading, please click here...

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