Business Politics

Wall Street shrugs at Washington’s debt pileup

Wall Street doesn't care about the debt...most people don't...and either party doesn't care when THEY are in control.
It's just a wedge issue...spin it to make your opposition hurt.

Really, the thing that take care of the debt is making the ship run better.
Money is made...taxes taken in, the bills get paid over time.

Right now, isn't a time to retreat or restrict...we're in a war, VS a plague. People AND businesses are hurting.
And statisticians say every dollar WELL spent comes back in the long run 10 fold.

But this doesn't mean corrupt handouts to those not truly in need...People AND especially business.
y'gotta keep track of it.
A target water spout...not an uncontrolled fire hose.

Ignore the bullshit, do what's right.

 

China is feeling insecure about its global rare earths dominance

This is one I've been watching for awhile
And will become even more important, as we go through what's available.

If anything that Biden and the states can go conservative on and ignore some environmental impact...it's this one.
Gotta kill the China monopoly on this and utilize what the US has. IF it is done smart and discretionary...not slapdash like we did with oil.
Controlled but moving forward.

 

I find the whole thing hilarious.
Another unexpected consequence of the internet and its unending apps.

But the one thing I'll be fascinated with is what government actions and laws come out of this.
Because they're certainly not going leave it alone.
Too much money involved, too many VIPs.

Nice to fuck with some millionaires and billionaires in the meantime.
Not that I'd mind being one myself.
I'm just not that manipulative or driven.

 

Texas issues order to prevent providers from sending electric bills — The Texas Tribune

Now this is what government is good for...
Making sure that business doesn’t get out of control.

Often, business is only interested in the bottom line, profit, the owners and stockholders.
Government is “supposed to” serve the people.

Often, they’ve let automation, policy and service get out of scope.

And god knows what I went through fighting the utilities...and that was just about $1500

Business has a conflict of interest.
Sometimes it just gets plain greedy or negligent.

Government is check
A necessary evil.

I like the idea of laissez-faire
But real terms, it doesn’t work always.
There is a balance

And sometimes even that needs to be tweaked for circumstance.

This IS one of those scenarios.

 

U.S. and Europe Will Suspend Tariffs on Alcohol, Food and Airplanes

This is where my "Laissez-faire" thoughts kick in.
I've never really understood the idea of using tariffs.
Mostly they backfire.
Mostly of the time, more money is made & saved for everyone when they're reduced or dropped. (on both sides)

IMHO, mostly it's used by politicians and lobbyists to posture and protect their sponsors or ego.

Anyone see any good?

 

Biden picks 2 antitrust crusaders. But his biggest choices come next.

This topic is one of the reasons I made this thread.
I hope they effectively use the antitrust laws.

We've been rubber stamping most mergers and acquisitions in the past 20 years.
And now we've got a bunch of over power companies.

Ex: Google is most of the searches
Facebook data mines like crazy, as Google does.
Amazon is submarining the retail market.
And so on...

The question is...isn't if they're big and rich...it's if it's harmful and unfair.
Are they chokeholding the industry or taking advantage of citizens.

Do they have balanced competition?

--- Double Post Merged, Mar 21, 2021, Original Post Date: Mar 15, 2021 ---

Opinion | How to Collect $1.4 Trillion in Unpaid Taxes

ALL should pay their fair share.
People or businesses, etc
Big or small, rich or poor.

You cannot claim freedom of speech...to influence with money, then not pay (big biz, we're talking to you)
You cannot use universal resources and not pay (roads, bridges, etc)

No, you do NOT get to eat your cake and have it too.

 

Voting rights: Why the GOP and corporate America are breaking up - CNNPolitics

Well, they've figured out some things
1. The GOP base is insane...and getting more so
2. They're getting pulled into battles from a minority party
3. So they don't want to go down the rabbit hole
4. Don't want to lose the majority of their customers...including global.

The GOP base is a SMALL fraction of the whole nation and world.
Why would you cater to an unstable shrinking crowd??? (even if noisy...or especially so)

Biz is about volume and growth

--- Double Post Merged, May 24, 2021, Original Post Date: Apr 5, 2021 ---

Hundreds of PPP loans went to fake farms in absurd places

I hope the federal jails will be filling up...

--- Double Post Merged, Jun 5, 2021 ---

G7 seals breakthrough deal to tax global companies

Now THIS will change things.
As the business becomes more international they can't hide their profits.
It allows post-industrial nations to share.
And gives them an excuse to put a minimum on the tax. (corrupt national politicians can't give tons of write-off as easy, due to international law)

Now, the only question is everyone going to commit? And continue it?
All it takes is nationalist short-sighted dimwit to tear it all up. (Mr. T is a case in point)

Oh well, y'gotta start somewhere.

