I support the House Select Committee on the January 6th, because I want to understand how it happened and how recurrences can be prevented.  One outcome is that the Committee determines former President Trump was responsible and refers the matter to the Justice Department, who brings him to trial, where he is convicted and affirmed … Continue reading Starved for Oxygen

My latest column for Inside Business lives here: https://www.pilotonline.com/inside-business/vp-ib-expert-flinchum-0117-20220114-pxhw3vwrp5gsbgcksy3spnlayi-story.html

Many years ago, I was fortunate to work with an older lady, who fasted every Friday – no breakfast, no lunch, and no dinner.  Most of us assumed she did this as part of a weight management program, but one day she added that “self-control is just another muscle that gets weak without exercise.” Ten … Continue reading Just Another Muscle

Like most people, when I watched last year’s riot/demonstration/insurrection on January 6th, I was shocked and heartbroken.  However, as I watched news coverage of the first anniversary, I recalled the assassination of Martin Luther King in 1968, when massive riots broke out in Washington.  I was stationed at Fort Bragg, where we were quickly put … Continue reading 1968 and 2021

Trying to read somebody’s mind, especially their intentions, is a fool’s errand . . . but here goes anyway! Jerry Powell is head of the Federal Reserve System, which is the only agency with the duty to control inflation.  He knows his predecessors have proved that raising interest rates will lower the inflation rate and … Continue reading Mind Game ?

Like the pandemic, inflation seems to have appeared suddenly.  First, there was the sudden increase in government spending last year to combat the virus.  Second, there was a similar increase in the money supply by the Fed for the same reason.  Both examples energized “demand-pull” inflation. In addition, supply chain problems increased costs.  Plus, the … Continue reading Push – Pull

In 2020, about 350 thousand Americans were killed by Covid.  In 2021, another 500 thousand Americans were killed. In 2020, Wall Street boomed, with the S&P up about 16 percent.  In 2021, the S&P boomed again, up about 26 percent. So, how can the stock market continue to rise so much when so many Americans … Continue reading An Unintended Consequence

This year, I lost six friends – five of whom were also clients.  Each leaves a hole in my life, and I miss them already.  Depressed by the crushing grind  of the pandemic, I miss them even more. A few months ago, we went to the SPCA and adopted a blind rescue cat, who was … Continue reading Lesson for 2022

Every economist knows you can curb inflation most easily by raising interest rates, but there are some hidden costs.  Of course, nothing is ever simple. To raise interest costs, go to www.usdebtclock.org , and you’ll see our national debt is over $29 trillion and speeding toward $30 trillion.  Then, pick up your iPhone and ask … Continue reading Alternatives to Inflation

Everybody knows that immigrants are bad.  They take our jobs.  They suck up welfare dollars and healthcare dollars and education dollars.  Most of all, they violate our laws, believing that their families are more important to them than our laws — how silly! So, what’s wrong with the U.K., Canada, Japan and Australia?  According to … Continue reading Those Silly Foreigners

Senator Bob Dole was a great American! He was a genuine war hero and a lion of the Senate. It would have been an honor to salute the man! I wanted to watch his funeral on TV and scheduled my exercise that day, so I could watch it while on the treadmill. When I got … Continue reading A Time for Respect . . . or Allegiance ?

Two of my favorite investment strategists are Jeremy Siegel of Wharton and Jeff Gundlach of Doubletree.  One is an affable professor, and the other is an aggressive CEO.  They’re both brilliant. Neither thinks the stock market is facing any imminent collapse.  Dr. Siegel thinks it is riding the huge increase in money supply.  Gundlach thinks … Continue reading Two Smart Guys