But the lobbyists, politicians and so on, paid off by businesses, are all going to do what they can to minimize or kill it.

I don't mind taxes, as long as they're reasonable and fair.
I just wish businesses didn't treat it like a zero sum game.

--- Double Post Merged, Jul 9, 2021 ---

Biden to sign executive order aimed at promoting competition across the economy

Great move.
Things have been quite a bit one-sided for some time.
This should shake things up a bit. Balance it out.

 

And a big ol' "fark you" to Ajit Pai

YES!!!
Bringing back Net Neutrality!

Let’s hear it for policy NOT written by those connected and profiting from the telecommunications industry.
* who they’re supposed to monitor and regulate

About friggin’ time.

 

‘Bout damn time…
Chuck Schumer introducing bill to make pot federally legal, hopefully by 4/20

I put this under business because there’s TONS of money to be made from this at ALL levels.

This will allow major banks to do accounts and financial services for the upward and rocketing growers and vendors.

The tax revenue should keep an politician mouths shut.
Chill and take a toke you greedy mother fuckers.
That should make you stop being agro.

--- Double Post Merged, Jul 20, 2021, Original Post Date: Jul 14, 2021 ---

U.S. Accuses China of Hacking Microsoft

About fucking time!
WAY too long to allow this to keep happening.

But it has no teeth.
China is going to totally ignore it...keep to their standard M.O. ...theft.

They can't think outside the box...so they steal what they can to progress.
And inside China it's even more pervasive.

Why do they keep getting away with it? Cheap Labor.
Govts don't want to upset the manufacturing cycle or company profits.

I don't know of any country that steals as much as China does. It's an addiction for them...a profitable one...and powerful one. Like the Cocaine Drug Lords.

Question is, WHAT are we going to do about it>
They certainly are not going to stop their habit without consequences.
Will we have spines?? (not just the US, Europe too...and other post-industrial nations)

--- Double Post Merged, Jul 26, 2021 ---

Biden picks a third trustbuster for his administration, putting Big Tech on notice

Good, the merger & acquisitions market has been unbalanced for a LONG time. All the way back to Clinton. (yes Obama, even you)
They need to start tightening the reins, actually do some serious consideration of mergers. ACTUALLY do their jobs, not just rubber stamp these thing.
Getting tired of the mega-monoliths or behemoths that are created.
Let's start promoting some good competition.

 

Katie Porter is holding CEOs accountable to the public, five riveting minutes at a time — Fast Company

This is good…a wicked smart check on irrational exuberance and corruption.

AND she hasn’t been demonized like Warren yet.

So she can be effective and not team blocked as much.

I hope she works also with the Biden administration.
And that it doesn’t work against her.

--- Double Post Merged, Oct 14, 2021, Original Post Date: Aug 12, 2021 ---

Interesting perspective
It's always good to see the European angle...and how they're interacting and cooperating with the rest of the world, including the US
Europe's top 'tech cop' is ready to take on Big Tech with America

 

Retailers Scramble to Attract Workers Ahead of the Holidays

There's nothing that the government can do here...it pure business politics, employees vs employers (and it's the employers' move to do)
Many aren't willing to do the dirty work without decent pay anymore.

It's all over the place.
But those not working are often living with parents, I've seen.

The dynamic is all thrown off.

 

5 takeaways from Facebook whistleblower’s EU Parliament testimony

Question is 2 fold. - for both the US and EU
1. are they going to do anything
2. will it be balanced???

1. I don't think the US will act...the EU will.
2. You don't want to go overboard...BUT. the EU has done a fairly good job balancing corporate/computing flexibility with cybersecurity.
And it's got a fairly good established policy on privacy too.
So bets are...they'll do a decent job for this.

Now the US is starting to follow much of the EU on cybersecurity...but not privacy.
So chances are, they'll muck it up...make anything done, too thin and not enforced.

We'll see...

 

US jobless claims at 52-year low amid seasonal volatility

Well, what did y'think was going to happen when all the Baby Boomers retired???
The largest population volume retires early too, because of the pandemic.
What do you think is going to happen to Social Security? (if I know the BBs, they'll suck it all dry)

Now, all the companies who got used to a ton of resources...have to deal with what's left...and they won't put up with their BS or low pay.
AND a good volume of these people can now work from anywhere.

Y'know companies are going to be screaming for help...the same that took $$$ during the pandemic. So much for "laissez-faire capitalism".